Nasturtiums would make an excellent choice and add fantastic color. Manufactured in Australia by #012 and treated for use with Methyl Bromide, this is unusable. This will let you know how to read pallet by reading the stamps: http://diyready.com/how-to-know-if-a-pallet-is-safe/. I think it might work if you had the pallet at an angle although they would do better in the ground with more soil. As long as the foliage is getting air, and the water has a place to drain, you should be fine. It should be so easy and inexpensive. Haven’t tried yet, but it looks very good in design. I also had a shelf from coca cola that I turned sideways and made containers out of my bags of dirt. Try and locate those and secure the pallet into the studs and you should be fine. Thanks Joe! I found a goldmine of wonderful “virgin” pallets at a sheet metal roofing company. This post may contain affiliate links. Fuchsias love it and so do the root veggies. Hopefully roots will grow to fill in this space and help hold that soil there as well. Note: We’re using landscaping fabric for this example, but the same result can be achieved with a variety of materials or even smaller individual. Are Chrysanthemums recomendded to use in a vertical pallet garden. But I’ve never seen one that has been embellished with lattice or artful cuts in the wood. Mark placement for hanging brackets while the pallet is empty. If not, consider adding something to give more support to the back side or go with a solid back. Hello, No one mentions a catch pan to save ruining the deck. I have pics on my FB. line them with burlap, fill them with soil and then CUT SLITS in it where you place the plants. Hey I’m planning on planting herbs in my pallet planter. Do you have any suggestions for pots to hang on the outside of the pallet? But you’re saying you don’t have those? The bottom line is you have to provide a way for the water to drain from your pallet without dripping onto your neighbor. put pallets together forming an L or a U shape. The pallet we used for this blog was 48” x 44”, slightly larger than the most popular size, 40” x 48”. My biggest concern is watering. They are annuals and will not survive more than a season — unless you live in a warm area and it doesn’t get cold enough to kill them. Set aside the second pallet as it will be used in a later step. You just need to know the correct seeds of the herbs and method of how to grow them which you can find on the internet easily nowadays. But you should try to go to “google images” and type “pallet garden” into the search field. And the majority are untreated. Would it be better to plant herbs in containers? Hey Shannon. Suzie….look for pallets are marked “HT”. I have found that my pallet garden dries our too fast. I live in that California Desert called the Bay Area Peninsula (yes, it is a desert that has been irragated….). dumpster diving) these ones, so Im not a hundred percent but there is no indication that they are treated. I bet you’ll find lots of images that include well-planted pallets after the plants have matured. But remember one of the advantages to the pallet garden is the way it drains well and plants can cascade. Good luck. Send us pics when you get this as you like it. You want HT (Heat Treated) wood, vs. chemically treated ones, marked or branded with an “MB”. Once the roots fill out in a couple weeks, then just make sure to keep it watered. Let us know if you do end up using mums. With helpers holding the pallet in place, the third person can attach the brackets to the pallet. If you re-attempt this project, leave it flat for a week or so after planting so the roots can expand and then start easing the pallet up a bit more each day so that it settles into place better. I am just waiting to notice the sun period, to choose for the plants. The challenge with the spacing between slats that narrow are in planting existing seedlings. Simply brilliant! They can be sprayed with pesticides and fungicides even if they are not pressure treated and have been linked to illnesses. And this whole page is full of depressing but factual info, including plastic pallet info (I wouldn’t touch plastic pallets, literally; Whole Foods won’t even allow them at any point, in fact) http://lovettpalletrecycling.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/bare-knuckle-brawling-in-the-pallet-industry/, I have a link on the dangers of using pallets for repurposing. Sustainable Living and Organic Gardening PBS Series. Are there any issues having that moist soil against the house siding? Usually hydroponic stores carry it. Not every pallet is made of pressure treated wood, but if it is, I would avoid it for growing edibles. You typically add a small amount to the soil and mix it in. But in either case, make sure the fabric covers the bottom as well as the back to catch any soil that may otherwise fall out. Some folks around the country are lucky enough to enjoy naturally rich and porous soil that is completely fit for vegetable gardening. Thanks..that was the conclusion I was coming to. you could definitely add extra slats to the back side to mirror the front side and then plant on both. Unless your pallet gets 8 hours of sun, growing fruiting veggies might be a challenge. I will take some photos