Vertical gardening has a lot to offer the space deprived gardener. As our dwellings seem to become larger and the surrounding open space reduced, the need to turn open space into green space is even more pressing. A sad part of this loss of space is the lost opportunity for gardens and gardening, particularly for the children in our communities.
Whereas once a garden for free, open play would have been the norm in almost every Australian child's life, these days, those spaces are often compromised. Children can become disconnected from the natural world and some children might be limited to accessing public gardens to have any sort of 'hands on' understanding and relationship with nature including growing plants, food production and the quality of the air we breathe. Vertical gardening might hold the key for families wanting to nurture a relationship with nature in their children who are challenged with limited space.
Vertical gardening offers parents an opportunity to inject much needed greenery into a small space but to importantly provide an active gardening 'experience' for their children so that they can enjoy the sensory experience and satisfaction of growing plants to fruition. Vertical garden systems that are soil media based and open tiered, offer a traditional gardening 'experience' in that the kids (and adults) can dig in them with their trowels and plant seeds, seedlings or even advanced plants.
Benefits of vertical gardening for kids
* fast growing plants
* bright colours
* edibles
* quirky foliage
* hardy plants
* plants that they can trim
* all the fun stuff, planting, watering and harvesting without the chores!
The kinds of plants that kids will really enjoy growing in their vertical gardens are hardy, reliable performers that germinate and or mature fairly quickly. Lettuce, rocket and radishes are fairly quick from seed. Hardy flowers like dwarf marigolds and calendulas add colour and interest and combine gorgeously with edibles in the vertical garden. Kids also like quirky flowers and veggies so look for odd colour mixes and dwarf or novelty coloured vegetable varieties. Of course, favourites like strawberries will always be highly desirable and they grow so well in vertical gardens, you'd be mad not to plant at least a few.
It's a fantastic feeling for parents to give their children some exposure to how produce is grown and why it's great to grow your own - vertical gardening can provide that in an aesthetically pleasing and space saving way. Knowing also that all of the goodies you and your kids produce are pesticide and herbicide residue free is also reassuring, particularly when the produce is plucked fresh from the Vertical Garden before making it into the kitchen!
Of course, gardeners (even non-gardeners) of all ages will be drawn to a Vertical Garden; these living walls provide beauty and nourishment on many levels. People find common ground, conversation and so many opportunities for sharing. Whether it be knowledge, produce or any of the myriad of other ways that gardening seems to bring out the best in people - even if we do garden in many different ways these days!
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Vertical Gardening With Vegetables
VERTICAL GARDENING has its challenges and so to, does growing vegetables. If you have a basic understanding of the principles of vertical gardening and the few requirements that vegetables have to really thrive, you are more likely to have a positive experience with your vertical produce garden.
ROOT SPACE is KEY
Vertical gardens typically have more restricted root space than those in the ground so find a system that has plenty of root space for your vegetables and you'll be off to a great start. If you have ever grown vegetables in pots, you will know how important it is to keep the soil (potting media) temperatures and moisture levels as even as possible. Plants that become heat or water stressed quickly lose vigour; leafy vegetables often 'bolt' to seed in these conditions, resulting in very poor production.
TRIPLE YOUR EXISTING GROWING SPACE
So... a great solution for space restricted gardeners is to ditch the pots and use a soil based, vertical garden system. Growing a substantial produce garden using pots takes up a lot of floor space. Vertical garden systems actually CREATE gardening space, you can triple the square metreage of your area by going vertical and reap an abundant harvest!
NO POTS - NO TRAYS!
The soil volumes in the steel vertical systems are huge compared to pots and many other vertical gardening systems. In this vertical gardening system, plant roots can travel around in over half a cubic metre of soil media volume. This large volume of soil helps tremendously with maintaining even temperatures and moisture levels - saving you time and water when compared to other vertical gardening systems and other planters.
