This was such a fun project and one that I was hoping to make last year but never got around to it. Though I might be a little late to the pallet trend, I have always loved pallets and all the versatile things we're using them for nowadays.
An herb garden has been a must for me and although I've managed to keep my rosemary alive for a few years now, I've also wanted more of other herbs. I sometimes doubted myself because I fear killing them right after re-potting or not water them enough. That's what kept me from growing them myself.
I love cooking with fresh or dried herbs. Having them at hand's reach is what inspired me to do this project. So I hope they stay alive long enough for me to enjoy them. I hope that you too find it easy enough to recreate and enjoy an herb garden for yourself.
I started by looking for a pallet. They're everywhere. Lucky for me, my day job happens to have these stacked. It was just a matter of finding one that was sturdy enough.
Below you'll see that as I started to give it a clear poly coat, I realized I had yet to take a before shot, so I did.
This is what it looked like before I gave it a couple of coats of the clear poly. I did sand it down a bit before adding the poly. You want to remove any splinters or rough edges for a more finished look. Unless you like it as is then this step isn't necessary. I already had the poly on hand so I went ahead with it.
If you do consider taking this extra care step, this is the poly I used.
This next picture below is what the pallet looked like after the 2 coats of outdoor clear poly.
After letting the pallet dry completely overnight it was time to go out and buy my favorite herbs and hardware used on the pallet. Originally I wanted to use hose clamps, but I was afraid of them rusting over time. So I opted for these instead. They were still very affordable and will last much longer with time and use. The bottom porch/window black metal hanging planter was a find from last year that I waited to use when the right time came along. It was at Big Lots, which I'm certain they still carry or you an find one similar at a very fair price.
Here's a breakdown of what items I used (found and purchased) and total cost.
- Wood Pallet - Free
- Satin finish outdoor poly - already had on hand
- Mounting Ring hardware - $20 for 4 of them
- Metal Window hanging planter - already had on hand (potentially about $10)
- Herbs purchased - $20 for 8 of them
- Organic planting soil - $3.99
Now is the perfect time to purchase your herbs. They're fresh and in season. They're easily found at your local garden/hardware center or grocery store. I found mine at my local Home Depot.
Here is a step by step recap to making your own Pallet Herb Garden:
- Find a pallet, they're free usually at your local grocery store.
- Sand lightly, remove any splinters necessary (optional).
- Add an outdoor clear poly or stain to withstand weather conditions (optional).
- Purchase your pots, herbs and hardware.
- Attach all hardware necessary.
- Fill your pots with your favorite herbs.
- Finally arrange and enjoy your favorite herbs this season.
In total, I basically spent $43 - $45 since I already had some materials from previous projects. It's a well spent investment for me and anyone starting out a small herb garden would agree.
I would love to eventually have a bed garden once we have a bigger outdoor space, but for now this works for us. I'm super excited to have finally put the work and little effort into making this come to life. And it smells amazing!
This is an easy enough project with anyone with little to no skills when it comes to using a drill. Believe me, I wanted to make this easy enough for myself and anyone attempting to make it. I wanted something easy, small enough and yet original to add to our outdoor space for the Spring. Hopefully this inspires you to get creative and build an herb garden pallet of your own.
As always feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts in the comments section below, I'm always happy to hear from you!
To check out more of my creative DIY, party crafts, recipes and more, visit my blog CharmedCrownBlog.com or follow me on Instagram @charmedcrownblog!
