Good news and bad news. I had planned to film a short video showing you how to make a pallet garden, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I was stapling the landscape fabric onto the pallet when it started drizzling and got really windy. That’s the bad news. But I know I promised a tutorial today, so I took photos and have kept my word to share how to make the pallet garden. I tried to be as detailed as possible. That’s the good news. 
So keep reading my pallet loving friends, instructions on how to make your own pallet garden are just a few lines away…
Find a Pallet
The first thing you need to do is–obviously–find a pallet. I’ve had good luck finding them in dumpsters behind supermarkets. No need to be squeamish. It doesn’t smell. At least, it doesn’t smell that bad. 
Don’t just take the first pallet you find. You’re looking for one with all the boards in good condition, no nails sticking out, no rotting, etc. If you intend to put edibles in your pallet, be sure to find one that was heat treated as opposed to fumigated with pesticides.
Collect Your Supplies
For this project, you’ll need the pallet you found, 2 large bags of potting soil, 16 six packs of annual flowers (one six pack per opening on the face of the pallet, and two six packs per opening on the top of the completed pallet garden), a small roll of landscape fabric, a staple gun, staples, and sand paper.
Get Your Pallet into Shape
Once you’ve dragged your pallet home, give it a once over. Are any of the boards a little loose? Is the wood chipping in places? Nail down any loose boards, and use sand paper to smooth down any rough spots.
Let the Stapling Begin!
Decide which side of the pallet will be the bottom when the pallet garden is completed and leaning against the wall. You are going to be covering the bottom, back, and sides with landscape fabric, leaving the spaces between the slats and the top uncovered (you’ll be planting flowers in the uncovered spaces).
Lay the pallet face down. Roll the landscape fabric over the back. Cut two identically sized pieces that are long enough to go from the top edge of the back of the pallet and wrap all the way around the bottom, plus a few extra inches.
Hold the two pieces of landscape fabric together as if they were one piece of fabric. Fold over the top edge by one inch and center it on the top board of the back of the pallet. Staple the fabric into place near the top edge of the top board. Smooth the fabric out to the left and right and pull it taut. Staple the fabric down on the top, right edge of the top board. Repeat on the left side. Fill in between those three staples with one staple every two inches along the top edge of the top board.
When the top of the landscape fabric is securely attached to the top, back board, smooth the fabric down, and repeat the process along the bottom edge of the bottom board, except don’t fold the fabric under, leave a long flap on the bottom.
Pulling the fabric tautly along the bottom, fold the cut edge under, and staple the fabric down along the front edge of the bottom. Smooth the fabric out to the left and right and staple every two inches along the front edge of the bottom.
Now for the sides. Start near the bottom and fold the excess fabric inwards as if you were wrapping a present. Fold the cut edge of the fabric under and staple it down near the front, bottom edge of the side facade. Smooth the fabric out and place a staple every two inches along the front edge of the side of the pallet. The fabric should be taut but not in danger of tearing. Repeat on the other side of the pallet.
You should now have a pallet with landscape fabric wrapped around the sides, back, and bottom. Place more staples along the spine of the back side of the pallet, and anywhere else you think the fabric needs to be held down so that soil can’t creep into places you don’t want it to go.
Now for the Fun Part–Planting!
Bring the pallet close to wherever it’s final spot will be and lay it down face up. You’re going to plant it while it’s laying flat on the ground.
First slide the plants into what will be the top. Plant everything very tightly, you should have to practically shoe horn the last plant into place. Now that you have capped the top, pour the entire first bag of potting soil on top of the pallet. Push the soil into the pallet between the slats and smooth it out so that the soil is level. Repeat with the second bag of potting soil.
Push potting soil into the bottom cavity, so that there is a trench directly below one of the bottom openings. Plant six plants in the trench, so that they are very tightly fitted into the opening. Repeat with the other bottom opening. Now push the potting soil up against those flowers you just planted, making a trench beneath one of the openings in the second row. Plant your flowers tightly in that opening. Repeat for all the remaining openings.
When you’re done planting, you should have plants that are completely covering every opening (i.e. there shouldn’t be any place for soil to fall out). There should also be soil firmly pushed into every part of the pallet where there aren’t plants.
