How to make a cover pest control top for a flower pot, grow bag or almost any container that you want to grow seeds in, or vegetables in to protect from insects and rodents
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So many of us are growing food and we want to keep it for ourselves and we don’t want the insects to get it. And you know how I’ve been making those hoods for years out of tote lids. They work fantastic. The problem is not everybody’s growing from totes. So you don’t have that lid that you can cut up and make these beautiful dome tops for grow bags or buckets or flower pots. and you can water through them and just lift it when you want to get your harvest. Even flowers and seedlings you can protect and especially lettuce. But there are other things we can use like placemats. And I’m going to show you how easy it is to put together one of these tops. It could cost you a dollar, $2. You know what? Go to a thrift store. You can probably get old placemats for 25. The only thing you have to remember is they have to be plastic. Don’t buy the laminated ones or when you cut them they’ll fall apart. We’re going to go inside in a second and I’m going to show you how easy it is to make this. And not only that, it’s not going to come off when you put it on. You’re going to clip that thing on and the only way that top’s going to come off is if that whole flower pot flies away. Pot and all. Let’s go in and see how easy it is to make this so you can protect your food, too. So today we’re going to make a custom top for a round flower pot. And you can have almost any size you want. This one has a slight taper. So it’s a little bit wider on the top, a little narrower on the bottom. Now these placemats, I got these at Walmart. You can get them at Dollar Tree. These are a little bit thicker. So it’s up to you whatever you want to use. You just choose the color you want and start cutting. Now you’re going to want a couple strips that are about 1 and 1/2 to 2 in. is you could even go a little bigger. The rest are going to be whatever size you want. You can go 1 in and that will do the trick. But the first thing we’re going to do is make like a collar for the pot. And this is what I like it to be about 2 in wide. And we’re going to staple two of those strips together. And we’re going to make it fit tight. And this is going to be the base of the whole hood we’re going to build. See how they fit together now? And we don’t want it to slip in. So, you want it wide for the top. That’s why I like having tapered pots. It works better, though, you could get away without it if your pot wasn’t tapered because I have a little trick at the end in case your pot is straight. And now you want to make it where it’s going to be somewhat snug so it doesn’t slip down. There you go. And make sure you add enough staples. So, use two or three at least. That is it. Now, we’re going to make a hood. And I’m going to double it up cuz I want it tall. I might want to grow a cauliflower or a cabbage in there. So, we’re gonna go ahead and make tall tops. And now I’m cutting the rest of the strips. This is the easiest thing to make. Now, that stapler I’m using is a paper stapler. It’s called a pliers, but it is a regular stapler. It uses paper staplers. So, it’s the easiest thing to use and I love it. And I’ve got two of them because they’re just so great. Now, we’re going to go ahead and staple the strips onto the collar we made that’s going to be sitting on the inside of the flower pot. I know this is sped up, but I didn’t want you to have to sit here for 20 minutes to watch it because you probably already have the idea if you watch the other videos on how we made the square tops. And it would be good if you go back and watch that. So, it kind of give you an idea what we’re doing. But what we are doing here is making a dome. dome for your flower pot. And you’re going to be able to cover it in whatever fashion or way you want. See, I’m just stapling it again right there. So, each of those strips that I staple together will be sitting on the inside. We’re putting it on the inside. Remember, we want that collar to not get too thick. We still want it to sit inside. Now, I made this one a little thinner, probably about 3/4 of an inch. And I’m going to staple this all the way around. You can kind of go like a basket weave in and out if you want. But this is going to hold the top in place. This is fantastic. I’ve made these for years and I love them and it protects all my food plants. I mean, I could put a lettuce in here, a parsley, anything I have problems with with insects or birds. You’re going to make this top and you’re going to have the food for yourself and you will have no insects and no bird issues. which also means you can start with seedlings, so nothing will get your little seedling either. This is easier to cut than tote. I know some people have a problem with tote lids. I put them out in the sun, they get soft, and I can cut them either with a knife or a scissors, but here you’re only going to use a scissors. Look, the top is basically done. Now, if you only wanted it for simple shade, you’re done. Then you can just put this on there if you have no insects or bird problems, and this would protect your plant. Now, you if you’ve watched the other videos, you know I use fabric, but we’re going to do something different today. Towards the top of that collar, I’m going to staple