Growing Fresh Food with Vertical Gardens

Compared to conventional gardening methods, vertical gardening uses less room to cultivate plants and is more water-efficient. In its most basic form, vertical gardening is a gardening technique in which plants are supported by a vertical framework and grow upward. You can grow budding plants and seeds vertically rather than planting them all in the ground.

Types of Vertical Gardening Systems

What exactly is a vertical garden, then? In essence, it's a garden that rises vertically with the help of towers, trellises, or wall-mounted equipment. These gardens can be used to cultivate a variety of food and plant life, from attractive flowers and foliage to edible plants including fruits, veggies, and herbs.

Vertical gardens come in a variety of forms, but the most popular ones are:

• Trellis Systems:  This ancient approach is ideal for climbing plants like beans and vines since it involves growing plants on a trellis or other similar framework.
• Vertical Planters:  These are plant containers that may be stacked or placed on the wall. They work well for various veggies, flowers, and tiny plants.
• Hydroponic Tower Gardens:  In these grow tower systems, plants roots are suspended in air and nutrient-rich water is dripped or misted over them. With their high oxygen uptake, they are also called aeroponic towers.  Because they are effective and hygienic, they are especially well-liked for indoor gardening.

How to Grow Food with Vertical Gardening

Making the most of the available space, choosing the right plants, and preserving ideal growth conditions are the key tenets of vertical gardening. The following vertical gardening guidelines will assist in creating lush, rich gardens in small urban spaces.

Pick the Right Plants

Selecting the appropriate plants is essential when establishing a vertical garden. Consider how much sunshine the place receives and select plants that will grow in that environment. For example, if your vertical garden is inside or in a dark location, choose shade-loving plants such as ferns, ivy, or some herbs; whereas crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and sun-loving flowers prefer brighter conditions.  Of course when growing indoors – supplemental LED grow lights are an option.

Remember to include herbs! They may be planted in a vertical garden design and do not require a trellis. Many herbs are ideal for vertical cultivation, including thyme, mint, and basil. For convenient access to fresh herbs in your kitchen, plant them in hydroponic tower gardens, wall-mounted containers, or hanging pots.

Soil and Nutrients

Use a lightweight, well-draining soil mixture for vertical gardens, such as potting soil, perlite, coco coir, and organic materials like compost or worm castings. If using hydroponic systems, soil is not needed. Rockwool cubes are the most common medium for hydroponic growing.  Vital nutrients and aeration for plant roots while retaining moisture are also important. To guarantee the best possible plant health and growth, use nutrient fertilizers or an NPK fertilizer high in nitrogen and phosphorus as directed by the manufacturer.

Water Requirements

A healthy vertical garden depends on having a sufficient supply of water, just like any other garden. Drip irrigation systems are used in many vertical gardens to supply water straight to the roots of the plants. This technique is effective and guarantees that every plant receives the proper amount of water. Automated watering with integrated reservoirs are common with hydroponic systems, which are commonly used for indoor vertical gardens.

Pruning

To prevent your vertical garden from getting overgrown, you should perform some pruning, trimming, and trailing on a regular basis. To keep flowering (also known as bolting) from compromising the flavor of herbs, their blooms must be trimmed. In order to keep the plant from overtaxing itself and collapsing under its own weight, it may be necessary to remove some of the plant and harvest as well.

Maintenance

Maintaining the health of your vertical garden requires routine care. Maintaining nutrients and inspecting for pests and illnesses are all included in this. Because the plants in a vertical garden are so near to one another, pests can spread swiftly. It's critical to closely monitor your vegetation and address any issues as soon as they arise.

Why You Should Grow Food in a Vertical Garden: Benefits Beyond Space-Saving

Farmers may utilize 99% less land and 98% less water when using vertical agricultural techniques. By introducing rolling or perpetual harvesting, growers may create crop yields that are 240 times higher than those of conventional farms.

The fact that there aren’t as many weeds to be pulled is another big benefit. Once again, weeds have fewer locations to appear when there is less surface area. Another benefit of vertically growing plants is their superior air circulation. Less insect and disease problems result from increased air circulation around plant leaves.

Final Thoughts

An excellent technique to grow in a limited space and support more sustainable food production is through vertical gardens. They have several advantages over conventional gardening techniques.  Almost anything can be used for vertical gardening. Of course, at ALTO Garden – we prefer planting hydroponic towers but any of the other methods we discussed are a great way to produce your own food with less effort, water, and space.

That was quite a lot of information to process! For those of us who have a small garden or who want to give our outdoor spaces a distinctive look, vertical gardening is revolutionary. You can turn your garden into living artwork and get the benefits of a plentiful supply of fresh, homegrown veggies and herbs.