log planter

On one of the survival television shows they were making a dug out canoe and they used small controlled fires to hollow out the log. Just a thought!

An adz! Good workwout

-- Brian

I like the fire idea a lot more than using an adz. I do own a gutter adz, but….. not sure I have the arms for that approach.

-- Dan V. in Indy

I think I would bore holes in it and adze out the waste. A small electric chainsaw could do wonders w/o being as heavy and unwieldy as a gas saw. Then there are those King Arthur tools that you could look into. These are just random suggestions, I have no experience hollowing logs. You might point out to her that if she fills it w/ dirt and waters it, it will rot away eventually.

-- Bondo Gaposis

I’d second the suggestion to use a big auger bit to bore holes, then adze out the waste. A “slick” chisel to clean up the sides and you’re good to go.

The inevitable rot can be delayed for quite some time if you drill a few well-placed drainage holes in the bottom, line the cavity with heavy plastic sheeting (with holes punched through to the drainage holes) and then add a couple inches of gravel in the bottom as well. The plastic can be stapled to the sides of the planting cavity just a little below the surface.

A pal made a similar planter out of the chest-high stump of a large cedar his father cut down. He used an angle grinder to excavate the hole (WAAAAY more work than it should have been!) and the planter lasted for about 8 years before it got punky and they took out the stump entirely.

-- "Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." -Mark Twain

It looks great and carefully thought of project. Well done!

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