of the area and the start of the project and keep you updated. I just hate to waste that extra space. Thanks, Lori. I took your ideas and made my garden this year out of pallets. They are incredibly durable, even without treating. Then continue to add soil until the pallet is full. Now it is time to put some landscape fabric backing on the pallet. Here you can see this is a relatively new pallet, it’s actually the CA-01212 from the previous picture. For each gallon of water that’s absorbed into the soil when watering will add another 8 pounds. Good luck. Here we used a measuring tape in the center boards to determine which boards aligned the most closely front to back. You could always use two mirrored pallets to add height and backing at the same time. Ensuring water gets to the bottom row. But your way is certainly safe. Use the landscape fabric in each level to help keep the soil in. And when it’s not planted or growing, it’s bare. . I am doing a project for school based on gardening, and using gardening as a way to reduce stress. Herbs are great also. On the front, you could add extra slats if you want to reduce the spacing even more. I don’t have an area to mount it. The green beans (if they’re not pole beans) and peppers will do fine in the pallet. Repeat this process 6 times until you have all your pockets installed. I think it’d be cute in a bright color!! First, it is a great DIY project, it is very cheap, as old pallets cost next to nothing and of course, you can create attractive designs that will be an accent on your balcony or in your patio. Pallets are everywhere, so take the time to find one in good condition and that is not made from pressure-treated wood (due to the leaching from potentially harmful chemicals). Hi, i am ready To try with my first pallet garden in Venezuela. I see some logistical challenges but totally doable. Angelica My main concern would be the root depth for tomatoes limited by the shallowness of the pallet width. Are there bottoms on each row of plants (either wood or landscape fabric) creating pockets, aiding in keeping dirt from falling out? Anyway, I look forward to hearing back from you if you add a twist to the design. Stunning! Even if it doesn’t work out, the cost was minimal and you learned a lot in the process. However, planting seeds works in your favor for spinach and lettuce (or whatever). I am just looking for a way that my husband does not have to til up the ground….I would never get my garden if I waited on him to do this So, I just go ahead and plant my tomatoes and bush beans between the slates? The pallet really pops when it’s painted. I will also be planting on both sides of the pallet. Would love to track your progress and hear your comments. If not this time, for next time. Not sure you can do that on the blog but you can by emailing them to [email protected]. This will be the pallet your garden will grow in. I agree this will be heavy and messy without some extra care. If you give it good sunlight and sufficient water and fertilizer, they’ll fill in quickly too. I just used a … If you look closely you’ll see that they … Just wanted to give you things to consider. My gut feeling is they’re not the best choice. Just fix a post on either side of the pallet and dig a couple holes to hold the posts. Drainage issue: Get a wide piece of plastic PVC pipe, the appropriate length and cut it in half. Joe, so you stated cedar is the best to make your own pallets. I started palate growing with strawberries, basil, lettuce, peppers. I just stumbled across your site and loved this post! Stuff the pallet with greens, herbs and edibles. Good luck John. I’ve been researching how best to make a pallet garden and your information has been most helpful. As for what to plant, focus on trailing or vining crops on the lowest level, so they can hang down without limitation or inhibiting other plants above. I have a small back yard(very small). Also, if you don’t want to hang the pallet but would like a vertical option, you could simply add some 2×4′ to the bottom and create feet so it can stand freely without mounting. My husband just built me a raised garden (about 4 feet off of the ground). I want to put my pallet on wheels to roll with the sun! Planters D.I.Y. Stay away from pine and other softwood pallets as they are not as durable. Feb 23, 2014 - How To Make a Vertical Pallet Herb Garden Join us at DIY Cozy Cottage on Facebook to get all of our new sweet n saavy projects photo credit Zina Wright This has got to be one of the cutest ideas for using a pallet to create a vertical herb garden, especially if your space is tight. What you’ll need: shipping pallet, 4 mounting brackets* (one for each corner of the pallet – we used L brackets), weather resistant screws, roofing nails or staple gun, drill, level, weed cloth (aka landscape fabric), thin plywood cut to size to cover back of pallet, potting soil, plants (*when it comes to how and where you choose to mount your pallet, make sure to consider the weight of a fully-planted pallet after watering and choose the appropriate hardware and location that can support it.). Particularly if you are growing edibles vs. for fun and aesthetics. … Lay out the landscape fabric or cloth to cover the back and bottom and