I replanted my pallet garden recently and thought I’d share some of the photos. Hopefully the white flowers (Candytuft) will fill in a bit more in the months to come.
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These are books that I really enjoyed reading (and refer back to regularly). They'll be a great help to you on your container gardening adventures:
Garden Up! by Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet
Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin
Sugar Snaps & Strawberries by Andrea Bellamy
Bountiful Container by McGee & Stuckey
Small Budget Gardener by Maureen Gilmer
Southern California Organic Gardening by Pat Welsh
Container Gardening for California
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Oh, I love this. I’ve made planters out of pallet wood, but didn’t think to make the pallet itself a planter….is there a post on how you set it up?
Can you tell us a little more about how it’s constructed? As well as what plants you used? I love how much you got out of such a small space!
too cool! love it! maybe i missed it but can you share photos/info on how you did it exactly? i’d love to try this but not sure how it all fits in there / stays put.
I’m going to make another pallet this week so I can photograph the steps. Check back next week for a tutorial!
Oh, how cool is that?! I’m new to gardening. Would you mind sharing the names of the plants?
Just found this blog and I really love it. I’m in Dallas, starting my first ever garden on my balcony.
Sarah–The white flowers are Candytuft, and the green plant is sedum. I hope you’ll sign up for the message board (http://lifeonthebalcony.com/community) and share about your adventures in creating your first balcony garden.
Is there an archived blog entry describing either how you made the pallet or where you bought it? It’s fabulous!
I found the pallet itself behind a supermarket. I’m going to post a tutorial next week about how to turn it into a planter.
What a great idea, and this would work in lots of gardens, no matter what size.
Oh, man! This is SOOOOOO cool. Really neat twist on the whole “garden up” thing, Fern! Also, this matches my aesthetic, and there are ALWAYS old pallets lying around my neighborhood. (Don’t ask.) I think I might try this!
Brilliant!!! I’m new to the site – did you have directions on how you made the pallet garden base? I suppose you just put a backing on to create the space for the soil? Love your ideas!
I’m going to make another one so I can photograph the steps. Check back next week! In case you haven’t already, you can subscribe to my posts (http://lifeonthebalcony.com/subscribe) so that you’re notified when a new post is published.
Fern, I really like this idea too. What’s on the back of the pallet? Solid wood or something else?
Hi Claire! It’s wrapped with landscape fabric.
Great idea Fern. It looks beautiful!
Love it! Can’t wait for the tutorial. I have a pallat in the garage just begging to be turned into something more useful that a spider web holder.
Fantastic! Will be keeping an eye out for your tutorial. Well done!
Can’t wait to see your tutorial. Love this, and I simply must make one!
really cool, clever, original, and attractive
Hi Fern! This is amazing! And a perfect solution to the problem of an incredibly ugly fence that backs up to my very tiny pocket garden. Can’t wait to see how you pulled this all together. One question: is it very heavy? (I would hate to topple the barely standing fence I am thinking of having a pallet garden leaning against.) Thanks!
I just rescued 3 big pallets from the dumpter down the block and am eagerly awaiting your “how to” post. Moved to my new pad last fall and now that I’m done decorating the inside, I’m starting on my balcony. It’s a big space with a ton of potential, but partially shaded by 2 rather tall buildings. I’m used to vegetable gardening in a giant sunny backyard plot… so I’m a bit scared by all of the concrete and shade. I’m so glad I’ve found your blog. Thanks!
I think you could make a little play house with this idea. How sweet that would be. ( Or a dog house) LOL
I can’t wait to see the tutorial!! Such an awesome idea! I’d love to do one with herbs in it!
I love, love, love your pallet garden, Fern! I’m not sure where I’d put one of these here, but I’m going to see about doing it somewhere! I love this idea!
I’d love to see photos if you give it a try Kylee!
Fern,
That looks really cool. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like that. I do have a question though. Do you have to hand water it or do you use some sort of Drip irrigation or timer?
Thanks,
Sarah
A drip irrigation system sure would be nice. But I don’t have any electrical outlet on my balcony. All of my plants, including the pallet, are watered by hand.
Awesome Fern I can’t wait for the tutorial! This is so awesome. I could plant some awesome succulents in it!
Fern, this is wonderful! I *so* want to do this on my balcony.
Been meaning to ask you: I LOVE stock and “antique” roses (live in Signal Hill, with a balcony that faces west). Is it possible for me to grow stock and/or roses?
Jan–Stock is a definite YES! Antique roses are more of a challenge. In my experience, any of the more vigorous roses (like antiques) tend not to be as happy in a pot as they are in the ground. If you’re going to give it a go, look for the biggest pot possible, something in the half wine barrel size or larger. Use premium potting soil, and be generous with fertilizer. I’d fertilize at half strength every two weeks during the growing season, starting two months after planting.
