If you are keen to grow your own but do not have much space then do not give up entirely on the idea. Even with a tiny balcony or patio area you might be able to grow more than you ever thought possible. Vertical gardening is one way in which you can dramatically increase the yield in small spaces where there is little horizontal area. Vertical gardening is simply about taking measures to think and grow beyond the horizontal plane when it comes to garden planning. The sky is the limit when it comes to what is possible in small space gardening!
What Does Vertical Gardening Involve?
Vertical gardening can involve as much or as little effort as you like. You can grow crops to feed you and your family, or simply create a delightful low-maintenance display to soften the lines of your built environment. You can buy kits or panels to place on a wall or fence, or make your own vertical garden using wooden pallets or even recycled rubbish like plastic drinks bottles. With a little imagination you can even make a free-standing vertical garden – a tipi shape or pyramid could work – some people have used a stepladder or similar as a simple way to increase space and think beyond soil level. So no excuses – you can create a simple vertical garden to grow, for example, a wide range of salads and herbs even if you are living in rented accommodation. If you do have your own wall or fence you can enhance it and increase your growing space easily and without going to a lot of expense. If you do have a small garden, as well as using all available wall to grow things, you can increase the yield you can obtain in a small space by building trellises and supports up which plants like squash, pumpkins and beans can climb.
The Benefits of Vertical Gardening
If everyone thought about increasing green space and growing environment in every city, just think how much that would enhance our urban environments. Green walls on city buildings can help with pollution levels and can of course enhance the aesthetics of an area. They have also been shown to have a calming and positive effect on people living nearby.
Of course if crops are being grown then this adds a whole other dimension. Communities can benefit by gaining a new source of local food, while individuals who try vertical gardening at home can save money on their food bills, eat healthy food and gain the satisfaction of having done it themselves in next to no space. Vertical gardening can help feed our cities and be a big part of transitioning into a sustainable future.