Vertical Gardening: The Vertical Gardening Kit For Success

By: Gardening Made Easy

A garden is a wonderful addition to a home. Plants located inside or out bring color, fun, and interactivity, as well as tangible consumables. Whether it is a fruit garden, flower garden, vegetable garden, or all three combined, these gardens can produce something visually appealing to the eye and appetizing to the stomach. A garden can also be a source of economic savings, producing goods that can be used in meals and decorations in the home which do not have to be purchased from an outside source. Sometimes, though, it is simply not possible to find the space necessary in order to craft a garden of substantial enough size. If this is the case, vertical gardening can be a wonderful resource to utilize. A growing trend in landscaping and gardening, vertical gardening uses a unique approach to the process. Rather than going horizontal with gardening planning, vertical gardening goes up. If looking to learn more or making plans to get started on a vertical garden, the following includes the benefits of gardening in this style and the many great results that you may find when starting your own.

Benefit 1: Space Saving

One of the best things about vertical gardens, and the one most easily understood and known, is the space that these gardens save. Rather than expanding outward, plants are grown upward in tubes or pots that control their growing patterns. The use of vertical planters is great for those that do not have a lot of space or land for a traditional approach or methodology to growing. As such, this space saving is one of the top reasons, and benefits, of why people choose vertical gardening over the other types of gardening that is available.

Benefit 2: Versatility

Not only does vertical gardening save space, but it also allows for versatility in where the plants can be grown. Many times, those who own an apartment or townhouse assume that gardening is something that will have to wait until they own or rent a piece of land. Those with land, too, may believe that a garden would be too destructive to the ground or take up too much of a limited space. For that reason, vertical gardens are versatile in that they can be grown in very limited space. Not only will they save room, but they will allow access to gardening for those who never thought or knew it possible.

Benefit 3: Plants Of A Wide Variety Can Be Grown

Just because the space required is smaller does not mean that there are not great options for the types of plants that can be grown. Vertical gardens include tomatoes, beans, flowers and other plant options that many traditional gardens promote growth of. For that reason, they should not be looked at as a limiting option in anything other than the direction of growth. Of course, there will be plants that cannot be grown in this particular setting but such is the case with any garden. There are environmental, climate, and soil variations that can determine what may be grown in any controlled cultivation setting. However, vertical gardening still offers access to a plethora of plants and that is another benefit of choosing this method of growth. The only difference is that in vertical gardening, plant growth must be encouraged to go vertical rather than outward. This is done by choosing vertical planters and pots, which will be explained in more depth later, instead of the free outward growth of traditional gardening methods.

Benefit 4: Less Maintenance

Because vertical gardening takes place in smaller plots of soil and in a smaller ground space, the maintenance on these gardens is much less. In traditional gardening methods, the ground must be tilled in rows with a vast amount of space between them in order to allow the roots to take hold unencumbered. Because the soil space is larger, the water that is often used to hydrate the plants evenly is absorbed into the ground where there is no actual plant growth. For that reason, the ground becomes drier quicker and must be watered more often. This is not the case with vertical gardening that does not require these large expanses of land. Further, the beds that are being prepared for vertical gardening are much smaller. Not only does this mean less work with the soil but it also means that fewer supplies will needed to be applied as often. Just as with water, fertilizers, plant food, and other enhancers of growth will not have to be applied as often or in the amount that is required with traditional gardening methods. This is a great way to reduce labor and maintenance and makes vertical gardening less labor intensive.

Benefit 5: Greater Results For Less work

Though the soil and expanse of area is smaller in vertical gardening, the actual yield can be much greater. Certain plants thrive in a vertical setting when compared to growing outward in a bush format. Beans, for example, will produce their yield all the way up a stock, meaning that the more vertical, the more beans. This occurs with many different varieties of plants that rely on the vertical structures for fruit growth rather than the outward reaching branches and leaves.  Less effort with a greater yield makes vertical growing more efficient and provides the vertical gardener with the opportunity to do less work for greater results.

Benefit 6: Safer on the Body

The act of gardening in the traditional setting requires much work and effort. There is a great deal of bending to pick fruits and vegetables out of the ground or off the bush. There is also the necessary labor of digging and scraping the soil, preparing it for the right setting of growth. When vertical gardening is chosen instead, a worker is able to avoid much of this labor. They will not have to do the bending to pick the objects off of the plant nor will they be required to dig large expanses of land in order to prepare the soil for growth. This does more than just save time and energy. It also protects the body from aches and pains. The movements of digging soil in a traditional, horizontal garden directly in the soil and covering a large area can be repetitive. Such repetitive movements can damage the muscles of the body and cause the aforementioned discomfort. Further, traditional gardening requires a great deal of bending. Bending has the potential to strain the muscles of the back and cause pain, especially in the lower back region. For that reason, vertical gardening can be less harmful to the body.

Benefit 7: Less Pests

A top reason as to why vertical gardens are so enjoyed is that they attract less bugs, creepy crawlers, and other pests than a traditional garden does. One of the reasons that this occurs is because of the growing method. Not only do the plants grow upward, but they are grown in an enclosed or partially guided container that blocks access. Literally, pests that would feed on the plant or want access to it for growth and inhabitance cannot get in. They are blocked from touching the plant, moving into the plant, and beginning to procreate on it. This means not only that the pests will not have access and you will not be bothered by the annoyances that they can create, but also that  there is less maintenance required in tending to the removal of them. There will be less need for plant pesticides, an environmental and fiscal benefit as well.

