Do It yourself Herb Planter-In A Wheelbarrow

There is nothing like fresh spices out of the garden. Beautiful green basil or the stimulating scent of fresh rosemary. I am not much of a gardener but I do love to eat-and I can tell you that fresh herbs from the garden make a difference. I wasn’t quite ready to dive into a full-blown garden yet but a few spices didn’t seem like too big of a deal. I mean, I see them thriving in these little pots in every grocery store I go into. So, the question was? What spices do I plant and what do I plant them in?

I was cleaning out the garage one day when I came across an old wheelbarrow. It was on the smaller side, wobbly and had a flat tire. I couldn’t use it to haul stuff around anymore so it was just collecting dust. It dawned on me-Hey, I could use that for my spices! It was the perfect size. Also, an added benefit was being able to move it when I have to mow the lawn. I’m not always the best at the whole weed-whacking thing. Haha So, what’s next? The list of supplies (pretty short list) and a plan.

1. Supplies needed: Planter, rocks, outdoor potting soil, herbs and a drill with drill bit that will go through metal. I bought my herbs from Treader Joes. Every week I’m in there, I am tempted to pick a few up. I planted Basil, Oregano, Italian Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme

2. Drill holes in the bottom of the wheelbarrow. This will create drainage so that the spices don’t become water logged. You only need a few holes. It’s not a very big surface area and you don’t want to have all the water run out.

3. Layer the bottom with rocks. Again, this helps with drainage. I learned this from my mom when she would repot her plants. You can use any rocks you find around the yard or pick up a cheap bag of drainage rocks at your local hardware store or garden center.

4. Put your outdoor potting soil on top of the rocks. Then make small holes in the soil and pop your spice plants in. Voila! You have your very own spice garden. Enjoy your fresh spices on a daily basis.

5. At the end of the season, you can dry or freeze the spices. To dry, tie the spices in a bundle and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated area. To freeze, chop the spices and mix combinations of spices you use and put them in an ice cube tray with a little bit of olive oil. Great for cooking! Don’t forget to label them.

Enjoy the Spices of Your Labor! I get the most use out of my beautiful basil. My favorite is Caprese salad. Yumm. If you have never had it, you are surly missing out. It's a nice refreshing snack. Cut thick slices of tomato and top it with mozzarella and fresh basil. Then top with balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was a bit difficult to find in a store but Amazon had it. You can get it here.

Caprese made with fresh basil and tomatoes from the garden