Lining for planters

As I have a gravel drive in front of my home, I have decided to use a big wooden planter to add some colour and nature to the edge.

The planter I have chosen is about 1m - 0.6m - 0.4m it is on legs so is slightly raised

I do not want to just fill it with plant pots, I want fill it with compost and plant directly into it. Of course I can not just put the compost directly into the wooden planter as 1) it would fall out of the gaps at the bottom and 2) the compost will increase the chances of the wood rotting.

So what I plan to do is line it with a thick plastic sheet, put a free drainage holes in the bottom and then fill it with compost.

Is my plan a good one or am trying to cross the Atlantic in a car?

 

I did this with a couple of long wooden planters that the OH made. I cut some sturdy greenhouse shading mesh to fit the base and lined the sides with old compost bags cut to fit. AFAIK they're still going strong 20 years on. It was marine ply, though.

 

I'd use old compost bags too. I've done this and it seems to work well. It's definitely worth your while lining them as wooden planters don't last as long without a lining.

 

If you make your own timber outers to fit rectangular/square plastic tubs, small water tanks, window boxes, etc. you'll never have wet soil in contact with the woodwork (just occasionally needing to replace slats forming the base) , and if you have spare 'liners' they can be planted up and brought on in the back garden until ready to swop and provide a continuous display at the front all year round.