cut to size. This next pallet is one to avoid. They routinely receive 12 ft. long sheets of metal on beautiful 12-ft. long, very HEAVY duty pallets that are usually made of oak, perfectly clean, and NEW with NO signs whatsoever of any chemicals. Hi Phil. Watch the full episode this project came from, Episode 221: Living Walls. That is the one thing i will do. It would be a great idea to come back and tuck in soil where there are gaps. I was thinking this would be a great thing to add to the outside of the fence. Just make smart use of pallet wood shapes and the spacing among their deck boards and make interesting bike racks for home, friend or to sell, take a look at the sample rack that is made of 2 pallets only! Hi John. I hope someone could help me to figure this out! Thanks for the tips on this method. It would be great to see these. What kind of plants work in a pallet garden? I will be using the pallet idea with our gardeners. It will takeover that area. I did not see any comments on drip irrigation. If so, what type of paint would be paint safe? At 4 feet tall, there’s certainly no risk of not giving your plant’s roots enough room to grow. So lots of upkeep to keep it looking good. While this will work in a pinch, selecting a good pallet to start with will make your life a lot easier. Thanks in advance and Sorry if my english isn’t quit fluent, but I’m spanish speaker . The squash will get too big. My husband is concerned that the outdoor projects won’t last and we will have to rebuild them. Return the pallet to a flat surface. I don’t see why not Jason. My family member owns East Pointe Fiberglass and she has some pallets we can have. This post may contain affiliate links. I don’t know of a national site to buy them but someone should do that. Problem solved. But you should try it and see. At the top, you could plant dwarf or patio varieties of tomato, peppers or eggplant. I grow a lot of edibles so I would use plenty of leafy crops like lettuces and edible flowers. Hey Johnny. Your question was already addressed. . Very well written and thorough, I like it, that comes from a profi gardener(as you)! growing really well. But would these veggies do ok in a vertical pallet garden? I plan on putting the pallets on the ground so is it possible to plant cucumbers, thank you. I just wonder what the shipping cost would be to ship a shipping pallet!? Wow Linda. In terms of mold or encouraging insects? It’s a total guess but those are the components of it so I don’t think I’m far off. And watering from the front should actually work too. Is this suitable? Cherry tomatoes also work well. Thank you for sharing your idea here. Copyright 2021 The Joe Gardener Company, All Rights Reserved. If I were to do it again, assuming each planting slot between boards is 4 feet wide and you have the top, and 3 slots beneath it, that’s 4 rows of planting. I live in north Idaho 2 hour drive to the border of Canada, since I am up against the mountain I have limited space for a garden & to limited areas of sunshine. This is my first visit to your blog! Edible flowers are also a great choice. What do you think? As for water, I think that’s too hard to fine tune in a pallet since the taller, water loving herbs need to go at the top. Best of luck with all your garden projects. Hi Joe, great info and tons of great questions and replies. They come in different shapes and sizes so don’t assume all pallets are the same. For standard pallets, this will be 40” x 48”, you may want to cut it a bit bigger to help get it wrinkle-free. It’s helpful to have something to rest the pallet on while it is being secured to the wall. Then read the square foot garden method so you can get a good start on your new garden. How could we do this without the soil falling out? The plants were all in still but the bottom ones were covered with soil. This is another vertical pallet garden. two tins of high gloss white, exterior, non-drip paint for wood Brush it off with a wire brush or your hand just so you have a nice clean surface to work from. I have made a pallet green house on wheels., four full size pallets standing on end to make a box with a piece of glass for the top. We have our pallet prepped for use, now we’ll fabricate the fabric planting pockets. Hey Liz. In the middle section, herbs and lettuces work great. We build an angled trellis using hardware mesh for our cucumbers and we have a bumper crop every year. also any type of creeping sedum or stepable. In the mid sections, I like to plant smaller, bushier plants. Thank you far a very interesting and informative site, keep it up ! They may need to finish growing inside. The biggest issue is that the water is able to drain out. Hi Cassie. This is literally the best guide online to pallet gardening. I would stick with annuals and not worry about trying to over-winter plants if you don’t have them in a protected environment or live where it’s warm. Agreed Nina. Your cost is the same but it helps support this site and the fun freebies we share. drainage is good but not that much lol. Some ideas I had about it. Paint the free standing pallet herb garden and make it hold the herb pots and planters. More than likely you should be ok considering the age of these pallets. Creative pallet herb