Need a new place to grow and to get your upcycling fix? Kill two birds with one stone by making a pallet garden. They are easy to make; they look neat; and, pallets are generally free. A lot of places will leave pallets lying in stacks along the side of the road for pick up. If for some reason, there aren't random piles of pallets nearby, just ask around. There is always some warehouse or store willing to get rid of their old pallets. If you are wary about chemicals, look for untreated wood.

The openings between slats are like pre-made garden rows, making for organized planting. Weed growth is reduced, because the slats cover most of the dirt. Less exposed dirt means less weeds. It is also a great way to make the best of your space by standing the pallet up and turning it into a vertical pallet garden, handy for people with limited growing space. The insides of pallets aren't very spacious, plants with large root systems will not do well in a pallet garden. Stick to plants with relatively small root systems like micro greens, lettuce, most herbs, radish, spinach, strawberries, some flowers etc.

If you intend to make a vertical garden out of your pallet, it is a good idea to place mesh (with holes wide enough to transplant and/or plant through) over where you're going to plant and something like landscaping fabric over the bottom to help keep the dirt inside the pallet and not spilling out everywhere.

The whole process is very simple. Here's a step by step with big, easy to understand pictures!

That's it. Done!