DIY Pallet Succulent Garden

Anyone with a Pinterest account can tell you that pallet creations are all the rage. People are making all kinds of things out of them - coffee tables, headboards, lounge chairs, wine racks, book shelves, porch swings... the list goes on and on. But perhaps the most enduring pallet craft is the succulent garden. 

But as common as this project is, I couldn't find a very informative tutorial on just how to make one!  So I figured the best way to learn to make one of these is just to go ahead and do it. 

Here are the materials you need:

1. A pallet - try to find one in relatively good condition - the boards should be anchored strongly, not too much splintering
2. Lanscape fabric - this is pretty cheap, you can pick up a big roll of it at a home improvement store for about $10 (and you'll have a ton left over - better to find a friend with some spare landscape fabric lying around)
3. Planting soil
4. An appealing array of succulents
5. A staple gun

If you're planning to hang your planter on a wall, like I did, you'll also need:

1. A good drill (with a masonry bit, if you put it on cinderblocks like I did)
2. Long screws (again, masonry screws were called for here)
3. A board that is sized to the width and depth of the pallet (and /or a saw to cut the board to size)
4. Wood screws

Cut the landscape fabric to size, slightly bigger than the back of the pallet. Use your staple gun to securely staple the fabric to the back, folding in your edges so it's a little tidier and sturdier when stapling. Don't be stingy with the staples - there will be some weight on this, and you want a pretty complete line of staples to prevent dirt from seeping out.

Leave the top of the planter open (i.e., not wrapped in fabric), but bring the fabric over the bottom opening and secure it with more staples. Then attach the board to the bottom with the wood screws (necessary if hanging the planter, but not if you're planning on letting it sit on a solid surface).

Rest the pallet on the fabric side, and fill with planting soil, making sure it's pretty well packed behind the boards. Plant your succulents in the openings, and pack the soil tightly around them. I found it's better to use a succulent with a smaller base and a fuller top, so less dirt will fall out when you turn it vertical. Don't plant the top yet!

Once you're done, turn the planter (slowly) on it's side, and mount it to the wall with the appropriate screws. If you're feeling fancy, a french cleat would really do the trick here. I did not use a french cleat.

Once your pallet is firmly secured to the wall, plant the top opening, and there you have it!

Also, a quick watering tip: use a hose, set to "shower" or "mist". It's really hard to get a watering can into the different planter beds. I sort of wish I had the whole thing on a piano hinge, so I could lift it horizontally to water it!