Do you love cultivating crops in your garden, would you also like herb plants, but don't have enough space for another bed? Then the herbal spiral is probably the perfect solution. With your help, you need a smaller area and use the space above. If you are reading about this practical garden element for the first time, you will fall in love with it now. A spiced snail is extremely easy to make yourself. Find out how to make one yourself in the following instructionsYou can build a herb spiral and plant the herb plants you want as soon as possible so that you always have fresh herbs at hand for cooking.
Which materials are suitable?
This point is another one that makes the spice snail so popular and great. You can use a wide variety of materials and even use old and previously unusable or leftover ones for something practical. Both are suitableold roof tiles, as well as bricks, river stones, gabions with gravel and wooden stakes. Simply use something you already have on hand if you want to make an herb spiral. Alternatively, you can of course also buy new materials. Decide for yourself which material appeals to you most visually or fits best with the rest of your outdoor area. Otherwise, you just need enough potting soil and of course the selected plants, for which we have some tips at the end.
Build a herbal spiral with river stones
River stones create a particularly natural atmosphere and are stacked quickly and easily. Since the stones have an irregular shape and cannot stand freely on top of each other, you should always alternate between first earth and then a row of stones. The stones are leaned slightly inwards so that the retaining wall does not fall apart later but is supported by the earth. If you use stone slabs, you can first build the structure for the herb spiral by inserting the slabs into the ground and then filling them with soil.
The first thing you should do is mark the selected area for the spice snail. Using a stick, draw a desired size spiral shape in the sand or soil. Start with the outer end of the spiral. Then, as already explained, gradually work your way up, also creating the curves and carefully working your way up.
If you build the herb spiral yourself, make sure that it is not too steep, because then the water would run off too quickly when watering, the upper plants would not receive enough moisture and the potting soil would then most likely be removed. Once you have reached the end, you can start planting the herbs.
With bricks or paving stones
Bricks or pavers are even easier to work with because their straight surfaces make them easier to stack. The holes created when you build the herb spiral also serve as perfect ventilation for the soil, providing the roots with better oxygen. With this variant, you start with the supporting walls, which you then fill with earth. If you would like to create a particularly stable herbal spiral, you can easily brick it up and build the supporting walls permanently.
The use of wooden pegs is also worth considering, because again the structure is built first, which is particularly advantageous for those who cannot easily imagine the spiral shape in any other way. When using wood, you should keep in mind that over the years it will become weathered due to constant moisture and will need to be replaced. So if you are looking for a permanent solution, wood is less suitable.
Idea with gabions
Your original bed will have a modern look if you use gabions to build a herb spiral. The soft wire is wonderfully easy to bend and is finally filled with pebbles in any color. You can even combine different colors of gravel with each other and create beautiful patterns. The size of the stones can also vary. Either way, you will receive a particularly stable framework that you can use for many years.
Find a flat spot in the garden. Then place and shape the wire frame on top. You can also draw the spiral shape on the ground, dig small holes and place the scaffolding in them. Then dig the ends into the hollows. This way you get the shape and a stable framework at the same time. Then fill with gravel and the areas between the walls with a mix of potting soil and fertilizer or compost.
DIY herb spiral in a pot for the balcony
Do you not have a garden and now think you have to do without a spiral? Then you are wrong. You can even build a herb spiral for the balcony and save a lot of space by simply using a larger pot instead of many smaller flower pots. Such bamboo sticks are perfect. But stones can of course also be used again.
Alternatively, you can also use pots of different sizes. To do this, place the largest bucket first. Place a smaller flower pot in it upside down. Then place the next smaller one on top of this. The distance between the two edges of the pot should be large enough to give the plants enough space. Then continue with the remaining pots. Finally, fill the empty spaces with soil and plant the spices.
It is important that you choose the right location for both variants, because once the spice spiral is built, it can no longer be moved due to its weight. Unless you use a stable base on wheels. These are available ready-made in hardware stores and garden centers, but you can also easily build them yourself according to your needs. There are so many different ways to build herb spirals.
Build a herb staircase
A good alternative to the spiral is a herbal staircase. Depending on the size, this takes up a little more space, but can fill useless corners in the garden or on the balcony. The construction is also a little more complex because several boxes are required that are made of wood. In any case, this is also a great idea that is not only practical but also attractive. Any number of floors can be created and the length of the boxes can also vary. This way you can not only house herbs, but also display colorful flowers without the two types of plants getting in the way.
Planting tips for the herb spiral
After you build the herb spiral and it is finished, you will hardly be able to wait to finally plant it. In principle, it doesn't matter which plants you choose, the main thing is that they correspond to your taste. Nevertheless, it is beneficial for the herbal spiralPlanting planto set up. The location depends on the respective needs. While Mediterranean or drought-loving spice plants should be planted in the upper areas, the lower ones are better suited for the moisture-loving ones. This is simply because the soil at the top dries out more quickly as the moisture seeps down. You should also always keep a sufficiently large distance between the plants, because each of them grows differently. Otherwise, there are no special features that you should pay attention to when planting your herb spiral.
Instructions for herbal stairshere.
