After the latest storm it is safe to say that autumn is here. The air conditioning is off, the windows are open and I happily ran to the plant nursery, to revive the garden after the hardships of the endless summer.
For a long time, I wanted to do something for the various spices and herbs that were accumulated over time in various flowerpots and containers. Some thrived more than expected and found themselves locked in containers which were no longer fitting for them while others we enjoyed for a time until they wilted and we simply replaced them.
The wonderful autumn sun that appeared after the rain, the clear air and the relaxing weekend spurred us into a family project to use the “dead corner” above the lowered patio for a great spices’ planter. We made it, according to the family tradition, from leftover materials from other projects which Arnon took out of his secret storerooms.
This is the final result, and now, about the process itself:
The planter was made from simple wooden building planks, which were cut to the wanted measurements in order to create a terraced structure.
After they were attached together they were painted with a white oil-based paint and were than attached to the base, which was also made from leftovers. In order to prolong the life of the planter, by preventing rot and wetness, the inner side of the structure was coated with pitch, and draining holes were made at the bottom for any excess of water. A black plastic sheet was spread over the wooden base, with holes made in accordance to the holes on the wooden base.
After the planter is placed in its place, the fun planting stage can begin. Fresh soil, planting the spices and herbs and then the first watering.
Marking signs for the different plants can be either made or bought at a florist shop or a plant nursery. The chalk’s water resisting ability is quite surprising, even after an especially strong rain.
I preferred to keep the spearmint apart from the other plants in a different flowerpot, because it tends to be quite aggressive and to take over the whole planter.
By the evening the spices were used and when we sat to eat we could smell their aroma all the way inside at the dining table.