Pallet garden

Repurposing is my main objective, but space efficiency is also very important due to my borrowed space here. I like the pallet gardens on the crafty web sites but I don't think they're ideal. Basically I looked at the images and decided, "I know how to do this better!" and set off on my own plan.


I acquired some pallets from Carl at the Organic Garden Center, and the natural fiber backing was a coffee sack from Surplus City. I thought a staple gun would be sufficient but I ended up cutting strips of wood and sandwiching the coffee sack between the pallet wood and the wood strip, then screwing it down tight. Wet dirt is heavy, and I didn't want this to fall apart after a month out in the elements. I had to use two sacks for one pallet. I only had to redo the fiber backing one time, which is good for me.

My one important takeaway from researching pallet garden design was knowing how the pallet wood is treated. These had "HT" = "heat treated." If it has "MB" stamped on the wood, it has been treated with Methyl Bromide: a toxic pesticide.

May 27: Construction

June 3: Planted after allowing some time to settle.
From top to bottom: nastertium, jalapenos, basil and cayenne peppers

June 10: Some growth

June 19: More growth and a bonus dog butt

June 16: The copious rain has lead to a slug infestation.
I added a layer of eggs shells as a deterrent, but at this point
I think they've set up shop in the pallet.

July 2: The plants have grown quite nicely with the hot days.

Bonus: Frog enjoys the shady area just under the nastertiums

This isn't a 90 degree vertical garden. I do like the looks of those for succulents and low maintenance plants. This was more an experiment in practicality and space efficiency. "Form follows function" was drilled into me as a graphic design student in college and that message has always stuck with me. Who cares if something looks good if it doesn't work right.

I got a nice flush of mushrooms in this garden recently. I have no idea if they were safe for consumption. Knowing that there is fungi growing is a good indicator of nutrient availability to the plants. I will post updates to the plant growth and hopefully the yield of the plants.