My DIY Pallet Garden!

Happy Tuesday, friends!This week I've been catching up on my list of 2019 to-dos....that long list of things we promise ourselves we'll get done at the beginning of the year because we're hype off of New Year's Resolutions.Well, this wasn't a New Year's Resolution as much as something I've been planning to do for years!Several years prior, one of my coworkers gave me an old pallet, and I finally scheduled a Sunday to dedicate to one of my first loves....DIY.Living in an apartment with no real outside yard to work with, it can be hard to decorate like you want. I really enjoy gardening, and this DIY pallet garden allowed me to garden without sacrificing my deposit!Want to make one of your own? Follow the steps below!WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Pallet
• Hammer
• Heavy-duty staple gun
• Weed barrier
• Soil
• Twine (to secure the pallet to your outside banister/wall if needed)
• Sandpaper
• Wood Stain (optional)

Let's get started!!!1. SAND/STAIN PALLETIf your pallet is full of splinters and unfinished edges, you'll want to sand it down to avoid painful future injuries. If you do, make sure to use gloves and sand in a well-ventilated area (preferably outside). After sanding, rinse the pallet down with water and let it dry completely.Also, if you want a particular look or color, you can stain your pallet with wood stain if your choice. I chose not to do this as I liked the character of the pallet already.2. MEASURE/CUT THE WEED BARRIERLay out and measure the weed barrier sections with 2 inches to spare all around for the bottom and sides of the pallet as needed. Cut them out, and set them aside.3. STAPLE THE WEED BARRIERPosition the weed barrier on the bottom of the pallet, folding under edges in order to make it look nice and neat. Use the staple gun (carefully) to staple the edges in place. If your staples have trouble going all the way in, carefully give them an extra knock with the hammer.(You can also do it this way....see below. I just covered the bottom only and used the wood as the sides to prevent the hanging down/soggy diaper look this sometimes creates).4. SECURE THE PALLETBecause I didn't add any wood planks (stabilizers) on the bottom of the pallet, I made sure to secure the pallet to my front porch. If you would like to stabilize your pallet garden with wood, nail two 2x4s (one on each end) to the bottom of your pallet. If you have a small patio, secure your pallet garden like I did using twine to wrap around the pallet sides and banister to make sure it won't move during wind, rain, snow and sleet!5. ADD YOUR SOILAdd the desired amount of soil to each planting area of the pallet.6. PLANT!!!Now for the fun part....add your plants! Take into account the types of plants you put next to each other, their sunlight needs, and how large they will grow to be. Make sure to do a light watering to help them settle in!How's it looking? Here's what the final product looked like:And wallah! You have your own garden! Just because you might live in an area where you don't always have access to a large backyard doesn't mean you can't have your own garden!I hope this was helpful to you! Stay tuned for more ways I'll be sharing on how to beautify and decorate your home without sacrificing your deposit, especially while living in an apartment.Have a fantastic Tuesday!-ASC