Standing Pallet {Garden}

Pallets, pallets, pallets! We all either have one or wish we had one so we could tackle one of those thousands of awesome pallet projects out there. Here is an easy project that does not involve power tools. Big smile on my face!

Please forgive my lack of photos. I totally wasn't thinking and forgot to take them while my husband and I were putting this together.

Materials needed:

• A pallet
• Weed barrier
• A staple gun
• Potting soil
• Plants (Preferably trailing plans)

Step one:

Cover whatever side is going to be the back of your pallet with weed barrier, stapling it to each horizontal and vertical board. Staple around the bottom and the sides as well but leave the top open. Try to leave as little space as possible between staples so dirt does not fall through the gaps. You are essentially trying to make a "wall" on the back of your pallet.

Step Two:

Lay the pallet on the ground, back side down near the area in which it will be displayed. It will be hard to move once it is filled with dirt. Begin filling the pallet with soil between the slats, leveling out the soil with your hands or a trowel. 

Step Three:

Once you have filled the pallet almost completely, you may now begin planting your plants. Make sure to tightly pack the dirt around the plants. Any empty space will cause the soil to shift when you stand the pallet up. 

Step Four: 

Here's the sad part. Let you pallet rest flat on the ground for about a week so that the roots have time to establish. I know I was eager to stand mine up right away, but the soil will simply fall right out if you skip this step.

Once you feel as if your plants have had time to take root, you're ready to stand that baby up! I placed mine on some extra paver stones we had to add visual interest. At this point, you can also add flowers in the top area of your pallet. I haven't gotten there yet.

Now, watering can be a little tricky. You may tip your pallet down while you water which will allow you to water the dirt well without the soil going everywhere. I kind of cheat and just water it while it is standing up. I use a watering can and try to be gentle with the soil. I haven't had any problems. Once my plants had grown to a good size, it became increasingly easier to water them. Everything sort of stays in place.

As you can see in the photo, I have since added more plants to my garden. They grow well and are extremely easy to care for. Just remember to tip the pallet back down before you plant new flowers.

Have fun!