The Windowbox Allotment
Useful tips on how to grow & enjoy fruit & veg. from your windowsill !
Making a cheap windowbox (Part 1: Find yourself a pallet)
The great advantage with making your own windowbox - other than saving yourself some money, is that you can tailor your growing space to the full length and width of the windowsill and can decide for yourself on the depth of the soil to have in it – hence making most efficient use of the space for growing and providing conditions suitable for many herb, vegetable and fruit crops.
The instructions below presume a certain proficiency in woodwork and reasonable strength. If you are in any doubt that you lack either of these, then get someone else to do the job (Read the important note at the end of this page)
Tools needed: Claw Hammer, Club Hammer, Old, large screwdriver and/or chisel, Crowbar (optional), set square.
So how do I make one? Find yourself a pallet (1) – If you live in a large town or city, the chances are you can easily find one, either dumped in a side street or surplus to requirements to a builders’ merchant or suchlike. Apparently the blue ones are for return only, so steer clear of those.
So, you’ve got yourself a free pallet and are now feeling pleased with yourself for not having spent a penny, what next? You can carry on feeling smug, because you’re now going to recycle it....Keep that feeling, because the next part is the toughest part of the whole procedure:
Separate the planks*: Separating the planks from each other and the big chunks of wood between them can be a right sod and inevitably ends up with one or two of them getting split (not necessarily the end of the world in itself).
I’ve found using an old, large screwdriver or chisel is the best way of creating a wedge between the boards, if inserted in between the nails, and gradually prising them apart (2) – using a claw hammer, or if you have one, a crowbar to do the last bit.
Once the top boards are off, place a piece of 2" x 2" underneath the cross-members and hit the reverse planks (as close to the cross-member as possible) off one by one with a hammer (3)
Lastly, remove all the nails, by hammering them out from behind, then prising out with the claw hammer or pliers (4)
Top tip : Try to keep the nails as straight as possible when you remove them so that you can use them again!
Safety Precautions: To avoid injury whilst seperating the pallets it is worth taking the following precautions:
1) Wear gloves and eye protection
2) Make sure you remove all nails
3) Do the separation in an area with plenty of space around you and preferably outdoors
4) The process takes a lot of exertion and should only be carried out if you have good physical fitness
5) Be careful with the sharp tools
* This is only an illustration of how a pallet could be separated (being the procedure I undertook). I do not say it is the best or only way in which it could be done and will not be held accountable for any accident or incident that occurs as a result of following these instructions.
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