How to Make an Herb Garden in a Tower Container

Choose a location in your outdoor space for your tower. Herbs thrive in full sun spaces, about 6 to 8 hours of sun each day. Use a rake to clear debris from the area and make a clean space for your herb garden tower.

Twist the sturdy stake approximately 8 inches into the ground. Thread the 18-inch planter onto the stake through the drainage hole.

Fill the planter three-fourths of the way with organic potting soil.

Plant four 4-inch herb seedlings around the perimeter of the 18-inch bottom planter. Here are a few we suggest:

• Top two levels: Chives
• Level 3: Basil
• Level 4: Oregano and dill
• Level 5: Curley parsley, rosemary, lemon thyme, sweet mint, orange mint and pineapple mint.

Thread the first 13 1/2-inch planter (or 12-inch planter) onto the stake through the drainage hole, resting it with a slight tilt in between plants.

Fill the 13 1/2-inch planter (or 12-inch planter) three-fourths of the way with organic potting soil, then plant two more herbs. Repeat this process with the second 13 1/2-inch planter (or 12-inch planter).

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 with the remaining smaller planters, and plant a single plant in each.

Use soaked sheet moss and place in any open space between the herbs. The moss helps reduce water loss due to evaporation and gives the planter a finished, tidy look.

There are many ways to enjoy your herb garden tower. You can touch the leaves to release their fragrance when you're outside in the garden.

Fresh garden herbs are useful in the kitchen, too. In fact, routinely harvesting and trimming herb leaves keeps plants healthy and encourages more growth.

Terra cotta can dry out quickly, especially on hot summer days. Water the herb pots frequently when first planted. After the plant are established, check the moisture level at least every other day. It's time to water when the plants are droopy or the leaves turn brown. Press your fingertips into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time to water the plants.

This stacking pot technique can be used for more than herbs. Here are instructions for making a stacking strawberry pot for your patio. Materials:

• 16-inch terra cotta clay pot
• 12-inch terra cotta clay pot
• 10-inch terra cotta clay pot
• 8-inch terra cotta clay pot
• 6-inch terra cotta clay azalea pot
• 3 foot garden stake
• Potting soil
• Hand trowel
• Gardening gloves
• 10 to 15 strawberry plants
• Optional: copper foil tape

Instructions:

• Stack the planters. The pots and soil will be heavy, so assemble at or near a sunny spot where you plan to keep the tower. Place the 10-inch pot upside-down inside the 16-inch pot, and place the 12-inch pot on top of the 10-inch pot, right-side up. Then place the 6-inch pot upside-down inside the 12-inch pot, and place the 8-inch pot on top of the 6-inch pot, right-side up.
• Add a stake. If your planter is on the ground, press a garden stake through the holes in all five pots and into the ground, until it’s just below the rim of the top pot. If using a saucer, press the stake down to the bottom pot until you hit the saucer.
• Add potting soil to each container until the pots are about three-quarters full.
• Place strawberry plants in the soil, and fill in around them with more potting mix. Depending on the size of your strawberry plants, you’ll want to plant 4 to 6 inches apart in the bottom level, 4 to 5 inches apart in the middle level, and 3 to 4 inches apart in the top level. Water plants well.

Tip: Wrap copper foil tape around the bottom of the tower to help keep slugs away from your strawberry harvest.