garden designs and ideas. so far , broccoli, lettuce, spinach and kale , plus lots of herbs . I don’t know how much upkeep you have time for Julia but filling a fence line with pallets will require a lot of soil and plants. Thanks Linda. This will require more watering, however with such little space it will be worth it! Looks new, no jutting out nails, no extra wood, no replaced boards. Here’s a great link to give you your options from the University of Illinois Extension department: http://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/basil.cfm. Below is an example of a pallet, we used it to construct our garden. The kinds of herbs you can grow on the pallet herb garden are: 1. View in gallery Of course, you don’t have to embrace the weathered, unfinished look if you prefer something a bit more polished or perhaps more colorful. In fact, if you really got creative, you could go to town with this idea. I am now thinking of maybe having a one inch pvc pipe ( the type used by electricians ) fitted on the side at the very bottom sticking out about an inch. He said if you go to a nursery you can ask if they have any pallets laying around and usually just give them to you depending on whether or not they’re decent people not money hungry. Sure hope it turns out well. Thinking strawberrys. Be sure to give all of the nails an extra tap in as well, just to ensure the pallet is as tightly constructed as possible. Hi Julie. How to Make an Herb Garden from a Pallet. Hi Linda. When we started packing in the plants and the soil, we thought we were set – but upon lifting, the soil began to weigh on the back and everything started shifting/falling apart! I am willing to try this method of gardening since I am unable to stay in a bent position. Worse yet, we have wild rabbits in our yard, so a vertical pallet garden seems the best choice, but I don’t want to waste the bottom 2 rows. Surely the plants above the last slot can not drown since the water will drain from the front out the bottom bed ? We supply, service and repair dental equipment so it is a fairly fancy property. Thanks for this post! Hi Matt. You could also paint it with an exterior paint. Like other containers, daily watering is likely. This project is great for those with disabilities. Step 2 This will def. Next add the thin plywood over the cloth and/or plastic and secure. Manufactured in Canada by manufacturer code #01212 and treated for use with Heat-Treatment. It’s great to have fresh herbs on hand throughout the warm weather. Directions for creating a wall garden using a pallet: Choose veges and herbs that will grow quickly, and are shallow rooted - salad greens, and herbs like coriander, basil and chives. Any ideas of how to create one that grows off of both sides? Some are 5 ft. wide! Hi Becky. I mix it into hanging potted plant soils so they don’t dry out so fast here in the Oklahoma wind. If you space each plant 6 inches apart that’s only 8 plants per row or 32 plants total. Unfortunately, I was salvaging (i.e. You’re welcome Sher. Ready to start your own garden? Fill the middle sections with leafy greens and herbs. The dirt shifted again and lots of it in the pallet . You can actually find this information online as well if you care to read more. Thanks Joy. Don’t water yet due to the added weight. My two thoughts would be this: would the lattice prevent access to the plants, and would the cuts allow too much soil to escape? That sounds awesome Shaun! Good luck and best regards. That spacing makes it really hard to insert them into the soil. We all have those places, and what a great way to hide them. Find a good wooden pallet by looking around your local area or searching the internet and making a few calls. Yours look about the same ……… I do have some photos i can send now as well. It’s not been a good year for it where I live. Perhaps even a base with wheels to easily move the pallet when needed? Hmmm Nancy. This could be a free-standing vertical garden placed on 2×4’s inserted in the ground to give some breathing room. Your blog provided I am reconsidering planting inside my pallet and instead hanging pots or some other containers onto the pallet for the vertical base. Published May 8, 2014 by Jennifer. Follow these DIY Pallet Garden Instructions and you will be enjoying nature’s bounty before you know it! Asafer alternative and cheap is to use rain gutters, simply nail then to a board. I love this idea. If you want to plant other veggies in the pallet, I would focus on dwarf, patio or bush varieties, all bred for smaller spaces and growing environments. I’m wondering about a drip line? Are there anywhere you can buy them fully assembled? You have done a marvellous job! But rosemary gets so big and bushy, you might not want to add this. Hi, I have a question. I have many pallets to choose out of and can pick a small one but want to do this right. Many of us, however, do not enjoy such luck. I have 3 bags of carrots growing but I need more sunshine. How do you get the soil to stay intact and not just fall out the front ? It is only full on on side of the pallet. Hello! I have sealed the back of my pellet with a water proof plastic material, the same used to cultivate trees in. 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