Caring For your Pallet
Now, I’m going to tell you what you should do, and I what I always end up doing (which is what you should not do). You should leave the pallet flat on the ground for a couple of weeks (watering when needed), so that the roots can start to grow in and hold all the plants in place. I can never wait though, so I always tip the pallet upright a few days after planting. Some soil does fall out, but it seems to be okay. But I think it would be better if you left it to settle and only tipped it upright after a few weeks. Do as I say, not as I do.
Water your pallet regularly, they dry out quickly. Pay special attention to the bottom two openings, they seem to be the driest. Fertilize with water soluble fertilizer added to your watering can (follow package instructions for amount and frequency).
Did I leave anything out? I’ll try to answer all questions left in the comments.
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Hi Fern and everyone,
Great post, I am about to build one of these for a client so this is a great resource (as are the comments).
If there are any Australian readers, I found a great listing page of all pallet sellers and makers in Australia here: http://www.bigears.net.au/Pallets/Pallets.htm
Love your work, Fern!
How are you planning on using it in the pond? I have an old deep pond that i am trying to figure out a way to make it a planting area, a nice focal point, so all ideas are appreciated!
hi fern, thanks for this fun idea! i have mine on a sunporch, planted with herbs, it is a skinny sunporch so this is a perfect solution. do you have suggestions for how to water the plants in the sides w/o getting it everywhere?
Hi Fern, that looks amazing. I’ve just done my first vertical balcony garden for a client, next time I’m going to try and find a pallet. Might have to do my own balcony as well. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thea
Hi, I love this idea, thanks so much for writing step by step! Do you have any experience of hanging the pallets on a wall? I am considering this idea to hang 2 pallets in my backyard, but I am not sure if it’s going to be too heavy.
Please some advice!
They are pretty heavy, I’m not sure wall mounting one is a good idea.
Trini, I don’t think mounting one of these on a wall would be a good idea. The direct contact with moisture from the soil would most likely cause permenent damage to the wall.
Hi, I’m a Science teacher and I will deffinetly try this with my studenst, but I have a few questions:
How much does it weights in the end?
Considering a concrete rooftop, could this be use flat to make a roof garden or changes need to be make?
I have a question, why would you plant the top before planting the rest? I think i may be missing a step, I was thinking you would do everything they stand it up and plant???
Rachel–Because the top plants keep the soil from spilling out before you tilt it up.
Great idea – but how do you stop it tipping over? It must be pretty heavy – did you drill it into the wall or something?
A
oh my goodness what a creative idea. Next spring I’ll have to keep this method in mind. Thanks.
Pallets are everywhere and polluting our little planet. Your idea is a perfect example of ” thinking outside of the box “! Clever and simple. What I like the most is that this is a right-now-solution that can be used in third world countries at a minimum cost or not cost at all. It fits also perfectly this old-new trend: vertical growing! I will certainly add your solution to the Planet Fixer Magazine.
Bravo!
Roger Pilon, Editor
Great idea. If you are being careful about using pressure treated wood, (as you should be), you should also be careful about the soil you use. Ask questions, read labels, demand quality. Not all soils are created equal.
Love the creativity! However, I agree with Tom…you don’t want the chemicals in treated wood touching your edibles. Re-purposing found materials is fabulous (as long as they are safe – no lead paint, arsenic in treated lumber, etc…).
LOVE This idea!! I can’t wait until it’s warmer! I’ll be doing this to ‘hide’ the space under my deck in my backyard… But to make watering easier, I’ll be putting a soaker hose the the pallet, before I put the dirt in. That way, I can run water into it, get all the levels moist, and not drown one section, and leave others dry! Love it!!!
Hi Fern!
Like this post so much Can I translate it and write it on my blog? (mine is about small spaces) http://martalagoa.wordpress.com/
Thanks and best regards
Marta–I would prefer that you write an overview with a link back to LOTB rather than wholesale copying the post.
Would there be an advantage or disadvantage to layering some plastic (horror) on the outside of the landscape fabric to prevent moisture from damaging a wall, and to help retain moisture? Or is that just inviting moldy roots?
Use “firring strips”. In construction, when you are mounting drywall to a concrete wall, they put 1″ think strips of wood on the wall first, called firring strips. These get anchored directly to the wall and are held very securely in place.
