Last Updated on July 9, 2023
EDITOR’S NOTES:
- Aldi sold this planter again in August of 2021 for $12.99 and in June of 2022 for $19.99, both under its new private label, Belavi. This post refers to it as the Gardenline planter but the Belavi planter operates the same.
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You can grow an impressive garden with supplies purchased all at Aldi. The discount grocer rotates gardening goods into its stores for brief periods throughout the spring and summer months, and they include hoses, lattice planters, greenhouses, plant stands, and more. One of my most recent gardening finds at Aldi is a three-tiered stacking planter.
The Gardenline Stacking Planter cost $12.99 at the time of publication. It’s an Aldi Find, so it’s only in stores for a short time. This planter is cheaper than most similarly sized planters on Amazon.
This plastic planter is available in a traditional terra cotta color or in black. It comes with three stacking pieces, and each piece has a 3.73-gallon capacity. It has a self-watering reservoir with multiple levels of drainage, and if you buy two sets, they can be combined to create a stack that is six layers high. The planter requires no tools for assembly and was made in China.
When it’s assembled, the planter stands just under 23 inches tall, with a diameter that is roughly 18 inches.
What the planter comes with: three tiered sections, a bag with three drain plugs, and an instruction sheet.
Setting up the planter is easy. After I cut the zip tie that held the three planter sections together, which was a little tricky because the tie was pulled so tight that it wasn’t easy to cut with scissors, I ended up with the three planter sections, a small bag containing three drain plugs, and a small paper with assembly instructions.
The three drain plugs.
One of the first things I noticed is that the planter sections have numerous drain holes, so I went ahead and popped a drain plug into the hole in the middle of each because there will still be plenty of drainage. The middle hole of each section might be suitable for running a metal pole through if you want to add stability to the stacked planter, and I’ve seen people who purchased similar planters on Amazon do that, and you can anchor the pole in the ground to make it more sturdy.
The instructions say to fill all the tiers of the planter with growing medium, and then stack the planters on top of each other, ensuring they are well nested within each other. The bottom of each tier has slots, and with a little maneuvering, you can fit them into each other.
Then, you can plant seeds or plants in the containers and watch them grow.
The instructions recommend rotating the planter 45 degrees clockwise after each watering session to promote even growth. It also recommends avoiding positioning the planter in a highly windy area because it will require more watering.
I planted snapdragons in this planter, and I purchased a large drainage saucer from a local hardware store to put under the entire planter to keep my patio tidy and prevent water from draining everywhere. Some similar stacked planters from other retailers actually come with a bottom saucer, so it’s too bad this one doesn’t have that feature. Because it doesn’t come with a drip tray, though, I was able to choose whether to purchase a traditional saucer or one with wheels that functions like a moving dolly, which some gardeners prefer because they can be easily moved and turned to promote even growth. I opted for a traditional saucer with no wheels because it was cheaper, and this planter is not so heavy that I can’t easily rotate it.
The planter with a saucer I purchased separately at a garden center.
Watering plants in this is interesting, because it turns into a bit of a waterfall as the water flows down from the top planter tier to the lower levels. When I gave everything a thorough watering after planting, the saucer I put under the planter filled completely with water. If you use a saucer to catch the water, you may want to empty it periodically so it doesn’t become a mosquito breeding ground. I held the stacked planter steady with one hand while tipping the saucer with my other hand until most of the water was out.
Aside from some of its quirks, this looks like it will be a good, sturdy planter with plenty of room for growing a few flowers or veggies. I’ll update as the growing season progresses and my plants start to fill in the space.
UPDATE (4/30/2021): The stacking planter is still is great shape, but the saucer I purchased last summer to use under it was on the small side, so in April of 2021 I bought a Belavi Plant Caddy from Aldi to put under my stacking planter instead. This metal frame on wheels gets my planter off the ground and makes it easy to move and rotate. It doesn’t collect drainage, but it looks better and seems to work well with this planter.
The Belavi Plant Caddy under my Gardenline Stacking Planter.
A closer look at the Belavi Plant Caddy in action under my Gardenline Stacking Planter.
