Introduction

Now a days vertical gardening has gained lots of traction. In urban or populated areas where space is limited, vertical gardening allows people to grow plants upwards rather than outwards. This makes it feasible to garden in small apartments, balconies, rooftops or even indoors, maximizing use of available space. They also serve as decorative elements, enhancing the visual appeal of the space. It has environmental benefits like reduced heat and air pollution as well as promotes homegrown produce and sustainability.

To get Started

Firstly, you are going to need a location which can be either indoor in a wall or a corner or outdoor on a balcony. You need to choose the plants that are well suited to vertical gardening like plants having a shallow root system and compact growth habits. Popular choices include herbs, leafy vegetables, strawberries, etc. Then you need to choose support or framework which can be vertical towers with multiple slots or even a vertical surface where plants are grown directly. You will need a soil or soilless growing medium as well as a well established irrigation system. If your location has limited natural light then you might opt for artificial grow lights.

Challenges

Many challenges also present themselves and it might be tricky to tackle or prevent them from happening. Plants in vertical gardens may compete for light, especially those positioned on lower levels. Ensuring adequate light penetration throughout the structure can be challenging. Water distribution can also be uneven, leading to overwatering or under watering in certain areas. Similar to water, nutrients must be evenly distributed across all levels of the vertical garden which can be challenging for plants positioned higher up. Vertical gardens can be more susceptible to pests and diseases, especially if plants are closely packed together. Not all plants thrive in vertical environments hence plant selection is also important.

Conclusion

All the challenges can be easily tackled by learning more about vertical gardening. Courses in this domain teaches all sorts of basic as well as advanced stuff useful for constructing and maintaining your own vertical garden. You can also checkout our 3 day course on the topic of Vertical Roof Gardening which helps you to cultivate a garden with a view!