Gerretsen Building Supply, Roseburg, Oregon

Does a raised garden bed sound like a great idea, but you’re low on space? You can still grow herbs and some vegetables in a smaller space, even if the space is just your apartment balcony! This vertical herb garden can give you the space you need to grow your favorite herbs for summer meals by going up instead of out!

What Do I Need to Build a Vertical Herb Garden?

The work will be easier with power tools, but you can use hand tools too! A circular saw with an adjustable cutting angle or a miter saw will make the project easiest. Clamps will help keep glued lumber from sliding while fastening the pieces together. And a powered driver makes screwing pieces of lumber together easier than hand tools.

What Type of Wood Should I Use?

You can use any type of wood that you’d like, but the best choice is going to be western red cedar. It’s naturally water resistant, insect resistant, looks great, weathers beautifully, and is easy to work with. You can use Douglas fir, but it will shorten the life of your herb garden because the wood will be in contact with water and damp soil. Untreated Doug fir may only last five years or so. You’ll want to avoid using pressure-treated lumber since you won’t be able to use distance from the lumber to protect your plants on a project this small. On larger planter projects, you would be able to distance your plants from the pressure-treated wood to keep the plants from

You can use Douglas fir, but it will shorten the life of your herb garden because the wood will be in contact with water and damp soil. Untreated Doug fir may only last five years or so. You’ll want to avoid using pressure treated lumber since you won’t be able to use distance from the lumber to protect your plants on a project this small.

What Type of Fasteners Should I Use?

For outdoor projects, you’ll want fasteners and hardware that won’t rust. Stainless steel is the best here. However, if you’d like a more rustic look, a common nail will weather over time and start to stain the wood below the nail head. If you go this route, though, you’ll want to inspect your herb garden at the start of each season to make sure it’s still sound and able to support support the weight of the soil.