Then you mount the drywall to the wall by screwing it to the strips – not the wall. This creates a vapor barrier that is generally filled with insulation. in the case of the planter, it would create a 1″ gap between the pallet and the wall and serve the same purpose. Would also create a small amount of ‘depth’ to the project.
This is so cool. I love the idea of using something that might normally be tossed out or burned… I think I would like to try this with lettuces.
Are pallets marked pressure or treated? I’m thinking most aren’t since they are usually re-purposed wood…LOVE the idea though!
I love this idea! Just wonderful! Nettie
Hello Fern,
Thanks so much for all the details! My husband and I want to plant a garden in our backyard but we didnt want it to take up our entire yard since we like to entertain.
Anyhow, my husband saw this idea on t.v. and so i looked it up and stumbled upon your site. It is very helpful and a great idea!
I have a few questions:
We do want to grow organic vegetables and such, do u have any tips on which veggies to start with and how to cultivate them. Also do you have a any resources as to where I can find out which veggies are best to grow in our hot climate here in las vegas., Nevada and what time of the year is best to start?
As you probably can tell we are very new to the organic diet and the idea of gardening, if you could help that would be AWESOME!
Thank you for your time,
Nadine Torres
702-279-6637
deeno0818@ymail.com
Love this! I’m new to gardening, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of plants were used in this. I love the tiny blue and white flowers.
Hey Jessica,
I’m sure Fern could give you the exact list but off hand I’d say Lobelia, Alyssum, and Nasturtum.
I made one this summer and it was beautiful. Now it’s January, any suggestions for winterizing? Can i use it again next summer or would I have to start over?
what types of veggies do you have success with? I love the idea!!!
How can I tell the difference between heat treated and fumigated pallets?
Thanks!!
Think this is fantastic. How do you think it would go by painting it with colourful exterior paint to add instant colour?
Rebecca–Sounds awesome to me. I know someone who made one and she stained the wood. Looked cool.
I’m a stonemason, so I deal with pallets a lot. The best ones (meaning longest lasting) are made from post oak so they’re sturdier and more naturally rot resistant and you’ll find them at stoneyards. I’m pretty sure the pallet industry doesn’t use pressure treated wood–it costs a lot to treat wood and pallets have a short lifespan, even if they get reused a few times. Also, I think the fumigated pallets are just for products being shipped overseas. Pallets from local businesses wouldn’t be fumigated or heat treated. Pallets from grocery stores might have been shipped overseas–blueberries from South America anyone?–but I would be surprised if anything on the pallet indicated that. Probably safer to get pallets from building supply place and stoneyards as they would be shipping within the US. Hope that’s helpful.
Yes Frank, that is very helpful. A lot of people had that question,m including me. It was nice of you to take the time to answer! Thanks
Sorry if this is a really dumb question. Exactly WHAT is landscape fabric, and where do you purchase it?
Have you grown any vegetables in this type of pallet garden?
Thanks so much for the wonderful idea! I can’t wait to begin!
Sue–It’s black fabric that normally is used to suppress weeds. You can buy it at any garden center.
Just wondering…I would like to use these so you can see both sides. Would you do two back-to-back maybe anchored on fenceposts (this might be thicker than my area would accomodate), or can you do anything different w/the landscape fabric to maybe make it so I can plant on both sides so I only have a one pallet thickness? Anyway, these look like a great idea! LOTS of potential!
I have been interested in vertical gardening for a while now, but the prices have been impossible! I love the idea of the pallet for the framework, but would like to add a small twist: make small ‘pouches’ stapled into the middle of the pallet for the soil & plants to sit in using the landscape fabric. You should use less soil, have less spillage, and don’t have to wait a couple weeks to let the soil settle. Staple the sacks on/inside the pallet (can even make it a 2-sided display if propped up as the slats on front & back are staggered in opposites), stand it up, & plant away!!. As for the watering dilemma, use a few of the watering globes to keep the pallet ‘self-sustaining’ for a bit longer or while on holidays
I can’t wait to get started- too bad it’s January!! Thank you for the needed creative boost!!!
I plan on creating a wall of these out in the garden to hide an unsightly area! Thank-you so much for the inspiration! Now to figure out how to stand them up? Fence post holders? Rebar? Maybe lean two together and nail the top together? Hmmm…
I used pallets as a temporary fence for a small holding pen and instead of nailing them together I pounded 2 5′ T-posts in the ground and stood the pallet upright with the posts inside the pallet. It worked very well and was sturdy.
