How to make a herb garden trolley that saves space | DIY Garden Projects | Gardening Australia

Tammy transforms an unused metal trolley into an accessible high-rise herb tower. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
You may not think you can grow fresh herbs and vegetables with limited space, but this herb garden will change your mind. This herb tower will fit in the tightest of spaces, is easy to take with you if you move, and transforms unused items into a kitchen essential. Tammy shows us how to do it yourself.
What you’ll need:
- Tiered trolley
- Hessian fabric
- Pond liner with holes
- Quality potting mix
Portable trolleys are great for small spaces as they have a tiny footprint and make use of vertical space. You can often find them in hard rubbish or in op shops. Look for ones with netted baskets or shelves perforated with holes. The holes are important to let the water go through, but it will need lining to keep soil contained. Hessian fabric is often cheap or easy to source at coffee roasters, and pond liner with some holes to let water through will extend the life of your trolley and capture the flow of water. Line each trolley tray ensuring the hessian overlaps the sides.
Add an additional layer of pond liner, then half-fill with premium potting mix.
The tower design allows for varied conditions to suit a variety of herbs. As water trickles down from the top, herbs that prefer moist, shaded conditions will be happy on the bottom shelf, and herbs that prefer sun and free-draining soil will be happiest on the top shelf. Tammy suggests starting at the bottom and working your way up. You’ll need to avoid plants with larger roots like carrot, parsnips and sorrel, but plenty of shallow rooted herbs will grow great in this tower.
Bottom Shelf:
Vietnamese mint (Persicaria odorata) and Common mint (Mentha spicata cv.) love shade and moist soil. Tammy trims off one third of the root ball before planting, as mint will regrow in no time. It’s a good idea to grow mint in containers for this reason. Vietnamese mint can be used in salads and common mint as garnishes. Pinch the tips when harvesting to encourage branching and bushier growth.
Middle Shelf:
Rocket (Eruca vesicaria cv.) and Lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv.) and other leafy greens won't mind a little bit of shade. You could also try lemon balm here. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus cv.) has edible flowers and can be planted in a middle shelf if it has access to some sunshine. Tammy suggests if Nasturtium become too unruly to simply cut them back or pick them more often to enjoy in your cooking.
Top Shelf:
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are perfect for the top layer as they require full sun and well-drained soil. Tammy plants the oregano so that it trails over the sides and recommends harvesting the chives to be used fresh when needed.
Give everything a good drink on each layer and wheel it around as the sun moves. You can also hang tools off the side or take it with you if you move home. If you're low on garden space this vertical tiered garden will ensure you’ll always have fresh vegies and herbs close at hand.
Featured Plants:
VIETNAMESE MINT - Persicaria odorata
MINT ‘COMMON’ - Mentha spicata cv.
(Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area)
ROCKET - Eruca vesicaria cv.
LETTUCE - Lactuca sativa cv.
NASTURTIUM - Tropaeolum majus cv.
(Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area)
OREGANO - Origanum vulgare
CHIVES - Allium schoenoprasum
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[@joey230372]

Great idea! Love to kow more about the dragon fruit you started the video with 😀

[@GardeningAustralia]

We’ll keep that in mind for future content. Thanks for watching

[@aussiegirl654]

I think it's a great idea. Some older unit blocks have the smallest balconies, so it would fit nicely. I have Ketter raised garden beds. They are self watering, and things grow really well in them.

[@GardeningAustralia]

That’s the idea! Thanks for watching.

[@lauren-ry8rn]

I've tried this before. The trolley starts to rust and then it breaks. Good idea for one season or so.

[@freeman10000]

Great practical solution for growing herbs in suburbia.

[@theapopkagardener2485]

Looks great, however will be a slave to the watering. Such little space for roots to expand is really a headache. Good luck for those that try it. Not practical at all.

[@da1stamericus]

They sell something like this already. And of not put large yogurt containers slightly side ways on it. More herbs.

[@erikas974]

Love love love this idea. Thank you🎉🎉🎉

[@GardeningAustralia]

Glad you love it! Thanks for watching :)

[@bridgetphillips4555]

This is a great idea, anything else that you can use instead of hessian? I'm allergic to it.

[@Trth1707]

Absolute rubbish ,will produce virtually nothing, expensive waste of space and money.

[@alexiscolby9415]

agreed. to promote this kind of thing on a proper gardening channel is dodgy. those herbs/veg won't survive well, needs deeper soil that has layers of nutrient rich material - compost, worms etc, these plants will die or grow very scraggly/sparse and not be productive/abundant

[@jonny_mazerati9410]

Who is approving these videos ?? Your teaching people to grow in 1 inch of soil???

[@alexiscolby9415]

exactly, these will struggle to grow healthy root system.

[@thepaganspiritau]

I use a slightly larger trolley, an old Ikea one, it has 4 wire basket drawers and I pull them out in opposite directions and put my seedlings I've just transplanted to 4 inch pots in there - easy to move and water, but WAY more soil!

[@sharynmorgan944]

Nothing wrong with that, if they're used frequently.

[@muqoffa_official78]

Joooooooz