Being short on outdoor space doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice greenery to make room for garden storage. Knowing how to make a planter box is a brilliant way to make full use of your space while keeping green fingers occupied. Whether you have a balcony, a small front garden or are simply looking for innovative planting ideas, you can build your very own DIY vertical garden with our handy guide.
From a creative DIY strawberry planter to a fun planting solution for pretty perennials, the sky really is the limit when it comes to how you use your wooden vertical planter.
Let’s get started with what you’ll need…
Materials:
Tools:
A DIY planter box can be built on top of a shed, log store, bike shelter, or even a balcony railing or fence – it depends on what works with your space!
Step 1: Measure up
Before you get started with your simple DIY planter box, you’ll need to work out the your dimensions. Using a tape measure, find the width and length of the surface your planter will be sitting on. The side panels of your DIY garden planter will be attached around the edge of this surface, so add the width of your timber boards to your side panel measurements to leave room for this.
Top tip: If you’ve caught the DIY bug, take a look at our guide to building an outdoor planter.
Step 2: Cut to size
Once you have your measurements, cut your timber boards to size using a saw. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes and smooth any rough edges with sandpaper.
If you would like to paint your DIY planter, this is the point at which to do so.
Top tip: Read our DIY safety tips before you get started to keep you safe while using power tools and sharp blades.
Step 3: Attach planter sides
With your side panels cut to size, you can now assemble the structure of your homemade planter. Taking one timber strip to start with, attach it to the top edge of your bike shelter, log store or shed using screws and a drill. Use two screws on each short side of the panel to attach securely.
Fix the two parallel sides first before attaching the front and back panels. Ensure that the front and back panels are fixed to both the existing structure and your new side panels for a secure fit.
Step 4: Line your DIY planter box
With the structure of your vertical garden planter now in place, line it with to keep your soil and planting arrangement contained. Cut the fabric to size and attach to your planter with a staple gun. Ensure that the fabric reaches slightly up the sides of the planting space to prevent soil spilling through any gaps in the woodwork.
Step 5: Fill with soil
Your planter is now ready to fill with multipurpose Fill the lined space, leaving a centimetre or so free below the top of your planter sides. For bright blooms or a bountiful vegetable crop, consider using a
Top tip: Take a look at our balcony garden ideas for more innovative ways to use your outdoor space.
Step 6: Get planting
Now for the really fun part! It’s time to let your green fingered imagination run wild. You’ll find that a wide variety of plants will thrive in your new planter. A vertical herb garden is a great idea for a balcony, while kids will love the excitement of picking homegrown fruit from a vertical strawberry planter.
Here are a few of our favourite planting options:
