Give Retro Pyrex New Life In Your Garden With This Clever DIY

Vintage Pyrex made of the original borosilicate formula is highly prized for its durability, and better yet, not necessarily expensive to collect. But don't let its relative affordability lead you to trash a piece that's no longer food-safe. If it still looks nice from the outside, it can be reborn as a planter — under certain circumstances. 

There's no way to drill drainage holes in Pyrex without a complicated process requiring specific tools, plus a high risk of shattering the glass. If you are not an expert glass cutter with a gardening hobby, drainage is better handled by a layer of small rocks to separate pooled water. Then, fill it halfway with well-aerated potting soil to encourage drainage, plant your desired plants, add a first round of water, and find an appropriately sunny location for them. This upcycling hack works best with smaller plants that need less water, such as succulents or Mediterranean herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano. It should be easy to avoid root rot as the relatively small amount of water they get drains to the rocky bottom and gradually evaporates.

An old piece of Pyrex isn't the only kitchen item you can give this treatment to. Vintage teacups can also make for a charming herb garden, and a cute pair with Pyrex planters. Similar to borosilicate glass, ceramic doesn't drill well without particular procedures, so you'll need the same rocky layer and be limited to similar plants. Use a few teacups to keep your herbs separated.

For plants that do need drainage holes, look no further than a DIY metal loaf pan planter. Drilling through metal is easier and uses more common tools — if the pan is thin enough, you could even smash holes through with a hammer and nail. And the artistically inclined can paint the outside to make it look more like a planter and less like an old loaf pan.

There's another DIY draining option to go with Pyrex planters that requires only the tools already in your kitchen. Old plastic food containers also make excellent planters. Cutting drainage holes in the bottom (if necessary) is as easy as poking through with a knife or pair of scissors.