Don demonstrated how to turn coconuts into some great items for the home, including coconut plant pots, candle holders and soup bowls.
What you’ll need:
G clamp, vice, hand saw, chisel, rasp, coconuts, candles, cocktail umbrellas, plants.
Coconut preparation:
1. Select and buy large coconuts.
2. Use a large clamp and secure around the coconut.
3. Place clamped coconut in a vice to secure it in position while sawing.
4. Using a small-tooth hand saw, cut the coconut about 13mm from the top. (Tip: place bucket under coconut to catch the milk that will fall out.) If you are making a plant pot, cut off the end opposite to the one with the dimples.
5. Make a second cut on the bottom of the coconut about 25mm down from the first cut (open end). Use this ring of coconut shell as a stand for your coconut creations.
6. Remove the flesh with a chisel or stiff implement. (Note: do not use a knife.)
7. Use a rasp to take the bulk of the husk off the coconut, and then smooth the exterior using a medium/coarse sandpaper.
8. Oil the shell with outdoor decking oil for the plant pots and candle holders, and cooking oil for the drink and soup containers. Coconut flower or herb pots Take a prepared coconut shell, oiled with outdoor decking oil. Using a wood drill bit, drill drainage holes into the three dimples at the bottom of the coconut. Fill with potting mix. Plant herbs or flowers (Don chose African violets for his coconut flower pot). Sit planted coconut pots in coconut rings for stability. Coconut cocktail cups Take prepared coconut, oiled with cooking oil. Add cocktail mix and decoration/garnish. Sit coconut cup in a coconut ring for stability. Coconut soup bowl Take a prepared coconut, oiled with cooking oil. Sit coconut bowl in the coconut ring for stability. Add soup. Coconut candle holders Take a prepared coconut shell, oiled with outdoor decking oil. Select appropriate sized candles to fit inside the shell. Light the candles. Sit coconut candle holders in coconut rings for stability.
Don invited viewers to think of some uses for coconuts and take some pictures, so that we can show everybody on the program. Send your photos to: Burke’s Backyard PO Box 929 Willoughby 2068
Coconuts cost around $1.95 each. The candles used in the segment cost about $1.80 each from Woolworths. Cocktail umbrellas cost about $1 for a packet of 12, from Woolworths. African violets in 100mm (4″) pots cost around $9 from nurseries.