If you’ve reached this post, I can imagine you understand that vertical gardening is a genuine concept. However, because it’s a relatively new gardening idea, there’s not much information based on the topic. Luckily for you, we’ve created this comprehensive guide to what a vertical garden system is. But, before we start, what exactly is it?
A vertical gardening system is a structure that aids plants to grow in an upright position. These types of systems can be found indoors, on the side of buildings, and in gardens. The possibilities are truly endless to where you can implement these types of systems, making this a great source of gardening.
After that brief explanation, you should be able to grasp the concept behind what a vertical gardening system is. Without a doubt, it’s a revolutionary gardening design and something that’s going to be introduced in most urban places. To help understand more about vertical gardening and what it includes, I suggest you read the below.
What is a vertical gardening system?
For those who want to understand the concept of a vertical gardening system a little bit more, here’s a broader description of what it generally entails:
Vertical gardening is used by many environmental agencies, architects, businesses, and homeowners to increase their gardening space. Take this into consideration, the amount of flat land that is accessible for most people living in urban areas isn’t a lot. Because of this, people have discovered the art of growing vertically. This way, they can dramatically increase their gardening yield and plant more vegetation.
A vertical gardening system can be as straightforward or complex as you’d like it. For example, a simple structure made from a few bamboo sticks may be enough to start growing vertically. However, as this type of gardening becomes increasingly popular, businesses have caught onto this and have begun developing some rather unique structures.
For instance, take Botanical Designs as an example. This business can design and make moss or living walls look incredible both in and outdoors. Botanical designs are a great example of what you can achieve from implementing this type of gardening system into a business, residential, or commercial area.
Apart from looking appealing, they can also be used to produce crops. Many vegetable gardeners will be aware of this, but sometimes there isn’t enough space in our gardens for the crops we want to produce. Because of this, growing vertically can undoubtedly help increase your overall yield.
Many people say that harvesting crops from this type of system is much easier. This is because you’re able to treat, monitor, and harvest your crops without having to kneel or crouch down. So, apart from increasing your produce, it can also be easier to gain access to them.
Now you understand what a vertical gardening system is, below, we’re going to discuss the different types of vertical gardens found within the industry. This way, you can gain access to your imagination and maybe even start creating a vertical garden yourself.
What type of vertical gardens are there?
Just like gardens, vertical gardens come in all different shapes and sizes. Due to the vast number of diverse landscapes we encounter, they can be adapted to suit your criteria. Without a doubt, there are 1000’s of different vertical garden designs. But, if we included all of them, this post may be rather long. Therefore, we’re going to discuss the main five that are circulating around the market.
Indoor vertical gardens
One of the most famous vertical gardens that people construct is indoors. Typically, when they do this, they’re moss walls as they don’t need much maintenance or sunlight. However, living walls can undoubtedly make an indoor space look much more inviting and “earthy.”
Apart from looking aesthetically pleasing, you’ll receive an abundance of different benefits from crafting an indoor vertical garden. Places like offices are filled with harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde and carbon monoxide. But vegetation loves feeding on these, which results in office workers inhaling less of these chemicals. From this, fewer people are likely to become sick because the bad toxins are removed from the air.
Including these astronomical benefits, a study was also conducted suggesting that plants in offices increase productivity by 15%. Because of this, I’m sure many business owners are considering implementing this type of gardening system into their offices. After all, it’s much cheaper to get more from your workers than paying for another employee.
Something that can help productivity is that indoor vertical gardens can also decrease noise pollution. If you’re like me and many other individuals, working in silence is much more beneficial than hearing people talking on the phone. So, to decrease this, creating a vertical garden can certainly aid you with that.
Exterior vertical gardens
You may have seen these becoming an increasingly popular trend in recent years in urban areas. This doesn’t just include exterior vertical gardens but also green apartment blocks that have vegetation growing around the outside of them. From growing these types of gardens in the outside world, you’re able to produce a vast amount more. This is because the plants can gain access to natural sunlight. From this, instead of being able to develop moss, you can pretty much produce anything you’d like.
By crafting exterior vertical gardens, you’re benefiting our environment immensely. To understand this better, read the below:
- Wildlife – By installing vertical gardens in outside spaces, you’re able to invite wildlife back into overcrowded cities. This includes such things as birds, bees, and butterflies. Both bees and butterflies are considered pollinators, so this is especially important. Currently, we’re experiencing a pollination crisis, and failing to act on this issue can result in devastating repercussions.
- Greenhouse gasses – Something else that all vegetation does, is reduce the number of greenhouse gasses that are found in our atmosphere. By growing more, we can reduce the levels of climate change, which can be rather beneficial to our planet.
