If you’ve been thinking about building an indoor vertical garden then we’ve got some good news for you – it’s not that hard to reap the benefits of such a garden and you don’t have to spend a fortune or have a huge amount of previous gardening experience to make it work.
What you do need is our indoor vertical garden guide.
Why Build A Vertical Garden?
The joy of a vertical garden is that it takes up very little space and can be really useful for softening up the living space you are in whilst the plants clean the air and you can grow tasty things to eat or nice things to look at and occasionally both at once.
They can also provide an extra layer of insulation for your home which can help keep your heating bills down in the winter. Finally, there’s something quite therapeutic about being able to grow things and produce life with just your hands, some seeds and the soil – it’s a way to connect spiritually with the world around you.
What To Grow In An Indoor Vertical Garden?
People typically grow three types of plants in their indoor gardens:
- Edible plants. We think most people with these gardens like to opt for growing something tasty to complement their dinner table. Herbs are very easy to grow like this and you can even get away with growing lettuces with a little planning. Why not make your garden give something back?
- Air plants (tillandsia). In essence, these are plants that seem to live on just air. They do need watering occasionally but otherwise; they need almost no tending whatsoever. If you want greenery but no hassle – these are your best bet.
- Air purifying plants. All plants will, to some extent, take in carbon dioxide and push back out some oxygen but some are better than others at this and you may want peace lilies or philodendrons if air quality is your preference.
Where To Put Your Indoor Vertical Garden?
The most important thing to consider when you plant a vertical garden is where to put it. Too much sun? Everything dies from drying out. Not enough? Everything dies because it can’t photosynthesize properly – so you want something with “half exposure” so that your plants can thrive.
Choose Your Planters Wisely
It doesn’t really matter what planters are made out of but it does matter what they look like. If you’re growing things in your own living space, you want them to enhance that space not ruin it. So, go with something that makes you feel good, glass bottles, bamboo holders, wooden pallets, etc. are all fine.
Prepare The Planters
You must, however, ensure that once you have your planters that you prepare them effectively before you start the business of planting things. We recommend that you invest in potting soil rather than regular soil because it tends to keep moist more easily and is less likely to dry out indoors and kill the plants.
You should also plant things horizontally and allow them to establish roots before you move anything into a vertical position or it may just end up falling out as its weight pulls it out of the soil.
Make Sure You’ve Got The Irrigation Sorted
You will need to find out about the specific needs of the plants that you have placed because they may need some specifics when it comes to irrigation. While there are plenty of species that may be fine with just the occasional wave of a watering can (air plants, for example, won’t struggle with this) there are others than need rather more water.
If you find that the plants need a lot of water, you may need to investigate the purchase of a drop watering irrigation system that allows them to draw the water they need whether you are around or not.
Final Thoughts On Indoor Vertical Gardens
Growing a vertical garden isn’t as hard as you might think it would be but one thing that is absolutely essential when it comes to these types of garden is that you will need to give them regular maintenance in order for them to survive.
You need to clear out any dead foliage, make sure there are no pests or diseases affecting the plants, remove any dead plants and replace them with new ones, if you have an irrigation system then you will need to clean the pumps and you need to offer fertilizer (plant food) on a regular basis too. It’s not hard to do but you can’t neglect it.
As long as you do the work though, your vertical garden should be a source of constant joy no matter where you live.
