Especially among the urban community, vertical gardening has gained a mountain of traction over the recent past, thanks to its many advantages. Growing vertically not only saves space, but also allows you to grow literally any crop anywhere in your home, from the exterior to the balcony, your deck, and even the basement.
And it gets more exciting!
Vertical growing also allows immense versatility, as you can grow your plants in various kinds of containers, from planters to grow beds, pots, hanging baskets, and more. If you’re cultivating climbers, you can also use a trellis, facade, arches, teepees, or obelisks as support systems.
If you’re not yet using vertical growers for your plants, read on for five convincing reasons to try it out, and how to make it work.
5 Reasons to Try Vertical Growing
1. You Can Grow More in Little Space
One of the biggest perks of using vertical growers is that it allows you to maximize your growing space. This is because your plants grow upward rather than sprawling to the sides of the ground. Indoors or outdoors, you can also have several layers or rows of growing containers running horizontally on top of each other.
This way, you can make the most out of your vertical space. Growing vertically also expands your options in terms of the varieties of plants you can have in your garden.
2. Allows Easy Accessibility and Maintenance
In addition to the space you save, growing your plants off the ground also makes them easier to access. Maintenance tasks such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, and harvesting becomes easier and faster when using vertical growers. This is not to forget that you won’t have to worry about issues like ground-based pests, diseases, rotting, and other issues like weeds when growing vertically.
3. Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal
Besides being among the best ways to create a stunning garden in a small space, vertical gardening growers are also a great way to add some oomph to your existing garden space. With some creativity, the growing structures and support systems can be designed to add visual interest to any space. They can even help to conceal unsightly areas, add privacy, or even create a secret spot in your yard.
4. Healthier Plants
In most cases, vertical growers are portable. This means that you can always move them around or adjust their position so the plants get adequate sunlight and other fundamental needs. Vertical growers also allow better drainage as well as air circulation around the plants, which can improve their overall health and maximize their yield.
Lastly, vertical growers can help to prevent pests and diseases from spreading, as they are more difficult for most pests and diseases to access when off-the-ground.
5. Versatility
Lastly, there are numerous ways to use vertical growers depending on what you want to grow, where, and how. This gardening option provides more versatility compared to traditional gardening methods. When designing a vertical garden, only your imagination will limit you.
Success Tips for Using Vertical Growers
1. Ensure the Grower Is Large Enough To Accommodate Your Plants
Vertical growers can be as small as your palm’s length in diameter/width, or as wide as your space can allow. It’s important to pick the right size of the container based on the types, sizes, heights, and number of plants you intend to grow in it. Don’t forget to use the right support systems where possible, especially for climbers.
2. Water Your Plants Regularly and Fertilize Them As Needed
This one goes without saying. While vertical growing allows you to conserve water, don’t forget to water your plants and fertilize them as frequently as needed for healthy growth.
3. Provide Adequate Ventilation
Especially if you’re growing your garden in the basement, you might want to ensure proper ventilation. This helps prevent mold and mildew from growing while maintaining safe temperature levels for plants.
4. Use Specialist Grow Lights to Promote Plant Growth
Lighting can make or break the success of any gardening project. And for your plants to achieve healthy growth, they need to receive adequate levels of sunlight to allow photosynthesis.
If your vertical growers are located indoors or the gardening space doesn’t receive enough natural light, consider installing LED grow light bars around your growers. Specialized types are designed to provide optimized broad-spectrum light that maximizes photosynthesis and plant growth while also improving your garden’s visibility.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Plants and Prune Them as Needed
Lastly, don’t forget to inspect your vertically-growing plants regularly, and do some pruning if need be. You don’t want them to become overcrowded, as this can reduce ventilation and leave your garden looking unsightly.
Indeed, there are many reasons to consider growing your plants in vertical growers. At the very least, it’s beautiful, versatile, space-saving, exciting, and convenient. You can also maximize your crop yield using some of the vertical growing tips mentioned above.
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