- Weather destruction – Including the above, it can also help aid many weather-related issues such as rain, sun, and coldness. For example, vertical gardens can reduce the rate that rain hits the floor, which minimizes the chances of a flash flood. It can also be used as a shade to cool our properties down. Including the other two advantages, it can also insulate our homes.
Vertical gardening systems
Something that can either be implemented inside or out is a vertical gardening system. Although you’re able to craft various DIY structures, you can get professionally made ones also. These can be highly beneficial as you’re able to invest in a design that helps aid plant growth and something that makes the most of natural resources.
For example, Ambius create various panel or tray-like systems for their vertical gardening concepts. Their designs have been purposely crafted for convenience. Because of this, it requires a minimal amount of water to maintain healthy plants successfully.
Vertical succulent gardens
Surprisingly, succulents are a popular choice for vertical gardening systems. This is because they’re easy to grow, make the most out of space, contain great colors, and much more. Something else that people consider is that succulents are fire-resistant. Because of their fire-retardant capabilities, it makes them a perfect choice to install in office-related spaces.
DIY vertical gardens
Something else I thought I would mention is DIY vertical gardens. I understand not everyone has endless amounts of money to start investing in professional green walls. Because of this, you can also try the below DIY methods.
Trellises
Something that works remarkably well for DIY vertical gardens is trellises. If you’re an avid gardener, I’m sure you’ve heard of this plant support system before. Generally speaking, people use these to support tall plant growth. However, you’re able to slightly change them to develop a vertical-like garden that isn’t related to the ground.
Arbors
Another DIY technique that works rather well is a garden arch, or also known as an Arbors. From this, you’re able to develop beautiful-looking arches that look natural. Without a doubt, this is a great vertical gardening system, and when they’re fully developed, they can look astonishing.
Teepees
Instead of using the teepees for kid’s use, why not develop a vertical garden out of them? Instead of using the cloth material, you’re able to use just the bamboos sticks to build an upright structure. From this, you can aid the growth of plants growing upwards.
Pergolas
Something else that looks amazing is vertical gardens that are developed around pergolas. For those who don’t know, pergolas are a wooden structure that allows for a shaded seating area outside. However, instead of using a plastic or cloth material to shade a location, why not develop some plants around it to give it more of a garden feel?
After reading the above, you should now understand the vast amount of vertical gardening systems that are available.
What is the best vertical garden system?
After reading the above, I’m sure you’re starting to generate some interest in vertical gardening systems. Because of this, I thought it would be a good idea to mention some of the best you’re able to purchase online.
HiliartyMax 36 pocket vertical planter
Now I understand that not everyone has endless pockets full of cash. Because of this, I thought I’d mentioned this HiliartyMax 36 pocket planter. If you want to implement a vertical gardening system into your environment without spending 100’s, this is a perfect option. Apart from the price, it also consists of small, tightly clustered pockets. Because of this design, you’re able to plant up to 36 different species of plants in just a tiny confined space.
It’s also crafted from double-layer felt with rust-resistant eyelets to ensure your plants have a durable and stable living area. Of course, there are much better vertical planters available. But, for the small price of $25.99, you can’t go wrong. From purchasing this, you can then decide if you like the idea of this gardening technique. If not, you’ve only spent $25.99. However, if you do like it, you can decide to invest in a more “prestigious” system.
Mr. Stacky 1305 planter
Something that looks slightly more unique and prominent is the Mr. Stacky 1305. Apart from having a relatively cool name, the whole structure and design of the pot is somewhat different. Because of this, I thought I would mention it within the list. Although this planter looks slightly better than the HiliartyMax, it’s only a little bit more in price. This pot will set you back $36.95, and it’s certainly worth every penny.
It gives off a stackable feeling to it, and with the right plants, you can make it look rather pretty. Apart from looking appealing, it also helps reduce your footprint. Because of its sharable design, from watering the above plants, it drains out water to the other vegetation below. From this, you’re able to water less, which can offer our environment some great benefits.
Yardcraft vertical garden planter
Heading into the more “prestigious” vertical gardening systems, and this is Yardcaft’s bookcase planter. As you’re able to see, it looks rather similar to a bookcase. However, it has been adapted to provide an adequate growing area for plants.
However, this type of planter is a considerable amount more than what’s stated above. This planter will set you back $202.48. Although this is a much more sustainable amount than the others, it certainly offers you a much more aesthetically pleasing planter.
The light wood certainly looks organic, and the natural beauty of it will complement any garden it’s placed in. It’s around 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide, so it provides you with enough room to start growing your ideal vertical garden.
