Build a Windowsill Herb Garden Box
Fresh basil, thyme, and rosemary an arm's reach from the stove. A one-board project that keeps giving all year.
Materials
- 1×6 cedar or pine board (6 ft)
- Exterior wood glue
- 1¼" screws
- Landscape fabric
- Potting mix for herbs
- Herb starts or seeds
Tools
- Saw
- Drill/driver
- Staple gun
- Measuring tape
How to build it
- 1
Cut your pieces
Cut the board into: two 24" sides, two 5½" ends, and one 24" bottom. Cedar is worth the small extra cost — it resists rot naturally and smells great while you cut it.
- 2
Assemble the box
Glue and screw the ends between the sides, then attach the bottom. Drill 5–6 drainage holes through the bottom — herbs hate wet feet more than they hate drought.
- 3
Line and fill
Staple landscape fabric inside the box to keep soil in while letting water out. Fill with a quality potting mix, leaving an inch at the top.
- 4
Plant and place
Plant taller herbs (rosemary) at the back, trailers (thyme) at the front edge. Set the box on a tray in your sunniest window — most herbs want 6+ hours of light.
Pro tip
Water herbs when the top inch of soil is dry, and harvest little and often. Regular trimming makes plants bushier, not weaker.
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