on this very wide yarn I had picked up. And I’m running it all the way around the collar. And I’m stapling this on. And use as many staples as you want because staples are really cheap. When you get all the way around, look at this. It fits in. You just trim it. And now it’s sitting on the inside of the flower pot. And we’re going to make sure the top is nice and stapled so nothing is going to move. So all those strips are stapled together. And see how it still fits in. Perfect. This is what we want. Now I want to protect my plants from insects and birds. So I am going to put tulle on. Now this could get a little tricky. So keep an eye out cuz once you if you’ve seen the other video, you’ll know what we’re doing. I’m stapling the tulle on but we’re also going to hot glue it. This makes a complete seal. So no insects are going to crawl in there and get your plant. So I put a one staple here and one staple there. It kind of holds the tool in place. Now remember the tool when you cut it, it’s not going to be round. It’s square. So it will bunch up, but it doesn’t matter. Now you want the hot glue from your glue gun to go through the tool onto the yarn. So this way it’s like tiny rivets holding it in place and it will not come off even in the heat. Because remember, the hot glue gun’s got to be over 200° really to work. So, don’t worry about that. This works fantastic for outdoor vegetable plants. Now, it’s a little bit hard to handle, so I’m cutting off some of the excess, but you don’t want to cut yourself short. So, be sure when you cut it, you’re not cutting your fabric shorter. You know, the tool. Now, we’re going to continue to push the glue through the tool onto the yarn or fabric, whatever you put around the collar. Cuz you can use an old t-shirt or whatever you want. Cut a strip. And instead of using yarn like I did here, you can use fabric. Now, I put a little staple to hold it in place. It’s easier for me to glue and staple at the same time. And you want to work slow because sometimes you want to do part of it, let it cool, and then when it’s, you know, cool, you continue around. And that’s it. We are basically done. Now, what do we do? We trim it. We’re going to trim all the excess off because we don’t need that. Remember, it is completely sealed with the yarn and the glue and the tool. And now it fits inside beautifully. Now, we’re almost done because there is one thing I have found that we really need. We need some tabs. So, I’m taking again from the placemat some extra pieces. And yes, the tools already on, but you can still staple. Just push the tool over, get a couple staples in there, and make these tabs. And now, what we’re going to do is put one on each side. And see what we’re doing here. Now, the tabs are going to be a little long, but keep here, you know, stay with me. Let me grab what I need here. I want a paper binder. Now, we’re going to cut it. And now, a paper binder will go onto your flower pot. And look at that. It will hold it in place. And we have to do it on both sides. So, we will trim the other side. And I will get another paper binder. This has been fantastic. You can water your plants without taking the top off. You take the top off when you want to service your plant, but for watering it, you water right through the tool. Now, we’re going to put another paper binder. See how we put it there? You want So, you want a pot that has a little bit of a rim. We’re going to put another paper binder on there. And let me tell you something. That top’s not going anywhere. Your plant is protected. Look at this. I can pick it up by the top. And when your plant is inside, there’s going to be no bugs and no birds getting to it. Now, the puck could fly away, the whole thing, if it’s a bad enough wind, but let me tell you something. It holds in place. And I’ve got these and they work fantastic. There it is. All we need is a plant. It can’t get easier or cheaper to protect our plants so we have food for us. And now that you know how to make it, you’ll see that you can use almost any flower pot or even a grow bag if you wanted to. So, look how easy that was. And I will have to admit the tote lid’s a little harder to cut, but these placemats that are really sturdy and nice, they’re very easy to cut. You just need a regular scissors. And now you can protect your plants from birds, snails, and slugs, insects, rodents. They’re not going to get in and get your vegetables or greens or whatever you’re protecting while that dome is on there. And I love protecting my dill because dill gets attacked by a lot of different critters. And my baby seedling dills are very important to me. So, I make these domes and I cover them now as well. Isn’t this cool? Now, I will have to tell you this particular one is a little bit different. It’s kind of my prototype because it is reinforced. In other words, you can press on the top and it’s not going anywhere. So, it can stand really tall, even taller than what I made here. And if you need something taller, let me know and I’ll get a video together. I think this one’s going to work out really good. But any cover that you create just like this will do the trick and keep those pests out of your food. So with that, have a wonderful day. Don’t forget to eat what you grow and protect your plants. Please leave your comments and suggestions and thoughts. And if you like this, please like and subscribe. Bye-bye, everyone.