LOOKING GOOD
Your vegetables will thrive in this vertical garden system but importantly, they also look sensational. Your vertical garden will become a feature in any space - a living wall of green that beautifies and also feeds the whole family! Aesthetics are so important in restricted areas but everyone deserves fresh salad on hand!
FEEDING TIPS
Due to the large body of soil media in the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system, plants are able to draw from a large supply of nutrients. Regular feeding with traditional liquid fertilisers from a watering can and some slow release fertiliser a few times a year is all that is required.
NO MOVING PARTS
Many vertical gardening systems are based on hydroponic methods of growing where the plants are anchored to a matting or foam and have further systems that control watering and fertiliser solution applications; however the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system is based on a traditional, low-tech gardening experience. This vertical garden is filled with soil media (potting mix) from top to bottom and essentially you just plant your favourite vegetable seeds or seedlings into the exposed tiers of potting media with your trowel and water them in. You can simply hand water your vertical garden with harvested rain or mains water with any method you like, watering can, hose or automated dripper system.
YEAR IN YEAR OUT
Once your vegetables have had their season, simply remove them and plant your vertical garden with your new favourites. Why stop at vegetables though, strawberries and herbs do incredibly well too! Don't miss the next article in this series, "Vertical Gardening with Herbs."
ROOT SPACE is KEY
Vertical gardens typically have more restricted root space than those in the ground so find a system that has plenty of root space for your vegetables and you'll be off to a great start. If you have ever grown vegetables in pots, you will know how important it is to keep the soil (potting media) temperatures and moisture levels as even as possible. Plants that become heat or water stressed quickly lose vigour; leafy vegetables often 'bolt' to seed in these conditions, resulting in very poor production.
TRIPLE YOUR EXISTING GROWING SPACE
So... a great solution for space restricted gardeners is to ditch the pots and use a soil based, vertical garden system. Growing a substantial produce garden using pots takes up a lot of floor space. Vertical garden systems actually CREATE gardening space, you can triple the square metreage of your area by going vertical and reap an abundant harvest!
NO POTS - NO TRAYS!
The soil volumes in the steel vertical systems are huge compared to pots and many other vertical gardening systems. In this vertical gardening system, plant roots can travel around in over half a cubic metre of soil media volume. This large volume of soil helps tremendously with maintaining even temperatures and moisture levels - saving you time and water when compared to other vertical gardening systems and other planters.
LOOKING GOOD
Your vegetables will thrive in this vertical garden system but importantly, they also look sensational. Your vertical garden will become a feature in any space - a living wall of green that beautifies and also feeds the whole family! Aesthetics are so important in restricted areas but everyone deserves fresh salad on hand!
FEEDING TIPS
Due to the large body of soil media in the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system, plants are able to draw from a large supply of nutrients. Regular feeding with traditional liquid fertilisers from a watering can and some slow release fertiliser a few times a year is all that is required.
NO MOVING PARTS
Many vertical gardening systems are based on hydroponic methods of growing where the plants are anchored to a matting or foam and have further systems that control watering and fertiliser solution applications; however the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system is based on a traditional, low-tech gardening experience. This vertical garden is filled with soil media (potting mix) from top to bottom and essentially you just plant your favourite vegetable seeds or seedlings into the exposed tiers of potting media with your trowel and water them in. You can simply hand water your vertical garden with harvested rain or mains water with any method you like, watering can, hose or automated dripper system.
YEAR IN YEAR OUT
Once your vegetables have had their season, simply remove them and plant your vertical garden with your new favourites. Why stop at vegetables though, strawberries and herbs do incredibly well too! Don't miss the next article in this series, "Vertical Gardening with Herbs."
Vertical Gardening With Herbs
Like vegetables, herbs prefer even moisture and temperature levels, so the creation of a large root mass is key to your success and vertical gardening is the perfect solution for this. Herbs love growing in vertical gardens that have a quality potting mix in them rather than the felt or foam types of green walls, consequently...herbs respond very well in an open tiered, steel vertical gardening system. In addition, due to the increased root space available when compared to the traditional planter methods, many gardeners find that herbs perform better for them in the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system than they ever have for them in pots!
