Vertical Gardening with Pallets

by Susann C., Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Pitt County Arboretum
Vertical pallet gardens are a wonderful way to garden if you have limited space. Pallets are readily available. With a few tools, soil, plants, and water, you can have a finished vertical garden in the space of an afternoon!
 
You can hang a pallet on a fence, lean it against a fence or a wall or a balcony railing, or lay it down on the ground to form a raised bed garden. You can have an herb garden, flower garden, vegetable garden, or a combination – the possibilities are endless.

“Vertical pallet garden,” Pinterest, Roots Nursery (www.rootsnursery.com)

Materials Needed

• Pallet
• Saw if cutting a pallet into halves or quarters (a cordless jigsaw works best)
• If making multiple, smaller pallets: Piece of untreated wood for bottom; Piece to go across middle in back, to provide support for each pallet
• Sandpaper for sanding off rough splinters (preferable)
• Landscaping fabric (black mesh) to hold in the soil
• Thick plastic sheeting for the back side only (optional)
• Mounting bracket for hanging the garden
• Container potting soil
• Staple gun and staples (cordless electric staple gun works best)
• Scissors to cut landscaping fabric and plastic sheeting, as well as trim straggly plants
• Hammer & nails or nail gun for attaching wood
• Drill & screws
• Plants
• Water

“Vertical pallet garden,” Pinterest, Roots Nursery (www.rootsnursery.com)

Choosing a pallet
Many bloggers on the Internet will tell you not
to use commercial pallets because they are
pretreated with chemicals. In fact, most commercial palettes are safe to use.  Here's how you can
tell which are safe to use:

Treatment Codes
HT - Heat treatment (30 min at 56 degrees C to kill pests)
DB - Debarked
KD - Kiln Dried (to remove moisture in the wood)
DH - Dielectric heated
SF- Sulphuryl Fluoride. Alternate to MB. Do not use for pallet gardens.
MB - Methyl Bromide  (TOXIC - Do not use)

Do not use any pallet treated with MB.
Methyl Bromide has been banned on pallets in most countries, including the USA, since 2005.

Other marks to note
Stamps marked "CN" as the country code should also be avoided. (ISO 3166 country code for China).

Is my wood pallet safe for reuse?
Source: https://www.1001pallets.com

Flower pallet garden hanging on wall. Source: Flikr

---

Steps
Now that you've selected a palette that is safe to use for edible plants, there are a few steps to make it ready for inserting plants.

Preparing the pallet
1) If a full-size pallet is too large or you are concerned it will be very heavy to move, consider cutting it either in half or in quarters. If you cut it, you may need to add boards so that you have a bottom as well as open shelves into which you can place your plants.

2) After completing your structure, sand off any rough bits to avoid getting splinters in your hands while putting in your plants.

3) Optional: If you're going to paint or stain it, now is the time. You can buy specialized paint for use with edible plants.

4) Place the pallet, front side down, on a flat surface.

5) Drill drainage holes into the bottom board (optional because water will drain through the landscaping fabric and between the boards).

6) Take your roll of landscaping fabric. Cut a piece the width of the front of your pallet, plus one extra inch on each side. The length of this piece should be the length of your pallet plus about six inches. Cut this into three pieces of the same size so that you have three pieces that are slightly wider than the width of the palette.

Remember, it's easier to trim excess fabric than it is to have to cut another piece because the first was too small.

7) Attaching fabric to the front: Lay your palette on a flat surface, front side facing up.

8) Starting with the bottom row, push one of the pieces of fabric into the opening. Use the staple gun to make a clean 'hem' on the top of the front board by folding the rough edge under and stapling. Fold the extra fabric in at the corners.

9) Repeat the process for the middle row.

10) Flip the palette over so that the front side is now facing down. Make sure you've pulled your fabric through, leaving a loose pocket of fabric inside the row. Use the staple gun to make a clean 'hem' on the top of the back board by folding the rough edge under and stapling. Tuck in the corners for neatness.

11) Repeat the process for the middle row.

12) Go back to the front and push your remaining piece of fabric into the top opening and over the back. Fold the rough edge over and staple to the front. Repeat Step 10 for the top row.

13) Lay your palette flat and position your plants upright beside the palette so that you know where you will want to place the plants inside the palette. Consider plant color, whether upright or cascading, whether tightly bunched or freely flowing.

14) Pour soil through the slats, pressing down firmly. Leave enough room to insert your plants.

---

15) Place your plants upright for the middle row (if applicable) and bottom row. Start at the bottom and end at the top. Add more soil as needed. Rearrange plants as needed. Once you're happy with your arrangement, push in more soil.

16) Water thoroughly, beginning at the top. Use a little less water for each subsequent layer because any excess water will eventually make its way downward, so the bottom plants will get a lot of water.

17)  Leave your completed garden propped against a bench or fence for 1-2 weeks to allow plants to take root and to make it easy to water.

18) Water your pallet at least every second day while the pants are settling in. Water gently to keep the soil in and to avoid breaking the plant stems or knocking off the flowers.

19) After 1-2 weeks, hang your vertical garden in a vertical position or place it where you would like to hang it. Get someone to help you lift it because it will be heavy.

Your newly planted planter may look a little sparse at first. It will fill out over time. As plants grow, remember to clip off herbs for regular use and to encourage new growth. Deadhead spent flowers to promote more flowering.

Quarter pallet herb and flower gardens prepared for Pitt County Arboretum Vertical Pallet Gardening Workshop in April 2024. Photos - Susann C.

---