pallet garden
Last summer I painted a wooden pallet to serve as a privacy screen for my not-so-private deck. I attached a few French garden buckets filled with end-of-season annuals and hung them on the pallet to create a small-space hanging garden. It was a nice first attempt, but I kept thinking about adding even more plants this year.
This weekend provided the perfect chance to refresh that pallet garden. I unplugged from the computer and spent some time updating and expanding the display.
I liked the idea of planting directly in the pallet, but I didn’t want to go through the lengthy process of lining the entire pallet with landscape fabric, filling it with soil, and waiting for the dirt to settle before standing it up. I prefer quicker, simpler projects—instant gratification and easy steps suit my lazy DIY style.
Looking for a shortcut, I considered burlap planting pockets, but ultimately chose coco liners like those used for hanging baskets. I picked mine up at Lowe’s. The liners are flexible, hold soil well, and are easy to work with.
To install them I simply stapled the small coco liners to the inside and back of the pallet, then filled them with potting mix and my plants. The liners molded to the pallet openings, kept the soil contained, and made the whole process fast and tidy.
I should admit I don’t have a green thumb, and this is more of an experiment than a proven technique. I’m trying a method that’s fast and practical for my space, but I don’t yet know whether it will be a brilliant solution or just a fun short-term display. So far it’s working, and time will tell if the plants thrive through the summer.
While enjoying the long holiday weekend I also made a few updates to my back porch. Freshening up that area was a lot of fun, and I’ll share more details later this week.
Have you started gardening yet?
Hope you all had a meaningful holiday weekend remembering those who serve and have sacrificed for our country.