The Verdict:
The Gardenline Stacked Planter goes together easily and has room to grow a good amount of plants. I wish it came with a drainage saucer, and I had to purchase one separately at a hardware store, but otherwise this is a good addition to the garden.
Hi there, we just scored this item and are so excited. Do you mind sharing what size saucer you found to work? I have already made 1 store trip and evidently don’t know how to measure correctly.
I bought a 16-inch saucer, which was the largest I could find without hopping around to a lot of different hardware/garden stores, but the planter barely fits in it. I’d recommend at least 18 inches if you can find one that large. I may replace mine with something larger in the future.
Enjoyed reading this post as I just scored a couple of the planers on a recent trip. Gotta love those Aldi coins.
What does rotating 45 degrees after every watering mean?
Turn it.
I still do not understand Rotate after each watering. Do I rotate each tier above the one below, or do I lift the whole assembly and give it a 45 degree turn?
You rotate the entire assembly and turn it 45 degrees.
Are these safe to grow vegetables in?
I don’t see why not.
I don’t understand what the middle chamber is for. I know you can put a pole through it. But what about the space in the middle?
I’m not sure. I just filled it with potting soil, too. It might give plant roots a little more space to spread.
Does anyone know if Aldi will carry these again this year? I purchased some last year and love them!
We don’t know for sure if it will come back, but since this was sold in June of 2020, then June of 2021 is the most likely time it will show up if Aldi decides to bring it back.
I am so looking for another one
This planter will be back at Aldi the week of August 18th.
thank you. i will be looking for it. the others I have purchased are too small.
I just bought a set if the black at the ALDI here in Port ST Lucie, Fl
They have them in stock now. They are a little different than the previous ones I think.
How much soil did you need to fill all 3 containers? What do you recommed to grow tuscan kale and herbs?
Maybe 2 or 3 one-cubic-foot bags? I’ve never grown kale, but most herbs will be fine with standard potting mix.
I just bought a similar planter from Aldi today but the design is a bit different on the inside than the one you posted and there are no directions anywhere that I can find on it.
I got it to grow greens over the winter as we are rehabbing our in ground garden beds and also it would be nice to step out the back door to harvest a salad or some kale
Basically the center section has no holes and the drainage holes for the lower section are elevated by 1.5″ which is way to much room for standing water/soggy soil at the bottom of the plant. [I grow using subirrigation and 1.5″ water would be suitable for a 5 gallon grow bag with a 1 gallon grow bag needing 1/4″ water] Needless to say plants in the new container may be quite soggy if used as designed. The ones I bought will be having a date with the drill for drainage holes or I will fill the planters with gravel to nearly the level of the drainage holes so the potting soil can wick up moisture without having soggy feet.
Sounds like Aldi has changed the design on the 2021 planter model. Thanks for sharing with us, and good luck with your plants!
Cashiers at the Foley Alabama Aldi tried to charge me for three items (3 times $19.99). This happened twice on separate days with different cashiers. The cashiers couldn’t underatnd the sale item is for a set of three stacking planters. Even the store manager didn’t understand. I hope other buyers don’t have the same experience.
I bought a few on clearance. I agree, the cashiers tried to charge me for each planter. I told them it was for the pack of 3. It was different cashiers at different stores.
I also am not sure about this latest design vs the one you showed. There is no center hole on these, I drilled one myself to put in a pole. What worries me is that the drainage holes have an inch lip on it before it drains. I want to put strawberries in it, but im not sure if that will be ok or if I should cut off that lip so drainage is flush with the bottom, or if I should fill it with sand or rocks so roots don’t get waterlogged. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I wonder if I could also make it self watering too?
I bought this planter when it was first offered over 6 years ago. It may be one of the best things I have ever bought since it is still in great shape and the terracotta color has not faded. I use the top to plant herbs such as Rosemary, Sage and Thyme. I use the other 6 slots to put in some light and airy flowers. I always enjoy the look every summer and love to show it off. If you see it again (I saw last in summer 2022 at my Aldi) Dundee, IL) get one! You won;t be sorry. Best planter I ever bought!