37 Comments
Just starting the tote and pots garden due to so much Illinois rain. But we are getting it going.THANKS FOR THE VIDEO. HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR OUTDOOR CATS THAT LIKE TO GETIN THEM?
Love it. Great ideas👍😃😍🥰❤️
Thank you Robbie
Got to my lettuce seedlings to late. Birds got them before me. Sneaky devils.
For large pots, you could just put a tomato cage inside a big pot then clip tulle onto it and put a plastic ring around the bottom to hold it down like you did the smaller pots. Maybe if I got a really tall one like a square tomato tower I can protect my vucumbers from pickle worms & beetles. We get them bad in FL.
Thank you! I have made a couple from placemats, and they held up good, but they weren't as pretty as yours. While watching you make this one, I kept thinking about a hot air balloon lol.
Robbie, I got so lucky at Goodwill the other day. I got six 18-gallon totes, four 30-gallon totes, and a 35-gallon tote for .99 each. They didn't have lids, but for .99, I wasn't complaining, and I didn't need the lids because they will be for planting in. ❤😊😊❤
This is great. You are amazing!! Thank you for sharing. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks, Robbie
This video is right on time. I was trying to figure out the best way to cover pots with vegetable plants in them. I ran to the dollar store to get place mats right after watching this video thank you 😊
I ordered Tulle for the first time (royal blue). It is supposed to arrive on Monday. I also made "rain guards" for my hummingbird feeders. 50 cent bowls from Walmart, soldering iron, and hot glue gun. And a plastic coated wire hanger, clipped and bent for the hook on both ends. I could not believe how expensive they are to purchase. Thank you for teaching me to make things on the cheap. Oh, and 13 days after I put out my feeders, I saw 1 male hummingbird. At 9:45 am. yesterday. So, I did a MAJOR hummingbird haul on flowers/shrubs and a honeysuckle vine yesterday and a small haul today. I bought my tomato plants. 2 of them had 2 in the pack, another thing you taught me.
No solo se ve bonita pero también proteje la planta
I just want to say that I have been listening to your videos for about a month and I think you are AMAZING
I love it. Thank you.
Hi Robert. Gosh girl I just love how your so creative 🧡💜
Last year I picked up a lot of fabric smart pots. Would those domes work for them?
How perfect is this!!! Thank you so much Robbie
Nifty idea! Just one question? What if your growing strawberries? Things that need pollinating?
You're a great inspiration God, . bless you
Does the glue melt in the sun?
Yes, I'd like to see a taller one as well. This is so useful!
Robbie, I so enjoy your videos! We are growing more food every year. I'm in Kansas and today the hummingbirds showed up! I hurried and made them their food and as soon as it was outside, they came to eat! I'm so happy to see them again! Now I want to make them a fountain! Have a wonderful day!
Great project.
Just to let you know I listened to your bird video and it put me to sleep so quickly. I have sleep issues and it's was so helpful. Thank you so much! I'll be using it a lot
Reminds me of a hot air balloon.
Thanks for the forecast! A bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask: I have a SafePal wallet with USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (air carpet target dish off jeans toilet sweet piano spoil fruit essay). How should I go about transferring them to Binance?