Martrams Bamboo Planter
If you want a rather classy-looking planter for under $50, then this vertical bamboo garden from Martrams may be right up your street. From all the planters mentioned on this list, this is by far the most stylish and certainly something that many people will enjoy incorporating into their gardens.
This three-tier vertical garden is small and compact. It’s just under 2 feet, but don’t let the size deter you away from this elegantly designed planter. I love the design as it features three cylindrical planters. These cylindrical wooden structures are treated to prevent moisture and water damage. To increase the sturdiness of these, solid industrial wire holds them together to ensure a stable potting area for your plants.
DIY wire mesh
This next section is for those readers that love developing their own creations. With vertical gardens, the best type of material widely available on the market is wire mesh. From this mesh, you’re able to attached plant pots, bottles, and many other plant-related containers onto them. By initiating some creative thinking, you’re able to develop a beautiful looking vertical garden with some sturdy mesh and already-owned pots.
As you can see, there is an array of different planting options that you can opt-in for. It goes without saying, the more you spend, the better quality and looking vertical gardening systems you’re able to get. However, if you’re on a budget, some of the options above will do just perfectly.
Other than the above, for professional usage, they’re green wall companies that specialize in creating these structures in commercial areas. If you want to choose this route, some companies you can consider are Botanical Designs, Livewall, and Greenwalls. All are based within the United States, and they have fantastic feedback on their green walls.
What to consider before choosing your vertical garden
If you’re considering investing in a vertical garden, you should consider some basic fundamentals before making the leap. To understand these better, you should think about reading the below.
Choosing your structure
First things first, you need to choose your structure wisely. The last thing you want to encounter is investing in a vertical gardening system that is too small or big for your designated location. Before finalizing the idea, you should measure your location more than once.
Something else you should think about is if it’s going to be permanent or not. You may want to opt-in for a different design or material from knowing this. If something is going to be permanent, you may want to invest in higher-quality material. This way, it’ll last much longer, and you won’t need to replace it in the foreseeable future.
Lastly, while choosing your structure, have a rough idea of what you want to plant in it. This way, you can provide yourself a rough estimate of how much room your plants need to grow. Allowing sufficient room for plant growth is very important, and failing to provide this could result in poor development.
The location
Once you’ve solidified the official structure, you need to think about your location. However, you’ve already identified this, which is excellent. But, you need to consider some other vital elements that aid plant growth. The main concern is sunlight, and you must ensure your plants are receiving enough of this, so they’re able to grow sufficiently.
I understand that not everyone can gain access to a good amount of sunlight each day. Therefore, you may want to opt-in for some shade-loving plants. This way, you’re still able to reek the benefits of a vertical garden, just without certain plants.
Something else you should think about is airflow. If you’re introducing a vertical garden inside, supplying enough airflow will ensure your plants don’t become stressed and die. Plants are like humans, and when there isn’t any airflow, they “sweat.” This goes on to block the pores and could result in them dying.
Plant types
As briefly mentioned above, you need to consider your plant types. This is because some plants grow in better conditions than others. For example, growing shade-loving plants in direct sunlight may cause them to become heat-stressed. If this occurs, they’ll wilt.
When thinking about plant types, you should think about easy-to-maintain species. I say this because you may struggle to easily gain access to it depending on your vertical garden location. If this occurs, the last thing you want is having to grab a ladder to water them. Instead of doing this, you should consider plants that are suitable for rainwater.
Maintenance
Following from the above topic and that’s maintenance. Of course, plants will need some care and attention to grow the way you want them to. Something you should think about before investing in a vertical gardening system should be how you will maintain them.
Ask yourself, are you able to gain easy access to them? If not, how? Will you install integrated watering systems and so on. By developing this type of understanding, you’re able to prepare for your vertical garden correctly.
While considering this, you need to also think about the type of system you’re going to invest in. For instance, if you purchase a fabric-made vertical system, watering can become messy. This is because the water will filter through the soil and then through the material. If you don’t want to experience this, you may want to purchase something that has good drainage abilities.
The development
Lastly, how are you going to make it look flawless? The best way to discover this is by developing a rough sketch on paper. This way, you can draw the different development processes depending on the plants you choose. If you’re happy with the result, you’re able to strive for what you’ve drawn.
Conclusion
As you can see from the above, vertical gardening systems aren’t as complicated as they may seem. After reading, I hope you’ve developed an idea of what this type of gardening entails and how you can implement one into your garden today.
Vertical gardening can be as cheap or expensive as you like. However, they all provide the same result, and that’s vertical hanging plants and more gardening yield. So, which vertical gardening will you be investing in? A DIY option, or a professionally made one?
