13 Excellent Ideas To Grow Your DIY Herb Garden

View of different herbs in pots and containers with a garden background. A wheelbarrow is in the background with herbs inside.

Innovative DIY Herb Garden Ideas You Don’t Want to Miss!

If you’re looking for a way to add fresh herbs to your meals but don’t have much space, a DIY herb garden might be just what you need.

From vertical gardening to herb wheelbarrows, in this article, I’ll discuss 13 DIY herb garden ideas that are perfect for small spaces. Whether you have a huge garden or just a little room on your kitchen windowsill or balcony, there’s a DIY herb garden idea here for you!

DIY Herb Garden: Best Ideas

View of a wooden window box with herbs inside sitting on a sunny windowsill.

For a DIY herb garden opt for a window box herb garden, a vertical herb gardens or a hanging garden.

Thsese options will help liven up your kitchen or outdoor area and are especially useful for those living in urban areas looking to grow a balcony herb garden in a small space.

  1. Window Box Herb Garden: A window box herb garden is a great way to grow your favourite fresh herbs right outside your kitchen window. Make sure your window box has drainage holes and use well-draining soil so your herbs don’t get waterlogged.
  2. Vertical Herb Garden: If you don’t have much space, a vertical herb garden is a smart garden idea. You can make your own DIY herb planter with just a few simple materials, like a wooden pallet or a shoe organiser.
  3. Hanging Herb Garden: A hanging herb garden is a great way to add some greenery to your kitchen without taking up much space. You can use recycled gutters, mason jars, or tin cans to create a DIY hanging herb garden that’s both functional and stylish.

Building my own DIY herb garden really changed my life because I simply don’t have the space to grow as many vegetables as I’d like. So I make up for it with herbs!

Ready to explore 13 DIY herb garden ideas that are ideal for urban spaces like backyards, balconies and small gardens? Let’s go!

View of a selection of pots making up a DIY herb garden on a shelf with a brick background.


13 DIY Herb Garden Ideas: Key Takeaways

  • There are many DIY herb garden ideas that are perfect for small spaces.
  • Window box herb gardens, vertical gardens, and hanging gardens are all great options.
  • You can use recycled materials to create a DIY herb garden that’s both functional and stylish.

Table of Contents

1. DIY Herb Garden: Window Box

Close up of a window box herb garden with a range of herbs

A windowbox is probably one of the best quick and easy indoor herb garden ideas you can get started with straight away.

If you have a small space or want to create your own indoor herb garden, a window planter box herb garden is a great way to grow your favourite herbs.

Not only is it a simple DIY project, but it also adds a touch of greenery to your kitchen window or any other sunny spot in your home.

To create your own window box herb garden, you will need:

  • A window box with drainage holes and potting soil – I usually opt for Miracle-Gro’s potting mix because it’s light and drains easily.
  • Your favourite herbs – choose herbs that you use frequently in your cooking, such as basil plants, thyme, rosemary, and parsley.
  • Experiment with perennial herbs like oregano and chives or Mediterranean herbs like sage and lavender.

To start, fill the window box with well-draining soil, with space at the top for watering. Remove herbs from their pots and loosen their roots. Place them in the window box and space them out evenly.

If you are attaching the window box to a wall, use pilot holes to prevent the wood from splitting. You can also create a vertical herb garden by stacking multiple window boxes on top of each other.

Make sure to water your herbs regularly and keep the soil moist, but not too wet. You can also add a layer of mulch to help retain moisture.

2. DIY Herb Garden: Vertical Herb Garden

View of various herbs hanging from hooks and fixed to a brick background making up a DIY herb garden.

A vertical herb garden is an excellent way to grow herbs and is a simple DIY project that you can do yourself with just a few basic tools and materials.

It’s also a smart garden solution for those who live in smaller properties and want to have an indoor herb garden to optimise their space.

There are many different ways to add your herbs to the wall, for example, you could use hooks like in the photo above, or drill holes in your wall and add a series of planters.

To make a vertical herb garden, you will need:

  • Some DIY planters.
  • Organic potting soil or all-purpose compost.
  • Tools to attach your herb garden to your wall like brackets and a drill.
  • You can use any type of container you like, but make sure it has drainage holes.

When you’re ready to start planting, fill each container with your soil. Make sure you leave some space at the top of each planter, so you can add your herbs.

Before adding your herbs, make small holes in the soil. The best herbs for a vertical herb garden are perennial herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

Mediterranean herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro are also great choices.

To hang your vertical herb garden on the wall, you will need to make some pilot holes in the wall and attach the herb planters to the wall using screws and brackets.

Or, you can go for the hooks option, where you’ll need to fix the supporting board with the hooks to the wall and then simply hang the plants from them.

