How to Make a Herb Garden Planter Box

Growing a garden outdoors is not such a difficult task if you have the space for it. The bigger challenge is growing your plants indoors. One way to make your life easier when growing an indoor garden is to make a herb garden planter box. All you need is basic carpentry skills and a free afternoon.

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A herb garden planter box will consume just about 6 square feet and comes with several hooks to hand your gardening tools.

Among the benefits of having this box is the access you have to fresh herbs throughout the year. This post will show you how to make a herb garden planter box and answer some important FAQs.

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Making Your First Herb Garden Planter Box

Growing herbs, whether indoors or outdoors, is very satisfying. These plants smell gorgeous and look so cute in a garden.

Planting them indoors makes you appreciate them better because they perform a dual function. While you can eat them once they are mature, they also add to the ambiance of your home.

Building a herb garden planter box helps you to grow herbs indoors all year long. Check the steps below to find out how:

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Step 1: Overview of the dimensions

According to the National Gardening Association, the soil that you use for your herbs should be between four and five inches deep. With this in mind, you should make use of the following dimensions for the different parts of your planter box.

1 x 6 floorboards: 2 cuts to fit (For this post, we will use 25 inches.)
1 x 6 for long sides: 4 at 34 inches
2 x 2 cleats for long sides: 2 at 31.25 inches
1 x 6 for short sides: 4 at 22.5 inches
2 x 2 for long sides: 4 at 7.25 inches
2 x 2 for short sides and corner blocks: 10 at 8.5 inches
3¼-inch-square corner posts: 4 at 36 inches

Other items that you will need to create your box include:

One 1/2” brads
One 1/4” deck screws
Two 1/2” deck screws
C clamps
Garden soil
Hammer
Herbs of your choice
Nail gun
Pry bar
Screw gun
Wood glue
Miter saw

Step 2: Cut legs to length

Trim off some section on both ends of the deck post. Do this to your planter’s desired height and leave the square section of one end long enough for attaching the planter’s sides.

We suggest that you make the longer section 14.5 inches. Also, mark 36 inches off the cut end to make your second cut. After cutting the first leg, use it as a sample for the remaining three.

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Step 3: Attach the cleats

Cut the balusters for your planter’s cleats and sides. Screw one of the 2 x 2 cleats to the inner surface of two longer 1 x 6s. Place each cleat 0.5 inches from the bottom edge of the board then center it lengthwise. Drill three 32-inch pilot holes in the cleats and hold them in place using 2-inch deck screws.

Step 4: Build the box’s sides

You build the sides of your box using 16 boards that you butt edge-to-edge. Hold the boards in place using 2 x 2s across their joints along with 2-inch deck screws.

For the shorter sides, fasten 2 x 2s at the center then 2 inches beneath the top edge. Doing this helps to leave some room for the lip of the liner. Use two 2 x 2s that are evenly spaced for the long sides and place them against the cleat of the bottom board.

Step 5: Screw the corner blocks on

Fasten 2 x 2 corner blocks to the ends of each of the four sides of the herb garden planter box with 2-inch deck screws. Place the blocks 0.13 inches inward from the ends then 0.5 inches upward from both bottom edges at the sides. These blocks present you with a solid surface where you can attach the planter box’s legs. They also help to help the sides of the box together.

Step 6: Assemble your box

Now that you have the different parts in place, it is time to assemble your box. Drill three 32-inch pilot holes spaced evenly through each of the corner blocks.

After doing this, align the corner block on one side with the inner corner of one of the box’s legs. Then, drive 2.5-inch screws into the leg through the corner block. Repeat this process for all the legs.

Step 7: Install floorboards

Cut two 1 x 6 floorboards that cover the width of your planter box. Place these floorboards on the cleats making them about the same distance as the planter box’s length.

Fasten the floorboards to the cleats using 2-inch deck screws. You should drill pilot holes first before doing this to avoid splitting the boards.

Step 8: Drill drainage holes

Turn your utility tub on its head then bore evenly-spaced holes of about 0.38 inches in diameter. Six holes should suffice and you can bore the holes using your drill. The holes will help you drain excess water from the soil.

Step 9: Attach the hooks and round up

Finish your herb garden planter box by applying deck stain over the different surfaces. When it is dry, screw hooks for your gardening tools on the different sides. Place the box where you want it to be, add some gravel, then fill it with soil, and plant your herbs.