DIY Pallet Vertical Garden: A Cheap & Easy Guide to Growing Your Own Food

Updated at: 26/05/2025

Dreaming of a bountiful garden but lacking the space or budget? Forget expensive raised beds and complicated landscaping! This guide shows you how to create a stunning and productive vertical garden using readily available and affordable reclaimed pallets. Transforming discarded wood into a thriving ecosystem is surprisingly simple, offering a fantastic opportunity to grow your favorite herbs, vegetables, and even flowers, all while minimizing your environmental impact. This project is perfect for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, requiring minimal tools and expertise.

Forget expensive gardening supplies – repurposed pallets are the key to unlocking your green thumb. This DIY pallet vertical garden offers a cheap and cheerful solution to limited space, making fresh produce accessible to everyone. We'll take you through each step, from preparing the pallet to planting your chosen seedlings, ensuring you'll have a thriving vertical garden in no time. Ready to get your hands dirty? Let's dive into the step-by-step process!

Preparation and Safety Guidelines

Tools Needed
  • Pallets
  • Hammer
  • Nails
  • Screws
  • Timber slats
  • Shade cloth
  • Stapler
  • Potting mix (optional)
  • Soil wetter
  • Slow-release fertilizer
  • Mulch
  • Seeds/Seedlings
Safety Guidelines
  • Always wear gloves and eye protection when handling pallets. Wood may contain splinters, nails, or treated wood chemicals that can be harmful.
  • Ensure the pallet wood is clean and free from any chemical treatments before using it for growing food. Pressure-treated wood is toxic to plants and humans.
  • Use appropriate drainage solutions to prevent waterlogging at the base of your vertical garden. Standing water can lead to root rot and plant diseases.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare the Pallets

    • Remove timber slats from pallets.
    • Mock up slat placement on the second pallet for the front and back sides.
    • Reattach slats to both pallets.
    Reattach slats to both pallets.Reattach slats to both pallets.Reattach slats to both pallets.
    Prepare the Pallets

  2. Assemble the Structure

    • Create feet and joining braces using leftover damaged slats.
    • Attach the two pallets together using the joiners and feet.
    • Add paint for a nicer look.
    Add paint for a nicer look.Add paint for a nicer look.Add paint for a nicer look.
    Assemble the Structure

  3. Prepare for Planting

    • Cut and fix shade cloth to the inside of the pallet structure to help hold soil.
    • Prepare the soil mix (potting mix, sheep manure, worm castings, leftover soil).
    • Fill the pallet beds with the soil mix.
    Fill the pallet beds with the soil mix.Fill the pallet beds with the soil mix.Fill the pallet beds with the soil mix.
    Prepare for Planting

  4. Planting

    • Plant your chosen seedlings/seeds (mint, parsley, chard, lettuce, coriander, rocket).
    Plant your chosen seedlings/seeds (mint, parsley, chard, lettuce, coriander, rocket).
    Planting

  5. Post-Planting Care

    • Water thoroughly.
    • Add slow-release fertilizer.
    • Add mulch.
    • Add spent coffee grounds (optional).
    Add spent coffee grounds (optional).Add spent coffee grounds (optional).Add spent coffee grounds (optional).Add spent coffee grounds (optional).
    Post-Planting Care

Read more: DIY Pantry Door Spice Rack: Organize Your Spices in Minutes!

Tips

  • Use a Jimmy bar to remove the slats from the pallets more quickly.
  • Combine different soil types to create a rich, moisture-retaining growing medium.
  • Remove some leaves from cuttings to help them focus energy on root growth.
  • Water daily for the first few days after planting to prevent transplant shock.
  • Use spent coffee grounds as a natural slug and snail deterrent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Insufficient Drainage

Reason: Lack of drainage holes or improper placement of drainage material leads to waterlogged soil, root rot, and plant death.
Solution: Ensure adequate drainage holes in the pallet and line the compartments with landscape fabric or gravel for better drainage.

2. Using Untreated Wood

Reason: Untreated wood can leach chemicals into the soil, harming plants and potentially contaminating your food. It can also rot quickly leading to failure of the structure.
Solution: Use heat-treated or naturally weathered pallets, or apply a food-safe sealant to protect the wood and your plants.

3. Inadequate Soil Depth and/or Improper Soil Choice

Reason: Shallow compartments or using unsuitable soil will restrict root growth and nutrient uptake, leading to stunted plants and poor yields.
Solution: Use deep enough compartments to accommodate the plants' root systems and choose a well-draining potting mix suitable for the chosen plants.

FAQs

What type of pallet is best for a vertical garden?
Look for untreated, heat-treated (HT) pallets. Avoid chemically treated (MB) pallets as they can contain harmful substances. HT pallets are marked with an 'HT' stamp. Make sure the wood is sturdy enough to hold soil and plants.