Step 1: Add Packing Foam to Herb Trough

Starting with a traditional rectangular French herb trough, add a layer of foam packing peanuts before pouring in the potting mix. 1111994 http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2003/09/18/chs113_2fc_d.jpg

Step 2: Put in the Plants

Remove plants from their individual pots and place them where you wish inside the trough. (Note that some pots have planting depths marked inside, which simplifies the process somewhat.) Place trailing plants in front, about two to three finger-widths apart, and fill around them with dirt, packing down very firmly. (Air will get in any holes left in the soil, creating air pockets, which in turn will hold water and cause the plants to rot.)

Step 3: Add Moss

Top the plantings with sphagnum moss, which looks dead and brown but will get greener as you water it. Sphagnum moss holds moisture in to keep the soil from drying out.

When you want to check the dryness of the soil, stick a finger in middle of the pot; if your finger is wet, so is the soil. When it comes time to water, if you wish to use a bottle, leave an opening at the corner top of the trough where you can place the bottle for easy access. Fill the bottle with water, replace the cap and make tiny holes in the cap and the sides of the bottle. Then place the bottle, cap up, in the dirt to water the plants while you're away