Design Tips to Help With Your Outdoor Vertical Garden

Dreams that are bound to the earth will never have the chance to soar, and the same is true of the lofty goals you have for your garden. Don't let a lack of land area cause you to postpone your plant plans. Try these tips, tactics, and ideas for vertical gardening.

What is Vertical Gardening?

Vertical gardening is exactly what it sounds like arranging different plant species such that they develop upwards or vertically. There are numerous ways to accomplish this. You can hang hanging baskets from windowsills, arrange pots along exterior wall shelves, or train climbing plants to climb trellises, railings, pergolas, or other freestanding structures.

Tips & Tricks for Vertical Gardening

Utilize Garden Entrance

Typically, a gateway serves as both a point of entrance and a platform for first impressions. This area might be used to put flowers or create another imaginative vertical garden with a little imagination. A lovely gate or arbor welcomes guests, adds charm, and may even reveal a bit about your personality.

Choose the Right Location

This advice applies to both indoor and outdoor vertical garden structures. Make sure your garden is not in the way when you are outside by placing it out of the way. If you have hanging plants, make careful to position them so that you can see them readily and won't run into them with your head. Make careful to position any large pots you have on the ground so that you won't trip over or run over them.

This is true for indoor gardens as well. The height of hanging plants should be such that you can water them safely and that they won't get in the way. Larger planters shouldn't be positioned such that you stumble over them as you turn a corner. Indoor vertical gardens look fantastic mounted on walls since they can be watered easily and are out of the way.

Renting vs. Homeowner

Do you rent a home? Does your garden only receive a little sun? Do you have access or mobility issues? After that, you might want to think about how permanent your vertical constructions need to be. Pick lightweight materials that can be moved around and readily repositioned to catch the sun during the day or that can be removed easily once they have served their purpose. An innovative approach to growing meals on wheels' is using pots on castors with a tripod for climbing edibles.

Plants vs. Location

Remember the types of plants you have in your gardens. In an indoor garden, avoid using plants like vines that want to spread out and encroach on other plants' space. Keep in mind the height that each plant will reach. Given the greater space outside, there may be more capacity for some plants to flourish than there is indoors.

Double Check the Shade

Depending on where you place your plants when they swell higher, they can prevent plants behind or below them from receiving sunlight. If you need to shade understorey plants, place vertical structures like tepees and arbors there; otherwise, if they don't get enough sun, they might suffer. Take advantage of these areas by growing veggies like spinach or lettuce, especially during the summer months, as certain plants enjoy shade or can endure semi-shadow.

Get Creative

After all, this is the main goal of vertical gardening. Get imaginative and pay close attention to the vertical surfaces and wall space you have, both inside and outside. Your indoor gardens can be made using dressers, shelves, and walls. You have lots of yard and fence space available outside! Make use of the possibilities you have for your gardens by exploring them all!

Do Your Research

Knowing as much as you can about your plants is a smart idea, especially if you have a hectic schedule. More care must be given to some plants than others. Asking yourself if you'll have the time to give each plant the care it requires or if they'll just wither away, is a bit of smart advice.

Give Some Love to Perennials

It's a good idea to include at least a few perennials in your pick of plants for your vertical garden. It will ensure that your garden always has at least some living plant to add some coverage and save you some labor come spring.

Consider a Mobile Vertical Garden

You can be renting, living with family, or in another type of living circumstance where you don't own your own house. If so, you don't want your vertical garden's framework to be challenging to shift.

Making your construction from lightweight materials that can be disassembled or moved around easily is a good idea.

Get a Plant Sitter

Your developing vertical garden may require regular timely attention on a weekly – or even daily – basis, depending on the mechanisms you have in place. It's best to familiarize a neighbor or friend with your arrangement in advance. In this manner, you'll have a "garden sitter" available to take over if you have to depart unexpectedly.

Make Sure You Have a Supportive Base

It's important to consider how hefty your planter will get. Heavy plants may cause indoor planters that are mounted on walls to topple over. Make sure the planter is securely fastened to the wall or choose lighter plants. Heavy plants could break hanging pots, creating a mess if you have any. The best plants for these kinds of vertical gardens are lighter ones.

In case you have an outside vertical garden, consider your circumstances. Do you own your home outright or do you rent it out with the possibility of moving at any time? A heavier planter should work well if you're in a scenario that is more long-term because you won't need to move it very often. A lighter planter will be considerably simpler to transport to and from sites if moving is an option.

