subject: How To Deter Thieves From Taking Your Valuable Garden Pots [print this page] A while back, I decided to put some large garden pots out in my front yard. The area I live in is relatively safe but there is a school close by and I get quite a few people walking down the street and through the yard. So, I have a concern that if I put some large garden pots out that someone will, eventually, either try to haul them away or take them just to smash them up.
It's been two years now since I installed them using the solution described in this article. Its really easy so hopefully, anyone could do it. This method will work on any number of pots you may have but for my purposes, I had a grouping of three medium to large sized garden pots.
You have to start by determining where to place your garden pots. Around the base of each pot, draw a circle. Next, remove the pot to one side and dig a circular hole using the outline you just made in the dirt. Dig it out about one foot deep. Mix about half of a plastic five-gallon bucket of cement.
Pour your concrete about half way full into the hole. Now, dip one of the ends of a short length of chain into the cement before it starts to set up. It should stick out of the top of the hole in the pot at least 6 inches when you pull it tight. This can be done by threading a wire or dowel through one of the links while it is held up and then bracing it over the hole in the pot.
Fill the remainder of the hole with dirt once the cement has had enough time to dry. A short length of chain coming out of the ground is the only thing you should see. Bring the pot back over and thread the length of chain up through the drain hole that is in the bottom of your garden pot. You may need to recruit some help to do this.
To secure the garden pots, I used a carabiner that I picked up at a camping supply store and looped it through the link that kept the chain tight and the garden pot firmly to the ground. You can use whatever you want instead of a carabiner to hold it in place.
The last thing to do is to fill the pots up with dirt. I filled them about three quarters full. This makes it harder for someone to come along and just undo the carabiner. Plus, it adds quite a bit of weight. Now your pots should be fairly protected from any annoying thieves.
