Vertical gardening is the perfect solution for small spaces — with a little creativity, you can still enjoy a bountiful home harvest, no matter how limited your area may be.
Going vertical with your gardening not only maximises space, but it also creates structure and visual interest. If you have space on a sunny exterior wall consider growing herbs, shallow-rooted vegetables and flowers in a recycled pallet. It’s not only practical, but it can double as a decorative feature. A pallet can be either hung up or just propped up against a wall to get started.
Creating a DIY Vertical Garden – What You’ll Need
- 1 pallet
- Spare wood (an extra pallet works well)
- 2 bags of Rocky Point Organic Potting Mix
- 18+ galvanised nails (approx. 2cm)
- Geofabric or weed membrane
- Stapler
- Hand saw
- Hammer
- Trowel
- Strong scissors
- Herbs, flowers or shallow rooted veggies of your choice
Step 1 – Prepare your pallet
Brush down your pallet and sand down (if desired) to remove any splinters and debris for a safer, neater finish.
Step 2 – Measure up
Measure the gaps on the underside of the wood, where your herbs will be planted. The spare wood you have needs to fit in this measured gap. You’ll want no gaps, so no potting mix falls out. You’ll also need to measure the width of the pallet and cut down the spare wood as needed.
Step 3 – Nail it
Flip the pallet around so it is standing ‘upside down’ to make hammering the nails in easier. Begin gently hammering in the nails so you’re joining each part of the wood.
Step 4 – Check it
Flip the pallet over once you have hammered all three pieces of wood to the underside of where you’ll be planting.
Step 5 – Staple it
Take your geo fabric or weed membrane and size it up against the gaps you’ll be planting in. Roughly cut the fabric down to size. Hold the fabric firmly against the inside wood and staple the fabric as tightly as you can. Once you’ve stapled each part, trim excess fabric for a neat finish.
Step 6 – Add potting mix
Now start adding the soil to your pallet planter! Take a small trowel and slowly half-fill each compartment with Rocky Point Organic Potting Mix. Be careful not to over fill just yet.
Step 7 – Get planting!
Once each plant is planted, ensure you top them off with some extra soil to ensure they are firmly in place. Water in well some liquid seaweed to reduce transplant shock.
Find the best place for it to stand or be hung up in the garden (you’ll want a spot that gets plenty of sunlight).
Tip: Once filled with soil and plants, your pallet will be heavy. Make sure it’s secured properly to prevent tipping or falling—especially if it’s going in a windy spot or around kids.
Remember that container plants need more water than those in the ground. It’s best not to let them completely dry out; keep the soil moist, especially in warmer weather.