Start Small

Start modestly if you don't have any prior gardening experience. There is a learning curve if this is your first time cultivating plants, even if vertical gardening isn't that tough for those with a green thumb. There will also most likely be errors.

With a smaller garden, faults are simpler to correct, or new growth is simpler. The same is true for vertical ones.

Grow an Edible Vertical Garden

Some people's sole thought when you mention vertical gardens is beauty. Although the most well-known use for vertical planting maybe these beautiful green walls (see some examples of office green walls here), they can be much more useful!

We have a terrific technique to raise a variety of veggies thanks to vertical gardens! It's simple to construct a vertical herb garden, but it's also simple to grow tomatoes and even squash!

Keep a Record

Keeping track of your garden is important whether you are an accomplished gardener or not. Take note of everything you do in a logbook like this one. In addition to being entertaining, it will assist you to determine what works and what doesn't.

Planters Should Not Be in Motion

Your planter may have wheels depending on the style of the vertical garden planter you have. Your planter may roll away if the location where it is located is at an angle.

If the planter's wheels lack a locking mechanism, you can simply block them with something like wood or brick or transfer the planter to a flat surface.

Invest in Good Equipment

If you're serious about your new activity, you're going to require serious equipment, whether it's shears or gardening gloves. Even though you don't have to buy everything right now, plan for upcoming purchases.

Invest in a Good Watering System

Some gardeners build up timers and irrigation systems for their outdoor vertical plants. These can be quite useful, but it's crucial to make sure that each plant is getting the right amount of water. Sprinklers are excellent for covering huge areas of vegetation, however, they mostly wet the leaves of the vegetation, which can invite pest problems and black patches.

The disadvantage of drip irrigation systems is that they supply water directly to the roots of each plant, which may not be enough for some areas of your garden. Researching how much water each plant requires is a piece of wise advice. Place plants that require equal amounts of water close to one another.

You Don't Have to Start with Seeds

It's a good idea to let the plants grow horizontally for a few weeks while starting a vertical garden. This enables the roots of small plants to establish themselves in the soil and aids in stabilizing the soil.

In other words, rather than starting your vertical garden from seeds, you could prefer to use seedlings. You don't need to pay for the initial stage yourself; purchasing your plants from a nursery also works.

Consider Cascading Plants

A living wall can be easily and quickly created with cascading plants like Wave Petunias or Creeping Phlox. Soon enough, they will fill in the crevices between your planters, producing a lovely effect that you and your visitors will adore.

Check If You Need Vertical Support

Some plants, such as herbs, cucumbers, and tomatoes, require support to grow vertically. Stakes, clips, trellises, and wire fencing can all be used to support upward plant development. Plant supports, which secure plants in place, also assist with the weather.

Pay Attention to Sunlight

Knowing how much light your plants are getting is crucial. Some plants might be taking in too much, while others might not. Keeping an eye on your plants and, if required, moving them around, is a smart idea. If you see that the plants are withering or turning limp, that location would be better suited for plants that need a lot of suns.

Protect Walls & Floors

Consider the potential water damage your vertical garden may cause to the floor and walls whether it is inside or outside. A tray beneath an indoor patio vertical garden should be plenty to catch any drainage if your vertical garden isn't too big.

Trays can also be used for outdoor gardening, but you can also position your garden such that water will flow away rather than collect around it.

Planters Can Be Anything!

Do not worry if you cannot afford to purchase planters. Mason jars, old dressers, pallets, boxes, used coffee mugs, and wooden crates are also acceptable planters. Utilizing materials you already own is not only extremely creative but also waste-free!

Invest in Quality Soil

The soil you use will determine how successful your new vertical garden is. You must pick soil that is both nutrient-rich for your plants and lightweight enough for your planters to transport.

Prune Frequently

It's crucial to frequently prune your vertical gardens. You can fix this if your plants are becoming too close to one another. Regular plant pruning also makes it easier to spot problems, like too much sun or a lack of water, with your plants.

Get Outside & Get Planting!

Yes, that is a hint. Avoid becoming bogged down by excessive research. To start, even if it's small. The greatest method to start a fantastic vertical garden is to get your feet wet or your fingers covered in dirt.

You can ensure that your vertical garden is productive and flourishing by using these suggestions! If you still feel lost, consider contacting an expert like Shrubhub.com for a free plant consultation and 70% off a 3D design of your backyard so you can design your planters freely!

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