The rebar would hold up great..just 1 on each side.
Hi, Fern. I think that this is a great idea. I have a suggestion to make concerning how the bottom half of the pallet garden is the driest. This is only an idea, but maybe a small diameter PVC pipe with holes drilled into it could be “installed” in the middle of the pallet and elbow joints could be used to pour water into the pipe from the outside of the pallet. Also, I’ve seen a few other comments on here about attaching the pallet to a wall, but with no response. How have you attached it? Or have you simply leaned it against the wall? I would really like to use this idea for a Masters project that I am doing so any information would be helpful!
What a fantastic idea. So glad I stumbled upon this page. I love the idea of making any space into one for gardening. Thanks for sharing this.
If you do want to attach it to a wall, because of the weight, you should use a “French Cleat” system. I know you can get instructions from hardware stores or hgtv.com
Hi, I love this idea. I wanted to create it in a smaller scale by building my own “pallet” and planting herbs for an indoor purpose to hang in the kitchen. What do you think? Too messy?
Do you have to lay the pallet down to water or are you able to get enough in it by watering each row while still standing?
Hi! I wanted to plant edibles. How should they be planted, worried about overcrowding and or loss of soil.
I was just wondering about the condition of the wall behind the pallet. I live in an apartment and can’t mess up the concrete patio wall, so has it molded ot discolored in anyway?
Fantastic idea. I might try growing strawberries in one this year.
What if we put a soaker hose in as we stuffed the soil and plants into it? I live in Central Texas and water is a huge issue. Very hot and very dry means lots of watering. Thinking I might have to try this. Love the look!
HI! Great idea, by the way. We live in a dry climate. I have planted directly into a bag of soil to conserve moisture (and save on the cost of buying a pot). With a really good periodic soaking the bags do a great job of holding moisture. Do you think we could just slide unopened bags of soil into the pallet and then cut openings for plants? Thanks!
Around here pallets are like gold. Hard to find because companies pick them back up to save $$. or they have deals with “refurbishers” that pick them up. Anything made out of wood now is “dear”…
I had pallets by the dozens…used them as tomato ‘cages’ to prop plants up and keep off ground, reused year after year for about 6 and when I moved sadly had to dismantle them! This would be awesome for strawberries too! I am going to search for more pallets this year. My space is small, and soil was previously a car parking area so not good. I used raised beds 18″ deep, but lost those to a sewer line that had to be replaced. Now reinventing my space again. Retired now so have more time to invent!
This is an awesome idea! I work for a large wholesale / retail greenhouse and we always have tons of pallets. Normally we give them away for folks to make compost bins, but I could see us selling pallet garden kits.
Beautiful and innovative project…cannot wait to make my own. My gardening group “The Botanical Bitches” will be so envious…but, I’ll share with them. Thank you!!
I agree above, a pallet would serve well for rooftop garden frame. My roof is one of the few spots I have good sun. You would not even need to staple in the garden cloth, just open your bag(s) of soil, lay in the frame, add your mulch. I may fit in some crossbars in the frame, to counteract the slope of my roof.
The pallet looks really pretty with the flowers in it. I so want to try making one now. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.
You say pallets can be found in dumpsters but to be cautious about whether they are heat treated or pesticide treated … How can you look at a pallet and know this? I have a bunch from a dairy company, but have no idea how to tell if they are treated with anything. thanks for a marvelous idea!
I’ve found that businesses aren’t giving away pallets any longer in FL, US. But I found some for free at our local “environmental park” where they have piles of pallets, hazardous waste drop off, free mulch, waste tires, recycling, etc. As per Fern’s advice (thanks!), I checked and they have the “HT” stamp for heat treated as opposed to fumigated. Really looking forward to this project, hoping to load it with a soaker hose. Great instructions!!
This is such a good idea!! Although I just bought what I thought were two big bags of soil (50l all together) and once i put that into the pallet i realised it was clearly not enough. Think mine will need around 80-90ls of soil)
I’m planting pink hypoestes, vincas, blue lobelia and impatiens which should all be quite sturdy.
Thanks for the idea!
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