I have three kids under the age of five, and while I would love to have a veggie garden, I am still a little too frazzled to take on a huge project like a garden. But check out this vertical vegetable garden made from a shoe organizer – I think I could handle a project of this size! You can get large shoe organizers at your local department store for under $10, or a small shoe organizer (with 8 pockets) for just $1 at your dollar store.You will also find some vegetable seeds at the dollar store. Project by Instructables user pippa5. [how to make a vertical veggie garden] [via]
Gardening stuff is hitting stores now, so be sure to visit your dollar store now for quick-selling items like hanging baskets. They sell out quickly, and can cost five times more (or even more!) at other stores. A lot of the materials in this project could vary in price quite a bit depending on where you shop. I’m not sure how much the pole would cost. I’m guessing it would be more than $1, even if you got the materials at the hardware store.
Project Estimate:
- Hanging shoe pocket organizer, $1 and up
- Pole and attachments for hanging (curtain pole or pipe fittings, screws), $1 and up
- Strong hanging hooks, $1 and up
- Soil, $1 and up
- Selection of seeds such as lettuces, herbs, peas, mini tomatoes, $.10 per pack and up
- Trough planter to catch drips, $1
Total: $5 and up
Also check out: How to Make an Upside-Down Planter
15 Comments
Michelle Cummings
OMG! I just love this! we are limited in space for our patio and I have extra’s of these over the door show organizer since I went the for the clear ones in my studio! I can’t wait to try this, thanks!
Caitlyn
this is fabulous!! unfortunately I think the side of the house is facing the wrong way to work well :( Maybe we could build a frame for it….
Amanda
This is fantastic! I always am looking for new ways to get my kids involved in gardenting I think this is my next project!
Chris Beatty
Great Idea! Love it – stopping by the dollar store on my way home tonight.
Lois
This is such a great idea! I am featuring it on my blog tomorrow, thanks!
Lois
Lauren
Great idea! I don’t really have anywhere to hang it, though. I like my upside down tomato planters. They only cost about $5 each and can hold 8-12 plants depending on which ones you buy. You can grow just about anything in them – veggies, herbs, flowers – and pests don’t get at them.
It’s not a DIY, but they only take up a foot or two of space (depending on what you plant in them).
Brit @ Esbe Chic
I had to share it here:
http://www.esbechic.com/1/post/2011/06/vertical-vegetable-garden.html
Shaz
I just spent money on a similar product. Never thought about using a shoe organizer. If you put some flowers in it makes a nice wall of color and hides the bag.
Patricia
Wouldn’t it get too heavy (with the soil first of all), water added to it, then the weight of plants as they grow? Has anyone actually tried this?
MillenniumMan
Apparently somebody already has tried it, Patricia. There’s a picture of it right there at the top of the page.
The water will just leak through the burlap of the organizer and drip into the next pocket below and so on. You could call it “trickle-down aeroponics” :D
Janice Crowell
Oh My Goodness!!! I am going to try this. This will be perfect to attach to our pool fence. That will keep it away from the deer that try to eat all my stuff. I can plant some flowers and maybe even some herbs. I already use these for organizing classroom supplies, etc. Now I am definitely going to try one with plants! THANK YOU!