Vertical gardening is a creative solution for developing a garden in a small, compact space. It is not only practical but also visually pleasing, capable of transforming the charm of any area around the house. One of the key benefits of vertical gardens is that they take up minimal ground space, making them suitable for indoor and outdoor environments. Plus, there are several design ideas to explore when one’s opting for vertical gardening.
Trellises
When it comes to vertical gardens, vining plants are among the most popular choices because their growth creates a naturally lush appearance. With vines, it is often unnecessary to use multiple plants, further preventing clutter. The best structures that can support vines for a vertical garden are trellises. These are basically open frames, typically made of wood, that can be attached vertically to walls. They effectively support vines and can also accommodate small planters hung from their openings, creating a more diverse garden area.
Hanging containers
Vertical gardens do not have to be limited to walls or standing structures for support. One can even consider attaching hanging containers to their ceilings, arbors, or roofs via hooks for added aesthetics. These containers are the best urban gardening solutions as they do not occupy any wall or ground space. This makes them the perfect gardening idea for small backyards. Flowering plants such as Fuschia and verbena, herbs such as mint, and fruit plants such as blackberries and raspberries make for some of the best plants for this vertical gardening idea.
Gardening towers
Vertical gardening has increasingly become popular, leading to quite a few innovations in terms of planter designs and concepts. One notable design that is not only practical but also sightly is gardening towers. As the name suggests, these are vertical, tall planters with multiple spaces for growing plants. These towers primarily use hydroponic systems, which involve using nutrient-rich water instead of soil to nurture the plants. Additionally, these gardening towers are portable and can be easily used in both indoor and outdoor settings. Vegetables such as kale and pepper, herbs such as cumin and sage, and fruits like honeydew and strawberries are among the most popular plant choices for gardening towers.
Shelves
Individuals who are interested in making a DIY vertical garden for small spaces can consider using shelves with wall support. One can use wooden planks to create floating shelves – either indoors or outdoors – and select small planters to place on top of the shelves. Apart from this, one can also utilize their existing shelf system, like a bookshelf, or upcycle an old shelf to create a verticle garden.
Cinderblock walls
For those seeking new ideas on how to create a vertical garden specifically for outdoors or a small backyard, consider building a cinderblock wall garden. As the name implies, these vertical gardens consist of cinderblocks stacked together to form a wall. The blocks are arranged in a way that their holes or cavities can be used to hold plants. These walls serve as an excellent gardening hack for small spaces and backyards, as they fulfill two purposes— creating a durable wall that is resistant to water and sun damage while also accommodating multiple plants.
Pallet planter
If one has multiple old pallets lying around unused, they can be upcycled to create a verticle garden. This DIY project is not only interesting to execute but also budget-friendly and sustainable, as it involves reusing materials for planting. Moreover, when attached vertically to walls, pallets occupy very little space, making them a great space-saving gardening technique. If one does not have old pallets, one can also find them for free or purchase them at low costs from lumberyards, grocery stores, or hardware stores. Since pallet planters do not offer much room for plants to grow, one has limited choices with them. For instance, strawberries are the only fruit plants that one can choose for pallet planters. Additionally, one can consider planting petunias, succulents, or small herb plants like oregano and parsley.
Things to remember for growing and maintaining vertical gardens
Regular pruning
Most vertical garden designs and planters have height limits for plants they can support over a specific time. Additionally, hanging planters and those placed on shelves tend to attract attention quickly. For these reasons, it is essential to prune the plants that are contained in them regularly. Pruning simply involves removing dried leaves or overgrown stems to maintain their health and overall appearance.
Ensure enough sunlight is provided
While vertical gardens can be placed anywhere, thanks to their design, one still needs to ensure they are kept at places where plants can receive sufficient sunlight. This is especially important for planters that one plans on placing indoors. Without proper sunlight and considerable water supply, the plants may dry out and wither away quickly.
Choose the right soil
To successfully grow plants in a vertical garden, it is important to select the right type of soil for the smaller pots or planters used in this system. It is recommended to use soil that provides better drainage than regular garden soil. Most importantly, the soil chosen for vertical gardens should offer good aeration, allowing the roots enough room to breathe. Besides this, it is essential for the soil to be light so that hanging or vertically placed planters do not unnecessarily strain walls, frames, or hooks.