One of my favorite things about summer is having fresh herbs on hand to use in recipes: basil for homemade pesto, cilantro for tacos, mint for infusing water, etc. And in years past I’ve potted these herbs on our deck, but having them on the floor of the deck isn’t really ideal, with rain causing soil to splash everywhere, blah, blah, blah.
So I decided to make a simple vertical herb garden to keep them in easy reach this summer.
You might be thinking that vertical herb gardens sound kind of complicated. They could be, but this one’s not. Seriously. This is one of the easiest gardening projects ever. Like less than an hour. Maybe less than 30 minutes, depending on how quickly you can make rings out of wire. Because all you need is a trellis, wire, pots, potting soil, and herbs (duh).
Now, if you wanted to put more time and elbow grease into this project, you can certainly diy your trellis. Tom and I considered this, but after pricing wood and supplies, it was easier to buy a ready-made trellis at our local hardware store. I went with wood over metal because I liked the look better and I think it might be a bit sturdier.
Along with the trellis, I picked up some new pots: two 6″ pots and two 8″ pots. You’ll want to select pot sizes based on the spacing of your trellis, but also on how large you’d like your herbs to grow. An 8″ pot is a good standard size, and gives herbs plenty of room to grow. I went with two different sizes since the trellis I chose has two columns, and I wanted to stagger the pots, using smaller at the top and wider at the bottom so it wouldn’t get too top-heavy.
To make the rings that are holding each pot, I used multi-purpose galvanized wire that I already had on hand (galvanized = rust-resistant). This is mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t find pots with lips. Otherwise I would’ve bought a bunch of S-hooks and hung the pots that way.
Tip: It’s a lot easier to make the wire rings when your pots are empty. Just flip ’em over, measure out the length of wire needed, and then twist the ends together to form a hook.
Once your rings are made up, fill your pots with potting soil and plant your herbs. Then hang each ring, add the pots, admire your handiwork, and start enjoying fresh herbs in your recipes!
Note: we did have to nail in two extra bars of wood behind the two larger pots. I found that when I placed them in the wire rings, they sort of swung backwards, and the soil and plants would’ve fallen out. The extra pieces of wood gave the pots something to lean against to keep them upright:
What I planted: “Barbeque” Rosemary, Chives, Cilantro and Basil.
Now I need to diy some cute herb markers to stick in each pot! Not because I won’t remember what they are, but because herb markers are adorable and I’d like some.
Like this? Then check out some of my other herb and herb gardening posts: summer herb garden planter and mojito-flavored water.
Sharing with:
Love this idea – love the trellis as well – thanks for the inspiration –
Thanks Kris!
LOVE this vertical garden idea! Thanks for sharing and linking up to Monday Funday 🙂 xo
Thank you Jamie! I love checking out Monday Funday every week!
love this look! i did an herb garden this year for the first time, and it’s looking good so far. enjoy yours!
the cape on the corner recently posted…Go Big or Go Home garage wall
I’ve already started enjoying some fresh basil & cilantro! So far, this set-up is working out great! Thanks for stopping by!
Pingback: WORK IT WEDNESDAYS No.49 -
You, my dear, are a little genius!!! This garden looks fantastic, and I love how creative you got! I totally want one in our yard. Maybe after the landscaping and deck painting is done. So… like 2016 haha Kidding. Sort of…
Ha, I wouldn’t say genius so much as maybe a bit lazy?? 😛 We totally should be staining our deck instead of hanging herb containers from trellises, but that’s nowhere near as fun!
Such a great idea! The trellis is beautiful!
Shauna recently posted…Outdoor Extravaganza- Share Your Outdoor Paint Projects!
Thanks Shauna! Gotta love those easy ideas that look great too!
This is a wonderful idea Emily. We don’t have a lot of room in our yard so vertical would be the way to go.
Kelly Hedgespeth of Simply Kelly Designs recently posted…How To Choose The Perfect Font
Yes, you can always go up! I like how versatile vertical gardens can be; you can do flowers, succulents, herbs… whatever you prefer!
Love this and I so need one of these in my life.Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Pinned & Sharing on FB! Have a great week!
Kim
Kim~madeinaday recently posted…DIY Wood & Stone Bead Bracelets
Thanks Kim! It was so easy to make, and I love have herbs at the ready!
This is so cute!
Roxanne recently posted…Bedroom Makeover Progress
Thanks Roxanne!
I love that trellis! It is perfect for a vertical herb garden.
Thanks Marie!
Pingback: 14 DIY Projects Made With Wood You Will Want To Make - Twelve On Main