Gorgeous!
wow what fun
Do you think this would work with herbs?
Tara–I would proceed with caution with any edible. It’s not clear to me whether pallets are treated with anything that might leach into the soil (and then be drawn up by the edible plant, eventually getting eaten by you).
I stumbled upon your site and what a dream come true! I saw a succulent display from a pallet and fell in love. I brought a pallet home from our business only to not really know how to get the job done. That pallet is just screaming for me to make her pretty. I can’t wait to hear your tips and how to. What a gem of a site. I can’t wait to get a lesson!
Nancy–I hope you saw the tutorial: How to make a pallet garden.
I’ve put together a round up of great garden projects on Craft Gossip today and included your post.
You can see it here
http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/6-fresh-garden-ideas-for-spring/
If you would like to share the Craft Gossip love and show your visitors you’ve been featured, you can grab a button here!
http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/grab-a-craft-gossip-button/
Thanks Amanda!
What a great idea and certainly much more economical than most vertical gardens on the market right now!
it there a way to modify this design for indoor use? I have a mess of indoor plants that need to be more organized :s
Do you know of a way to test the pallet for chemicals, so it could be used for veggies?
Nope, sorry! The best way to go is to find a pallet that was stamped with the appropriate marking indicating that it was heat treated, not chemically treated.
Hi: I made one of these this past weekend, but I am a little concerned about the landscape fabric supporting the weight of the potting soil, it seems soooooo heavy. Have you had a problem with that? Did you nail any kind of wood to the back or bottom to keep the dirt from ripping the landscape fabric?
Hi Suzi–I have two pallet gardens, one is about a year old, and the other I made for this post. Neither has had a problem with the landscape fabric tearing otherwise failing because of the weight of the soil and plants.
Fern, this is an awesome project that anyone with little skills can do. I read a few of the other posts, and seen many wanting to grow herbs. A regular pallet has not been treated, and can have all kinds of wood borer’s and such living in them, so they would not work well for edibles. An alternative for edibles is to use a Heat Treated Pallet. These generally all have a burned in stamp that states “HTP” and the date they were treated.
If someone were to want to grow herbs from seed, they would need to leave the pallet laying on the ground until the seeds have all germinated and start to grow healthy roots to hold the dirt in place. This too would also work as a raised bed, but you’d have to put fabric across the top side of the pallet too, to keep the soil in the “box”.
Dave DollarSeed.com
fern…u wonderful…i like your idea
thanks.
Do a double sided by looping weed mat inside the pallet and fillind with potting soil and then cut slits to shove in plants. hang and enjoy.
Hi, I think this is a great idea! I am looking forward to the spring and I will start my hunt for pallets. One concern I do have is, what does the wall behind the pallet look like!? I would think it would be badly stained from the potting soil. Somehow I can’t image that the two layers of fabric hold back the “dirty” water?
First of all, I love your blog!! OK, I’ve been thinking about making a pallet garden for some time now (like since you wrote this post), but haven’t gotten the energy or guts to get it done. I think I’m ready now! The only problem is that I have some succulents that I have been keeping for many years now and I care about them very much. Do you have any tips to ensure success? Also, if one starts not looking so good, how will I remove it without harming the root system? Thanks so much!
Hi Caitlin! Most succulents are easy to transplant, they don’t mind their roots being disturbed.
I saw a picture of the Pallet garden and thought what a great way to grow my favorite plants in one place. I live in the country and this will fit right in on the hill.
I love this idea but I have a more unusual need. I have a hard time bending due to back issues but I love to garden. I want to make a 30 inch tall planter box that I can plant herbs and veggies in. I have searched the web and can not find anything using old pallets. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks!
I recently did a few upside down gardens and used as suggested by others, to use coffee filters around the plants or if the plant comes in a recycle able cardboard container you can keep it in that, or use those moss or another material they use for making hanging gardens
I really like this pallet garden idea. Can you post some instructions on how to create one?
Hi Fern,
We are working on a book about gardening for kids and we love your pallet garden. Would you be interested in allowing us to use a photo of it in our book?
The book will be published by Heinemann and produced by Six Red Marbles
Please shoot me an email because we would love you have your garden in our book.
Best,
Trevor
Forgot to add my email I’m not sure if you can see it.
t.driscoll(a)sixredmarbles.com
Thanks!
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again.
Regardless, just wanted to say great blog!
Would Strawberries work planted like this? I would really like to try Strawberries this way!
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