In vertical gardening, vegetables are grown up and down rather than side to side as in a traditional horizontal garden.Vegetables grow up tall structures in a vertical garden.For gardeners with limited space, vertical gardening is an alternative.You can obstruct undesirable views and create an area of architectural interest through vertical gardening.These tips can be used to grow vegetables.
Step 1: Determine the location of the garden.
The vertical garden requires at least 6 hours of sun, so choose a sunny location.A sunny balcony is a possibility if you live in an apartment building.A south-facing wall of your house is a good location for a sunny yard.
Step 2: Select structures that are vertical.
Plants need a vertical support system in order to grow vertically.Support structures include walls, pyramids, wire cages and tripods.Arches and arbors can be used to support vegetables.Vertical gardening can be done with almost any structure that points toward the sky.Consider bamboo poles, tree branches, ladders, and corn stalks.Pick a structure that is strong enough to support the vegetables you want to grow.Plants that are mature can be heavy.tomato plants require very sturdy vertical structures, while peas can climb almost any structure without bearing much weight on it.Before planting vegetables, place the support system in your garden or patio.You won't be able to damage plants.There are vertical supports on the north or east side of the garden that won't block the sun from growing vegetables.The support system needs to be secured.There are wire cages that can be staked directly in the ground.Flat vertical supports can be attached to the exterior wall of a home.If you attach a vertical support to a wall, leave space between the wall and the trellis for air circulation as the plant climbs.
Step 3: The soil needs to be prepared.
Whether you plant vegetables in the ground or in containers, soil quality is important.Use compost-rich soil that is weed-free.Peat moss or perlite can be mixed with the soil to encourage proper drainage.
Step 4: The containers should be chosen as applicable.
Vegetables can be grown in almost any type of container.The container needs to be deep enough to hold the type of vegetable you are growing.Bigger and heavier vegetables need larger containers.Consider hanging baskets, urns, window boxes, washtubs and coffee cans.If the container doesn't have drainage holes, you should fill it with soil by drilling small holes on the bottom.
Step 5: Vegetables can be grown vertically.
Vegetables can be grown vertically if the container is deep enough to hold the plant and the vertical staking is strong.Evaluate your garden.Choose vegetables that will grow well in your garden based on its lights, wind, heat and humidity.Water the containers daily if you are growing vegetables in them.When applicable, plant the "vine" varieties.The vine variety will climb vertically, instead of the bush variety, if you are growing beans, cucumbers, squash, or beans.
Step 6: Pick vegetables to grow.
Several types of vegetables are known for their success in vertical gardens.If you are just starting out in gardening, consider these vegetables.Pole beans can be grown vertically.Pole beans climb almost any structure.The corn provided a vertical support for the beans, so the Native Americans planted them together.Peas are grown in a garden.Like pole beans, peas will climb almost any structure and need little encouragement to twine around vertical supports.Peas can be grown on bamboo sticks or over an arbor.Squash and pumpkins can be grown vertically.Winter squash and gourds have vines that can grow up to 25 feet in length.The vines grow so long and heavy that you have to provide a sturdy, secure vertical support.To provide extra support to heavy winter squash, such as butternut, wrap twine cloth or strips of pantyhose around each fruit and tie to the vertical supporting structure.The squash may be cut into the stems if string is used to support it.There are garden centers that sell materials for large vegetables.Pumpkins and melons can be grown in a vertical garden.melons and pumpkins are similar to winter squash in that they have long vines and need additional support when growing vertically.Grow pumpkins and melons up high in the air.Wrap the melons and pumpkins with old sheets, rags, towels or fabric scraps and secure them to the fence to provide needed support.Cucumbers are grown vertically.Cucumbers are ideal for a vertical garden because they naturally climb.They can be grown up almost any structure, but it must be strong enough to support the weight of the vines.Cucumbers need a little encouragement to attach themselves to the vertical structure, but once the tendrils wind around the support, they will climb vertically.Cucumbers are easy to harvest because they hang vertically from the plant.Tomatoes can be grown in a garden.Tomatoes are heavy plants and need a sturdy vertical structure.As the tomato plants grow, tie the branches to the structure with a soft twine or cotton cloth at regular intervals.