Benefit 8: Less Chemicals Needed

Vertical gardening requires less fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticide in order for growth to occur. This is wonderful in that it not only means less purchasing before growing but also that less chemicals are used on the plants. In an age where chemical usage on the foods that are consumed has been linked to sickness and health problems, minimizing their application to plants can be a great way to protect the internal health of the body. Further, by not applying them to the plants, chemicals are not being released into the atmosphere as well. Where in traditional gardens where multiple chemicals are used via products, not only will plants and grounds be soaked in these potentially harmful chemicals, but the air can be filled with them as well. For that reason, limiting their environmental presence in all forms is better for the body of the gardener and those living around the plants as well.

Benefit 9: Cleaner Water

As aforementioned, less chemicals are used in caring for the plants that are grown vertically when compared with those grown in a traditional garden which puts less chemicals in the space and air near the plants. The environmental benefits of using fewer chemicals on the plants do not stop at the ground’s or property’s edge. When traditional gardens are created and maintained using chemicals, these substances seep into the ground. When it rains or when there is mobility in the soil, these chemicals often find their way into the water table. As a result, traditional gardening can greatly impact the health and safety of a larger water supply. This means that not only can an environmental harm be done to the area in which the garden is itself, and the people living in direct contact, but also to the larger population. Even small traces of the wrong chemical consumed via water can have an impact on the health of the body and vertical gardening limits and restrains this potential risk.

Benefit 10: Higher Quality Air

Vertical gardening does not just mean that the water supply is saved from chemicals. It also benefits the air quality as well. Vertical plants grow, obviously, upward. This extends them higher into the air and near where people breathe. This means that individuals nearby can benefit from an increase in the air quality. Plants work by removing carbon dioxide from the air and pushing cleaner, better oxygen out. This increases the breathability of the air and creates an oxygen-rich environment. Further, plants of all sizes and types can help to block and filter pollutants as well. Their natural structures and processes of photosynthesis remove harmful toxins and absorb them and push the aforementioned healthier air out. This means that the overall air quality is better both in the amount of oxygen content and the number of pollutants in it. As such, vertical gardening is great for use in a high pollutant area like a city or metropolitan area that sees a great deal of environmental disruption based on the smog and pollution that result in these environments. Because they can be grown on porches and balcony areas, they are a top choice in gardening for those living in these busier areas and are encouraged in order to improve the quality of air.

Benefit 11: Insulation

Cooling a home can be very expensive. Utilities cost money and in the summer months, electricity usage due to combating the heat of the environment increase dramatically. Vertical plants outside of the home do not just look pretty and create a better appearance, though this is great. They also help to create a greater insulation and barrier from the sun’s rays. By strategically placing these plants outside of the home, an individual can save money, cost, and energy that would have been put into cooling the small space such as with porch ceiling fans or other outer cooling devices. The benefits of these plants as insulators varies based upon the amount of space in which they are utilized outside of the home and the overall number. Even a few plants, though, strategically placed can have a great benefit on home cooling costs. Placed in the home, too, this result can be seen. If there is a particular room that sees a great amount of sunlight or heat development in the summer, a few plants can cool the room because of their lack of penetration by the sun. A plant does not reflect the sun’s rays, and thus the heat is not dispersed through the room but literally dies in its path. This can lower the cooling costs and utilities of an individual, too.

Benefit 12: Saves Money

As aforementioned, many of the benefits of vertical garden not only helps the environment and the gardener, but they can also help the pocketbook as well. Vertical gardening requires less effort in tending because the space is smaller. A smaller space means that fewer supplies are required for creating an inhabitable environment for plant growth. As a result, there are less tools that need to be purchased and also fewer pesticides, fertilizers, and insecticides. The less supplies, the less money spent and that makes this an economical option for those looking to achieve a sufficient garden without having to waste money in doing so. Further, as plants grow fruits and vegetables that may be used for eating, this can cut on grocery bills as well. Rather than having to buy tomatoes for a salad, a gardener can simply walk out onto their balcony or porch and choose a ripe one off the plant. With food costs rising, a few plants growing a variety of foods can decrease the amount of money that has to be spent on groceries and this is a great and tangible benefit that vertical gardeners love seeing materialize.

Benefit 13: Lessons and Fun

Finally, a benefit of choosing a vertical garden is that it can be great at teaching lessons, just as with traditional gardening. A vertical garden will require patience and responsibility in order to make sure that the plants grow in the best possible way. Nothing can be rushed in this process. It simply has to occur naturally. For that reason, individuals of all ages can enjoy the process of learning to tend a garden and the thrill of seeing it grow and bloom over time. As such, the lessons that are learned and taught can be great for younger children and gardeners. Children, no matter what the space, can have fun learning about the gardening process and the necessary care that is required. Because there is less complicated equipment and no chemicals truly required for growth, these lessons can be taught in a safe environment as well.

More Benefits You Will Discover

Though a large list, these are just some of the benefits of vertical garden that you will find. There are others to discover along the way. Whether gardening alone simply for the pleasure and hobby, utilizing gardening as a bonding experience with a family member or child, or trying to save money in the world of rising food costs, vertical gardening has an endless supply of both physical benefits and emotional rewards. The process is fun, engaging, and educational, too.  It is for this reason, and all of the reasons expounded upon above, that this trend in gardening continues to grow and is expected to in the future.

Table of Contents

Vertical Gardening: The Vertical Gardening Kit For Success

Benefit 1: Space Saving

Benefit 2: Versatility

Benefit 3: Plants Of A Wide Variety Can Be Grown

Benefit 4: Less Maintenance

Benefit 5: Greater Results For Less work

Benefit 6: Safer on the Body

Benefit 7: Less Pests

Benefit 8: Less Chemicals Needed

Benefit 9: Cleaner Water

Benefit 10: Higher Quality Air

Benefit 11: Insulation

Benefit 12: Saves Money

Benefit 13: Lessons and Fun

More Benefits You Will Discover