If you love the idea of stepping outside to snip off parsley, mint, marjoram, basil, or sage — depending on what kind of meal you’re preparing — and if your local climate is cooperative, then consider cultivating an herb garden of your own. Further, if your home has the type of exterior wall into which you can drill holes, then you may even want to go vertical with that garden. Specifically, with this IKEA hack, you can easily build a cute herb garden into your home’s walls using one of the store’s various planters.
If gardening space outside your home is limited but you always wanted to grow your own herbs, then this DIY project could be the very solution. Plus, if you add your vertical garden to the front of your home, it could add to your home’s curb appeal. Even a backyard vertical wall garden, though, will prove aesthetically pleasing, as well as a space-saver that won’t clutter what you’ve already established for your home’s outdoor space.
Building your vertical herb garden
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To build your herb garden, first, gather your supplies. You’ll also need three or four planting boxes — choose the appropriate number based on aesthetics and what you can reasonably fit. Get IKEA’s HASTABANA (plastic) planters if available, or ÄPPELROS (galvanized steel) if not.
Have your power drill and mounting wall screws handy. You’ll also need well-draining soil, compost, sprouted herb plants, and access to water via a hose or watering can. Optional items if you want to precisely replicate this hack include iron letters to spell out “HERBS,” copper labels, and a waterproof white paint pen to identify each herb plant.
Next, drill three or four ½-inch drainage holes in the bottom of the decorative planters to prevent root rot, and two holes on one of the IKEA planter’s flat sides, which you’ll then use to mount the planter to the wall. Determine where to position your planters, then go ahead and use your drill to create pilot holes in the wall. Mount your IKEA planter boxes with these holes and make sure they’re level. Your wall garden is complete. All that remains is to plant your herbs.