Hi Robbie it's Robbie. Is it ok to use cedar wood chips for mulch over my pots?
Omgosh, this is ingenious, Robbie!! 😃👌🏼 Thank you so much for this video! I've been a fan of your channel for just over a month & have learned SO MUCH from you-I'm so thankful! ☺️
I made 2 mini greenhouses out've 12qt. Sterilite totes in our cold, March early spring. Seeded some salad greens outside in 12 small, square starter pots placed in 1 of them & used the other to save indoor seedlings that I was losing to a fight w/fungus gnats. Worked beautifully! 👌🏼
I'm in the middle of making tulle covers out've lids for my 4 tote raised beds & handful of 12qt. totes, now that our warm weather is finally here (I'm in zone 7) & threat of frost is past.
I have a tote that's @18gal.& 1 a bit smaller that don't have lids anymore & I need to get some tubing & stakes to rig up my tulle over them-or can I do it w/placemats this way also, even tho they're rectangle totes? 🤔
I'm disabled the past @3yrs.& do patio container gardening in grow bags & now also, totes. I've just filled 2 new totes the way you do w/yard matter, toilet paper rolls, shredded paper & kitchen scraps w/some of my good soil on top. What an amazing idea! 😃
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your videos! 🤗 They make me smile & are so informative & interesting-been binge watching them 😄 By the way, I'd love to see how to make a taller tulle cover for a round pot 👌🏼
My next project will be a fountain made from a pet waterer & USB power bank-can't wait! 🐦🐦⬛🕊️🦜 🥰 Hope you all have a wonderful day! 👩🏼🌾🫶🏼🌱🪴
*Rachel
Long Island, NY
Ahhh Robbie you are so smart!! Thank you so much for always sharing fun, cheap and stylish ways to protect what we grow!! I was at the dollar store a week or so ago and saw some cute placemats marked down to 10 cents but didnt get them because I didnt know what to do with them, now I know!
Hi Robbie and if course Gary !!! I put a pineapple top in water and woohoo I have lots of roots!!!! Do I just plant it normal in potting soil…does it need a special size pot🤔 I won't listen to any other u tuber!!! 😂 I trust u!!!
Robbie I did the the dish pan cover the first one I did I just stapled the tulle around it. The second one I did I followed your instructions but it fell in, I do not know what happened, will attempt to remake.
Hello miss Robbie and Mr Gary and Zoe love you all ❤your videos are so relaxing to watch thank you
Great idea! So cute, reminder me of a hot air balloon 😂
Does it keep raccoons out? I get a family of 5 or more in the summer and they eat my strawberries, then they clime the tree and play on my roof, Mommy found a restaurant with a play land for her children.
I put tool over those wire baskets that you get at dollar tree they come in white or black. I use my glue gun to hold the tulle on. I did that because I found my lizard had gotten into one of those and got stuck. And I can’t lose my lizards. They work real hard keeping up the bugs. I didn’t in my big pots. I used the irrigation tubing and I did Kris Kross and put the tulle over it and I held it on with binder clips or Clothes pins. And so I showed a friend of mine and I’m going to share some of the irrigation tubing with her so she can protect her plants and she’s already bought some tulle from a discount fabric store in a town near us. But I have learned so much from you and Gary too! One of my cousins moved to Alabama to be around her sister and her sister’s family and now they’re buying tulle online now as well.
Hi Robbie,love that you and Gary share your yearly progress in the garden. Since you have different color tulle, I would like to see them side by side in the garden so I can make up my mind to what color I want , I want the best one that blends in and doesnt stand out–I will be closing a 3ft by 8 or 10 ft garden area,-so far from what I can tell,the lite blue looks good,What color does Gary use?look forward to a reply,thanks Robbie
Thank you for this suggestion. I was racking my brain on how to protect my flowers and veggies from insects, birds and monkeys. I am in the Caribbean.
I use Tulle to cover mine too. I like this idea of creating the domes . That will help with growing plants/veggies. You are a genius. Lol subbing.
This is so helpful, thankyou.