DIY Network

Tin Can Border Edge out your garden with recycled cans. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-147

Edge your garden in style with Michele Beschen.

Michele Beschen has a better way to recycle cans—use them to beautify your yard.

The B. Original host shares her secrets for transforming ordinary cans (the soup kind, not the soda kind) into versatile garden edging. It's easy, it's fun and it's virtually free—the perfect garden project!

Start saving those cans, and scroll down for the rest of her simple how-to.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Materials:

empty cans
rust-resistant spray paint
shoe rack (optional)
awl
drill
baling wire
needle-nose pliers
bedding plants, potting soil, candles, other objects for use with edging

• Paint your cans with a rust-resistant paint. Michele Beschen says one easy way to do this is to prop the cans up on a shoe rack and spray paint several at once (figure A).

• Drill holes 3" from the top and 3" from the bottom of each can. Michele Beschen uses an awl to start the holes, then finishes them up with a drill (figure B).

• Connect the cans by threading baling wire through the holes (figure C). You can wire them individually or string 5-6 together at one time. Make sure you vary the cans while you connect them—alternate sizes and turn some cans upside down. Once you get a set of cans wired together, pull the wire tight, cut it off and twirl the end to secure it. Keep wiring cans until you have enough to go the desired length of your garden bed.

• Fill and top your cans with all kinds of treasures. Michele Beschen's inspirations include:

Planting them with flowers...

Using them as luminaries...

Or decorating them with bamboo, pretty rocks or other objects.

There's no limit to what you can do with these versatile—and virtually free—edging cans. Don't forget to be careful if you use candles, punch drainage holes if you're planting flowers and, above all, B. Original!