Easy DIY Vertical Pallet Garden for Veggies & Herbs: Cost $0
Freestanding Garden Pallet Ideas Vegetables and Herbs
Make this easy DIY Vertical Pallet Garden for your herb and veggies, it’s easy!
Did I mention it costs $0 to make?
IF you have basic tools and about one hour of time, your investment of time will yield fresh herbs and veggies right on your patio!
I spend an incredible amount of time outdoors as soon as Spring appears and all the way through Fall!
Plus you are upcycling which is perfect!
Get Outdoors!
Every day that it doesn’t rain is another day outside.
Forever and longer I’ve wanted to make a DIY Vertical Pallet Garden for Herbs and Veggies.
Why?
Will veggies like zucchini and cucumbers and herbs will grow better and without predators picking on them?
I found my answer and I can tell you I would NOT post this without having tried!
Creating my own DIY Vertical Pallet Garden
Now, are you ready to create what I did? Your very own DIY Vertical Pallet Garden.
While I did state that it cost me zero dollars, that is true, and you don’t have to stain it, I did because we had a leftover outdoor stain from a different project!
So, 2 things:
- if you are planning on sealing it then you need to add a bit more time into the overall DIY equation.
- borrow tools if you don’t have them!
Where Do You Get Pallets For to Make the DIY Vertical Pallet Garden?
The answer here is super easy.
Our local grocery store was getting rid of a bunch, so I went and verified with the store manager that I could load them up and I did (we used a few others for other projects not shown here).
Also, check with the big home project stores, sometimes they have them, as well as nurseries.
My next part of this discussion has to do with planting because you need to know what you are planting so you can figure out how many ledges you want, etc.
Read on, it will all make more sense.
Part 1: DIY Vertical Pallet Garden – Seedlings
There is nothing I love better in all of my recipes than fresh garden veggies and herbs.
As one who loves to plant, and then reap, I’ll be honest, it is totally gratifying to bring in my own produce.
So, first things first, let’s plant seedlings. Why?
Once you have your pallet built, which costs ZERO Dollars you can then grow the product on it.
The cost of seeds or small plants is very inexpensive and you will have FRESH Produce at your fingertips!
If you think it is great to bring in your own produce from your yard, wait till you start a veggie or herb from a simple seed!
Step 2: Gardening and Containers for my Vertical Pallet Garden
A visit to the dollar tree is great for little seedling containers, but then you would be spending money!
Instead, take that water-filled bottle you drink from and cut them in half.
Obviously, you will use the bottom half for planting.
Or, cut a can (watch your fingers) and fill it with potting soil!
Use strawberry plastic containers, blueberry containers, and egg cartons.
All of these are great ways to upcycle containers and yield seedlings that will turn into plants that then provide herbs and produce!
What Herbs and Veggies Do You Want In Your DIY Vertical Pallet Garden?
You have to choose what you will use the most.
I always plant the following: basil, oregano, mint, Peppermint, Chive, Parsley, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Peppers.
This year I added in lemon balm and arugula too!
Now that you know what you are planting, you can figure out what containers and sizes you will be placing on the ledges of the DIY Vertical Pallet Garden and build accordingly!
Under Construction: No. 1 My DIY Vertical Pallet Garden
Since I had no idea what had been on my pallet from rodents to food debris, I cleaned the ever-living crap out of it, LOL!
Clean the pale (personal suggestion, and really up to you!)
I scrubbed mine down, using a hardcore bristle sponge and Dawn dish detergent.
Next, allow it to dry and set it upright to look at how you will do the project.
You want to decide the spacing.
Remember the spacing is based on YOUR Plant choices!
No. 2: Prep The Vertical Pallet For Your Plants
Then, you need to take out some of the pallet boards, CAREFULLY because you are going to be fastening them back in.
Each board you take out, will be fastened back in creating a shelf.
You will also be cutting those boards to make them fit.
At most, you will need some nails.
Once you determine the height of each shelf, you will most certainly remove the boards you don’t want in the spacing
Cut, fasten and make them into shelves from the back of the pallet.
Next, make sure that ALL other nails are hammered in tight, I suggest reinforcing with a hammer.
No. 3: You Might Want These Tools for your DIY Vertical Pallet Garden
- For nails that are tougher, a crowbar is helpful.
- A hammer, to pry those nails out of boards you are not using but recycling to become shelves.
Pallets are HARD to get nails out of and in, so plan on that during your attack, lol!
After some blood (just kidding), sweat, and tears (because prying the nails out was NOT an easy task!) I was done.
I borrowed my husband for a bit of help cutting so I could get done quicker.
Then, we hammered the boards back in and that was it!.
No. 4 Stain It If You Want
Overnight the pallet dried completely and I sealed it with a stain I had previously picked up and used from a large home retail store on clearance so the wood does not rot on me!
No. 5: The backside + Keeping Containers Contained
Did you notice that I did not make little boxes, therefore unless the planter fit exact, I would have a hangover and probably tip-overs of plants?
At this point all I had made were ledges.
My solution which can be done about 100 different ways was a staple and rope, pretty tense across the back, yet with enough give to jiggle the planters.
Use wire mesh cut in strips, or deer netting stapled, there are a plethora of options.
No. 6: The front side of the Pallet: Optional Items
I affixed two half planters on the front of the pallet.
Each container has a veggie in it.
The shelves are currently in no certain order.
As my seedlings come along, I add them to new containers and to the shelves.
My plan is to drape the long vines cucumbers over the pallet and to string the zucchini up through the trees on a string.
No. 7: Balancing The Vertical Pallet Garden
Look at the base, you’ll note that I have 2 pieces of wood affixed to the base so that the DIY vertical pallet garden will freestand!
To balance the pallet, I added 2 pieces of wood.
We had scrap wood laying around, so I used a series of 3 screws and plugged them in each side.
Had I not balanced this, I don’t feel that it would stand on the grass as I have it off our patio.
The DIY for my Vertical Pallet Garden
When the season turns to Fall, we kept the Vertical pallet garden out and when playing outdoor yard games it’s a perfect landing zone for your adult beverages!
This is a super easy DIY and perfect for any patio or yard.
TO keep Deer off use natural deer repellant and dryer sheets.
I can’t wait to start growing my veggies again and herbs as there’s nothing life FRESH! ~ XO DIY With DANA