3. DIY Herb Garden: Hanging Herb Garden

A selection of herbs in various pots making up a hanging DIY herb garden on a shelf in a sunny room.

To create a hanging herb garden, you will need a herb planter with drainage holes, pilot holes, screws, a drill, and a metal rod or chain.

To begin, drill small holes in the bottom of your herb planter to allow for proper drainage. Then, attach the planter to the metal rod or chain using screws and pilot holes.

Hang the metal rod or chain in a sunny area to ensure your herbs get the hours of sun they need, such as a kitchen window or near your kitchen island, and fill the planter with your favoured herbs.

If it’s easier, you can even use a hanging herb garden kit.

4. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Spiral

This simple DIY project can be made with just a few materials and can easily fit into any little garden or even on your kitchen window sill.

To start, you’ll need to gather your materials. You will need:

  • A circular structure of some kind – such as stones or bricks.
  • Potting soil or mixed compost along with your herbs to add to your spiral.
  • A location for your herb spiral. Make sure it gets plenty of sunlight and has good drainage.

Next, start building your spiral. Use stones or bricks to create a spiral shape, making sure to leave small holes for drainage. You can use pilot holes to make sure the stones or bricks are securely in place.

Add your herb plants, making sure to space them out evenly. Water your plants regularly, making sure not to overwater.

If you’re making an indoor herb garden, you can add a spiral wall planter to your vertical structure to save space. Simply place the herbs in tiny pots inside the top of the planter and the stones below can act as drainage.

5. DIY Herb Garden: Teacup Herb Garden

If you’re looking for a creative and space-saving way to grow herbs, a teacup herb garden is a great option.

To get started, you’ll need:

  • Some teacups with drainage holes in the bottom.
  • You can either drill small holes in the bottom of the teacups, or use teacups that already have drainage holes.
  • Make sure to add some small stones or gravel to the bottom of the teacups to ensure proper drainage.

Next, fill the teacups with potting soil, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Plant the roots of each herb in the soil and gently press the soil around the roots.

Water your herbs thoroughly and place the teacups in a sunny spot, such as a kitchen window or on a kitchen island.

If you’re feeling creative, a teacup herb garden is also a great way to create a vertical herb garden, as you can stack the teacups on top of each other to create a wall herb garden.

To do this, you’ll need to drill pilot holes in the bottom of each teacup and use screws to attach them to a wall or a wooden board.

6. DIY Herb Garden: Repurposed Furniture

Image of a wooden pallet on a chest of wooden drawers with a series of herbs and plants on top. There is a watering can with the word 'flowers' on the drawer.

Repurposed furniture can be a great option for your DIY herb garden.

With a little creativity, you can turn old furniture into a functional and stylish herb planter that fits perfectly in your kitchen window, your kitchen island, or even on a wall.

To create a repurposed furniture herb planter, you’ll need:

  • A few basic supplies, including a piece of furniture that can hold soil and has enough space for drainage holes.
  • You can use anything from an old dresser or bookshelf, to a wooden pallet or even an old piano!
  • Make sure to drill small holes in the bottom for drainage and add a layer of well-draining soil.

Next, choose your favourite herbs to plant, making sure to leave enough space for the herbs’ roots.

You can even create a vertical herb garden by adding shelves or hooks to your repurposed furniture piece!

To make sure your repurposed furniture herb planter is sturdy and long-lasting, use pilot holes before screwing or nailing anything together.

You can also add a coat of paint or varnish to protect the wood and add some style to your new herb planter.

7. DIY Herb Garden: Tiered Herb Garden

To build your own tiered herb garden, you’ll need a few basic supplies, including a herb planter, pilot holes, and potting soil or mixed compost.

This sounds more complicated than it is, in reality it should take less than a day to complete!

Start by drilling small holes in the bottom of each planter to ensure proper drainage. Then, fill each planter with a layer of soil.

Next, choose your herbs and plant them in the planter, making sure to leave enough space for the roots of each herb to grow.

Once your herbs are planted, stack the planters on top of each other, securing them in place with pilot holes and screws. Be sure to use well-draining soil and water your herbs regularly to keep them healthy and thriving.

8. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Wheelbarrow

View of different herbs in pots and containers with a garden background. A wheelbarrow is in the background with herbs inside.

If you’re looking for a creative and unique way to grow your favourite herbs, a herb wheelbarrow is a pretty innovative option.

Start by drilling small holes in the bottom of the wheelbarrow for drainage. You can use a drill or hammer and nail to create the holes.

Next, fill the wheelbarrow with organic soil and plant your herbs. Make sure you leave enough space between each plant to allow them to grow properly.

