There are few things more satisfying than cooking with your own fresh herbs. However, growing your own herbs is not always convenient in small spaces. With a vertical herb garden, you can fit a dozen or more different plants without taking up a ton of patio space. Plus, you can build the garden yourself. Here we’ll go over how to turn a wooden pallet into your very own vertical herb garden.

What You’ll Need

Pallet
Wood stain
Protective clear coat
Staples & staple gun
Pry bar
Fabric weed barrier
Potting soil
Herbs

Which Herbs Should You Plant?

Here are some suggestions for herbs to grow in your vertical garden:

basil
parsley
rosemary
dill
oregano
thyme
peppermint
lavender

All the above plants have similar requirements for light and watering. Each can live and grow close to others of its same kind or different herbs, making them ideal for this compact and efficient vertical garden project.

Process

1. First, scrub and sand your pallet to begin with a clean and safe surface. You don’t have to sand the wood completely smooth but just enough to avoid splinters.

2. Using a pry bar, remove three of the horizontal boards from one side of the pallet. This will give your plants more vertical space to grow as well as make it easier to harvest them.

3. Use a wood stain in your preferred shade. Consult your specific stain instructions for optimal drying time.

4. Once the stain is dry, add the clear top coat. This will help keep the wood looking great and avoid water damage.

5. Measure the “pocket” size for each horizontal section of the pallet. Alternatively, you can use newspaper to create a fabric pattern.

6. Cut the weed barrier fabric into 12 pieces. Fold each piece carefully into the open space in the pallet, creating a spacious but secure pocket.

7. Attach the pocket sides and corners with staples. The corners do not have to be perfect—you will still have plenty of room for soil.

8. Once the pockets are complete, add a generous scoop of potting soil to each. Add your plants, being careful to allow enough room for each to grow and develop more roots. You should be able to fit 2 or 3 4-inch plants per pocket.

9. Backfill with additional soil if needed. Add labels to each shelf for easy harvesting.

Now you have a lush and space-efficient herb garden perfect for your deck or patio. You can safely lean the pallet against a wall or attach it to a wall using brackets. To make a freestanding version, attach supports or wheel casters to the bottom of the pallet. This will make your new garden even more convenient and functional, allowing you to enjoy fresh herbs right from your own backyard.