Plants Ideal for Vertical Gardening

We have discussed about vertical gardening in our earlier article. Here we will mention some plants which make the perfect choice for vertical gardening. These plants are some of the best which grows pretty well in vertical gardening. If you have any other plants which you think can grow well in vertical gardening please mention here. As per our choice these plants are:

Beans: 

The bush form of beans does not grow well in vertical gardening. So if you are planning to do a vertical gardening with beans, choose the pole variety. Its harvest can go for several months.  You can also provide horizontal support for them. If used properly you can prepare visually attractive structures by using bean plants.   

 

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are a very good option for practising vertical gardening. As discussed in tomato growing tips, tomatoes require   

support such as wire cages, for growing. Cherry tomatoes are also good for growing in vertical garden. These creepers use vines which makes them ideal for growing against a wall. Just choose a place where you receive full sunlight at least for six hours.

Here are some tomato cages. You can buy them from amazon.

Cucumbers:

There are several varieties of cucumbers available in the market. Most of the varieties grow well in vertical garden. You need a strong trellis for holding the plant, as when the fruit grows larger, the pressure on the trellis will be much more than some other plants like peas or beans. Most of the time, they grow upright. Providing net or fencing material can be good choice for providing support to the plant.

 

Peas:

Choose the variety that grows vertically well. Peas are generally cool weather crop. As the fruit size is not heavy and plant tendrils are shorter in length, you can provide nets as trellis. Some varieties grow very high (such as 6 ft), so provide the trellis accordingly.

Squash:  

Generally in gardens, squash are grown along the ground. This is not a problem if you have a lot of space for gardening, but in case like most of the urban gardeners you lack space, vertical gardening can be a good choice for growing squash. It will save a lot of space and will allow the light to reach every part of the fruit. It helps to prevent the fruit from rotting and also prevent diseases which cause due to lack of proper flow of air (like mildew). Just keep in mind these fruits become very large in size so provide proper strong trellis of fencing structure for support.

Strawberry:

Strawberries do not have deep root system. So they need additional support and hold on to vertical spaces for growth. This makes them ideal for vertical gardening. You can even grow them in side a PVC pipe.

Check out this interesting article Why you should always grow strawberries in coconut coir?

There are several other option plants which you can grow in vertical gardens. Which plant do you prefer to grow share it with us.  


Dont forget to read: 
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Beans Growing An Ideal Vegetable For The Starters

It’s never late to start gardening. And if you are a starter growing beans is a very good option. Beans belong to the legume family. They are one of the few easiest vegetables to grow (Check out the entire list here). Some of the beans are grown for the seeds whereas some of them are grown for their pods (green beans) which can be served as vegetables. Here we will use the term beans to mean green beans in general.

Ideal temperature of growing beans lies around 70 to 80 deg F. Put them in a place where you will receive at
least 6 hours of sunlight. Mix some coconut coir or perlite along with the soil to increase its water retention and drainage capacity. Add a generous amount of compost with the soil before sowing the seeds. Being a member of the legume family, they will produce their own nitrogen. So while deciding on the composting ingredient you don’t need to add much of the ingredients which are very rich in nitrogen. You can find the list of minerals or plant nutrients in this article.

The seeds are generally bigger in size than many vegetables. Ensure the seed is entirely covered (sow them one inch deep in the soil) by the soil. The best way is to keep at least 3 to 6 inch gap between two plants, to ensure proper growth.

They are very fast growing plant. You can choose either the pole or the bush variety. Though the earlier one takes more time to mature it produce much more yield than the later. Bush variety is also self sufficient i.e. they don’t require any outside support. But in case the area is too windy, it is always recommended that you give them something to hold on to. If you are planning to grow pole variety then you have no choice but to give them trellis.

Depending on your variety of the beans germination time will differ. Generally the bush type will germinate within a week whereas for a pole variety it might take couple of weeks. Water deeply, at least once in a week (to know more about how to water a plant click here). You can also use mulch to reduce the water loss from the soil.

Harvesting of beans can be done everyday to encourage further fruit formation. The best time to pick them is when they are tender and before seeds become prominent. Pluck using your finger nails or scissors. You can eat them fresh or can incorporate in other dishes. You can also store them in refrigerators.


Are you growing Beans? Share your experience with us.

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Algae Competition The Future of Algae

A Global Challenge to Design Visionary Algae Food and Energy Systems

Landscape Designs • Production Systems • Food Development

"How will growing algae change the world and improve our lives?"

Participants represent projects in 40 countries and have submitted amazing entries. Visit the exhibits.

The Future of Algae video introduces twenty visionary entries in the Competition. Beginning with algae pond systems and photobioreactors today, this video looks into our future, exploring emerging themes, schemes and dreams in algae architecture and landscape design.

More info at:  http://www.algaecompetition.com/

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources special thanks to  Robert Henrikson and Mark Edwards

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