The great thing about a herb wheelbarrow is that it can be moved around easily, making it an excellent garden option for those who don’t have much space or want to create an indoor herb garden!

9. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Garden in a Shoe Rack

A shoe rack with different shoes inside. A shoe rack is a great DIY herb garden idea.

A shoe rack may sound like a strange option for your herbs, but trust me it works very well!

Make sure that the shoe rack has drainage holes in the bottom. You can make pilot holes with a drill if it doesn’t.

Fill each pocket with organic soil and plant the roots of each herb. You can choose from a variety of herbs such as perennial herbs, Mediterranean herbs, or any other herbs that you like.

Hang the shoe organiser on a wall, fence, or the side of a garage or shed where it will get plenty of sunlight. Water the herbs regularly and make sure the soil stays moist.

10. DIY Herb Garden: Recycled Gutters Herb Garden

To make your own recycled gutters herb garden, you will need to have access to some gutters, whether they be recycled or new.

First, drill some pilot holes into the gutters to create drainage holes. Then, drill small holes in the containers to help with drainage.

Next, fill the gutters with organic soil, leaving about an inch of space at the top.

Finally, plant your herbs in the gutters, making sure to leave enough space between each plant for them to grow!

11. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Garden in Mason Jars

Herbs in three mason jars. Mason jars are an excellent DIY herb garden option to make at home.

If you’re looking for a great way to grow fresh herbs in a small space, consider making your own indoor herb garden in mason jars.

Make sure your mason jars have small holes for drainage, or drill your own using a small drill bit and pilot holes. Fill each jar with well-draining soil, leaving enough room at the top for the roots of each herb.

Finally, the best part…add your herbs to the jars, making sure to label each one so you know which is which.

12. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Garden in Tin Cans

Close up of three herbs and plants in tin cans on a light backdrop.

All of us have tin cans we can use for a DIY herb garden. Simply start by drilling small holes in the bottom of each can for drainage.

You can then fill each can with organic soil and plant your herbs. Make sure to leave enough space for the herbs to grow.

You can even create a vertical herb garden by attaching the tin cans to a wall or a kitchen window.

13. DIY Herb Garden: Herb Garden in a Repurposed Old Pallet

Close up of a planter on the wall with different herbs in each section.

A herb garden grown in a repurposed wooden pallet is extremely useful and convenient. You can even hang your pallet on a wall or place it on a kitchen island or countertop.

To create your own herb garden, you will need to prepare your wooden pallet.

First, sand the pallet boards to prevent getting splinters. Next, create small drainage holes in the bottom of each board by drilling small holes. Make sure to use pilot holes to prevent the wood from splitting.

Once your pallet is prepared, it’s time to add the soil and herbs.

Fill each board with organic soil, leaving small holes for the roots of each herb. Then, plant your herbs in the soil, making sure to space them out evenly.

My Final Thoughts

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to create your own DIY herb garden.

As you can see, the ideas in this article are not exactly conventional, but an excellent option for creative-minded urbanites keen to optimise their space, both indoors and outdoors.

By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you can now grow your own herbs at home, no matter where you live.

Remember that the key to a successful herb garden is to choose the right herbs for your space and to care for them properly.

Be sure to research the specific needs of each herb you plan to grow, such as how much sunlight and water they require.

A reminder that one great way to care for your herbs is to create a watering schedule. This will help ensure that your herbs get the right amount of water without being over or under-watered.

You can also use organic fertilisers to help your herbs grow healthy and strong.

Overall, creating your herb garden is a fun and rewarding project that can provide you with fresh herbs for cooking, aromatherapy, and many other uses.

With a little bit of planning and care, you can enjoy the benefits of your own herb garden for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which herbs are most compatible when planted together?

Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano thrive in sunny locations with well-drained soil. On the other hand, herbs like parsley, chervil, and cilantro prefer cooler temperatures and moist soil.

What is the simplest method for cultivating herbs indoors?

The simplest method for cultivating herbs indoors is by using a container with a drainage hole, filling it with well-draining potting soil, and planting the herb. Place the container in a location with ample sunlight and water the herb when the soil is dry to the touch. You can also use a grow light to supplement natural light and ensure the herb gets enough light to thrive.

Do herbs require full sunlight to thrive?

Most herbs require full sunlight to grow and thrive. But, some herbs like parsley, cilantro, and chervil prefer partial shade as they do not tolerate hot and dry conditions. It’s important to research the specific light requirements of each herb before planting.

Hannah

Hannah is a journalist based in London who is passionate about self-sufficient living and loves exploring how to live independently in urban spaces. When she’s not planting on her balcony and small garden (and working out how to best shield her crops from the erratic UK weather) you can find her exploring the wild outdoors in the home counties or Cornwall.

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