DIY crate gardens

I love cooking with fresh herbs and produce grown in the back yard, there is certainly something about plucking  a handful of fresh basil leacves from outside the living room that makes me feel a bit like Annabel Langbein . What a perfect little DIY project this is and so simple....functional and adds something rustic to the outdoor entertaining area.

What you need:
Old wooden beer crates
Hessian
Potting Mix
Staple gun
Herbs and veges - I've used basil, radishes, chilli, rocket, oregano

Grab an old wooden crate, we sourced ours from a liquor shop complete with glass bottles which i'm sure will find their own use in the near future, the more weathered the condition of the crate, the better the look.

Take the rool of hessian and cute a piece large enough to line the inside of the crate and still overhand the edges.

Tip potting mix into the crate, keeping the hessian tight. The pressure of the potting mix will make the hessian sag through the cracks so pull and adjust to smooth this out. Staple down the hessian that fold over the top of the crate if you want, I haven't bothered.

Plant your herbs or vege...voila!

Planting tips: plant radish with lettuces to encourage growth Oregano and Chilli plants work well together with the oregano keeping the soil warm.