Boxes are roughly 11 inches square although the first row is slightly longer (back to front). All boxes are about 11" deep. The two higher rows have shelves as bottoms and do not extend to the ground.

Wow, that's some nice-looking woodwork, as is your trellis in the other post. I wish I could build something like these! Nice job.

Are you planting annual herbs or perennial herbs?

I have to ask... if this box is facing east, won't the lower plants have their sun blocked by the back of the planter and the upper rows of plants? Wouldn't you want it to face west?

Dee

@diggerdee, I guess if some herbs just want morning sun or early sun, that would be a good way to achieve it. That brings up an interesting idea that because of this, then maybe tall plants could go in the front, lowest section.

If you orient it with a north/south direction, then all plants will get sun all day long, so then you'll have to consider about herbs that can't take all that heat or need additional water.

With a box around that size, though, it seems like just putting mint into a container would have contained it also.

How is the bottom constructed for each level?

The herbs I grow and use, either for food or attracting wildlife are: mint, green onion, chives, cilantro, pineapple sage, garden sage, rosemary, lavender, bee balm, basil, lemon grass.

Make a similar list of the herbs you want and then that will help you and us to see how they would be situated.

Hi guys- thanks for your help and your concern.

Yes, it faces east. My reason for orienting it east was that I didn't want more than 8 hours of sun. Some herbs can tolerate more, but most require 8 minimum in my experience. The plan is to put the tallest herbs in back so as not to shade those in front until quite late in the day. Even if the box faced north the tallest would shade the shortest at some point.

We planted this morning. 2 kinds of mint, rosemary, thyme, tarragon, lavender, oregano, parsley. I will have to let you know how it goes!

I also bought some bee balm, but I'm not familiar with it. What can you tell me about bee balm?