DIY Tiered Herb Garden

A DIY herb garden, for apartment dwellers and cooking lovers alike! With one stop to a big box store (the Home Depot’s of the world) or your local nursery, you’ll have everything you need to put together your very own garden. I’ve been wanting to make a DIY tiered herb garden for MONTHS, and I’m thrilled I finally get to share it with you!

First things, first. Make sure you have a partially sunny spot to place your garden. My deck receives morning sun, which is great for my plants and not so welcoming on weekend mornings for me (bah!). It’s also placed in a great location for easy watering, which I do almost every evening.

A few tips to a successful herb garden:

Good drainage is everything. Make sure each pot has drainage holes on the bottom (this is a perfect opportunity to try out a drill).
Pruning is healthy. To keep your herbs in the best shape possible, keep a watchful eye on them and when they start getting big, prune by cutting just above a set of growing leaves. This is especially important for basil – if you don’t cut it, it’ll grow straight up and become top heavy. When you cut it, basil branches off into two stems and creates a sturdy plant.
Pick from the top. Speaking of pruning, always always always take from the top of the plant. Think of the bottom leaves as the anchor for the plant’s growth.
Herbs are thirsty plants. Water your herbs moderately every day.

Now, let’s get planting!

First, make sure you’re not wearing white. Or your favorite shirt. Second, gather your supplies!

1 large planter (I had a nice one laying around – feel free to mix and match pots)
2 medium terra pots
1 small terra pot
1 smaller terra pot (FYI: the bottom of this one will hold the small terra pot)
4-5 herbs such as: basil, flat leaf parsley, mint, thyme, rosemary, chives, etc.
1 small package of potting soil

Now it’s time to arrange the pots (follow the photos for guidance!). Add the potting soil to the bottom of the large planter until the medium upside down terra pot (medium size) comes up to the rim. Next, place the second medium terra pot upright on top of it.

First part, done!

Repeat the same steps for the next layer, except place the smallest terra pot upside down with the small terra pot upright on top of it. At this point, make sure that the holes line up for easy draining.

Your beautifully tiered (and empty!) garden should look like the photo below. You may or may not have potting soil all over the ground like me. Go inside and fix yourself a cocktail if your floor is spotless.

Now comes the best part of all – adding your herbs! You can arrange them however you like, but I recommend two things:

Using mint? Plant it alone up top. It’s a weed and will takeover other plants.
Using basil or mini tomato plants? Plant those on the bottom so that they have room to grow tall.

Make sure you give each herb enough room to breathe. You wouldn’t want to live in a crowded space, would you? That’d cramp your style. Herbs are no different.

Once you have your herbs where you want them, start from the bottom tier and work up. Take the plants out of the containers and plant with extra potting soil. This is where you’ll make a BIG MESS… but, hey, have fun with it!

Sweep the floor once you’re done and give the herbs a good watering.