WHICH HERBS?
The varieties of herbs you choose to grow in your vertical garden will depend on your tastes and aspect. If you love the Asian herbs you'll go for coriander, lemon grass and mints. Perhaps your cooking has more of an Italian flavour and you are looking to grow garlic, basil and oregano. Keep in mind that some herbs are perennial and last year after year, others are annuals or biennials and will need to be replaced with seeds or seedlings each year or two. Whichever replanting method you choose, the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system is well suited as you are simply gardening in potting mix - just like you are used to. Plus... using smaller plants or seeds is cheaper so you'll save money while having fun and the satisfaction of growing your own plants from scratch.
ASPECT
If your vertical garden is positioned in hot sun and you have limited water available, plant the tougher Mediterranean type herbs like curry plant, rosemary, sage, oregano and thymes. If your vertical garden has a little more protection and/or increased water storage, you can plant the slightly more tender herbs like coriander, basil, parsley as well.
WARNING
Some herbs are SO vigorous, they can easily swamp out the more tender varieties in your vertical garden. Be warned that planting just about anything in the mint family or lemon balm, is likely to spread and swamp out the other herbs in your vertical garden.
HARVESTING
Whether you are gardening in a vertical garden or not herbs love regular picking to encourage the new, flavoursome, tip growth. The more you pick, the more you get so even if you don't want to eat the herbs, prune regularly to keep the plants vigorous and the supply plentiful.
WATERING
Use rain water or mains water (comply to any restrictions) to keep your soil based, open tiered, vertical garden in perfect condition. Either hand water as needed or use a simple automated dripper system to take care of watering while you are away or if you forget.
Vertical gardening with herbs is deliciously simple, a wonderful activity to share with the grand kids and will give you an attractive, aromatic, year round abundance of culinary joy! Once you've tasted the difference, you'll never return to the musty 'past use by date' dried stuff again. ENJOY.
WHICH HERBS?
The varieties of herbs you choose to grow in your vertical garden will depend on your tastes and aspect. If you love the Asian herbs you'll go for coriander, lemon grass and mints. Perhaps your cooking has more of an Italian flavour and you are looking to grow garlic, basil and oregano. Keep in mind that some herbs are perennial and last year after year, others are annuals or biennials and will need to be replaced with seeds or seedlings each year or two. Whichever replanting method you choose, the open tiered, steel vertical gardening system is well suited as you are simply gardening in potting mix - just like you are used to. Plus... using smaller plants or seeds is cheaper so you'll save money while having fun and the satisfaction of growing your own plants from scratch.
ASPECT
If your vertical garden is positioned in hot sun and you have limited water available, plant the tougher Mediterranean type herbs like curry plant, rosemary, sage, oregano and thymes. If your vertical garden has a little more protection and/or increased water storage, you can plant the slightly more tender herbs like coriander, basil, parsley as well.
WARNING
Some herbs are SO vigorous, they can easily swamp out the more tender varieties in your vertical garden. Be warned that planting just about anything in the mint family or lemon balm, is likely to spread and swamp out the other herbs in your vertical garden.
HARVESTING
Whether you are gardening in a vertical garden or not herbs love regular picking to encourage the new, flavoursome, tip growth. The more you pick, the more you get so even if you don't want to eat the herbs, prune regularly to keep the plants vigorous and the supply plentiful.
WATERING
Use rain water or mains water (comply to any restrictions) to keep your soil based, open tiered, vertical garden in perfect condition. Either hand water as needed or use a simple automated dripper system to take care of watering while you are away or if you forget.
Vertical gardening with herbs is deliciously simple, a wonderful activity to share with the grand kids and will give you an attractive, aromatic, year round abundance of culinary joy! Once you've tasted the difference, you'll never return to the musty 'past use by date' dried stuff again. ENJOY.
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