This is a cool recycling and gardening project that is fun and easy to do. Take a pallet and turn it into a organized garden for growing herbs or flowers.
Supplies
•Heat treated
•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
•Sand paper (to smooth rough edges)
Finding a Pallet
Try looking behind dumpsters at the supermarket, at hardware stores or online. 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. It will be labelled as HT.
Instructions
With the pallet laying flat, start stapling the cloth landscape fabric to it, to cover the back, both sides, and bottom of the pallet. Double the landscape fabric up, this will make it sturdier.
Pour a bunch of dirt on the pallet and start filling in the spaces with it. Start at the bottom and worked my way to the top. Don’t make it too tight, you want room for the flowers/herb plants.
When you get to the top, plant those plants first. This will help hold the other plants and dirt in the pallet. Then work your way down, planting your plants in each row. Make sure the dirt is firmly packed and added more where it was needed.
Leave your pallet garden flat for at least 2 weeks, longer if you can handle the wait! This helps everything mold together and not come a part when you stand it up. The planter will be very heavy when it is time to stand it up, so make sure you make it near where you plan to put it. Also, watering can be a little tricky. Put the hose on the top “shelf” and let the water trickle its way down to the bottom. It takes a little bit of time to do it this way, but probably works best.
Tip#1: Plan in advance
Plan your garden today to ensure summer success. Decide what you’d like to grow. How much space can you devote to the project? How much time are you willing to spend? Answering these questions will help you to determine your priorities.
For those with small spaces (or small ambitions), a container garden is an excellent choice. Containers can also supplement a traditional garden, providing a handy pot of herbs just outside the kitchen door, an experimental area for kids to grow their own produce, and allowing tender plants to be moved according to the season.
Others might consider building a raised bed to use for square-foot gardening. Square-foot gardening allows you to maximize food production in a minimum of space.
Tip#2: Start small
When planning your garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious. It’s better to start small and to expand a little every year.
Tip#3: Choose productive plants
Some plants are more productive than others. If you want a rewarding, productive garden, do some research to find out what grows well in your area.
Tip #4: Share with others
When you buy a packet of seeds, you generally receive more than you need. It’s fun (and frugal) to split the costs with others.
Also, share equipment with the neighbours. Careful borrowing and lending helps keep everybody’s costs down.
Tip #5: Buy quality tools
When you buy tools, it pays to purchase quality. Remember: thrift and frugality are about obtaining value for your dollar — not just paying the cheapest price.
Keep your eyes open at garage sales. Sometimes you can get great deals on quality stuff.
Tip #6: Read up on the subject
Your public library will have many books on the subject, some tailored to your location. There are also many excellent web sites that can help you get started. Here are some useful resources:
Books
•The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Edward C. Smith
•Square-Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
•Crops in Pots by Bob Purnell
•The Bountiful Container by Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey
Websites
•You Grow Girl, a blog about gardening
•GardenWeb, “the internet’s garden and home community”
•Garden Guides: Guide to container gardening
•Journey to Forever: Building a square-foot garden
•Kitchen Gardeners International
Tip #7: Have fun!
Most importantly, have fun. Don’t make gardening into more work than it needs to be. Your garden doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s great if you’re able to achieve a substantial return on your investment, but it’s also okay if you lose a little money. (You don’t want to lose a lot of money, though)
Pick a favourite fruit or vegetable, plant a few seeds, and have fun watching them grow to maturity. Make it a family thing.
Tips courtsey of getrichslowly
Supplies
