Vertical Gardens are taking over the world!
I’m sure you have seen all kinds of trends in gardening that had you just a little more excited than normal. One of these trends that has me totally enchanted is the idea of growing things in a more vertical direction. Why does this thrill me so much? Good Question and the answer is one that I’m sure many of you will be able to relate to!
I have been gardening for years. Too many years to count! Each year that has gone by has been filled with flowers and vegetables that I like to grow. But, as the years have gone by, so has my mobility. Getting down to ground level is now more difficult than it has been in the past. So, what is a tried and true gardener supposed to do?
When you can no longer bend over easily, or get down on your knees to garden to your heart’s content, what do you do?
Well, one thing is certain, I can’t quit doing something that I love to do. I have been searching for ways to continue gardening even though my knees don’t like to bend. Arthritis has made it impossible for me to get down and dirty like I did many years ago. I’m not complaining, just looking for new ways to continue my passion for gardening.
Thank goodness, many growers have been looking into this problem as well. The result has been gardens that literally grow up! Vertical gardening has taken off like a rocket. Some of the vertical gardens I have chosen to show you here are absolutely wonderful, innovative and extremely environmentally friendly. What more could you want?
Let’s see what is available!
Just look at this array of vertical garden systems that are readily arranged to start you growing up. Each one has the benefit of taking up much less space than a full garden would. This would be excellent for apartment dwellers. All that is required is a balcony to set this up on and about 4 square feet.
Let’s Look at the Specifics
The Garden Tower 2 is a great option. Priced in the higher bracket, it comes with a 5-year guarantee. Not only is it a vertical tower of growing pockets, but it is also a composter. This unit will turn your scraps into fertilizer for the very plants you are growing in the tower. Dual use in the same space! With 50 pockets, you can plant vegetables and flowers together. Your tower planter can become your one stop shop for fresh vegetables, herbs, and lovely flowers too.
The 5 Tier Stackable Strawberry Planter is also a stackable vertical growing system. It measures 12 inches by 12 inches and 28 inches in height. The down side of this system seems to be that it is a little small for vegetables. It will work well for flowers and small herbs and strawberries. I don’t believe it is big enough for tomatoes. Depending on what you want to grow this vertical system may be enough for you.
Our next choice is the Large 5 Tier Vertical Garden Tower. Black in color, this one can be used as a regular planter or as a start up hydroponic garden. It comes with a center watering tube. This may or may not be enough for your needs. From the reviews, it seems that this one might be better with some holes drilled into the pockets so that watering will trickle down to the lower pots. No Base with this garden system, so that would be a separate purchase. It gets good review all around. Affordable and with larger pockets to grow plants in, this one may be better for vegetables.
I like to give you lots of options, so have included this wooden tower for vertical planting as well. The Earth Tower Vertical Garden does not get as many good reviews. Many complained about the difficulty in putting this together. For those of you who don’t like using plastics, this would be another option. I’m not sure that it would be a good option, though. Please check out the reviews for yourself and make your decision based on your own thoughts and feelings.
Mr. Stacky is another Vertical Gardening Option. It stacks 5 high and is about 38 inches tall. It will grow 20 plants in its pockets and is good for strawberries, herbs, and smaller vegetables. Watering the top pot is all that is required as the water will trickle down to the lower levels. This unit does not have a catch pan or a way to rotate the unit. When this is full of plants and soil, it would become a consideration because it will become very heavy. It’s not big enough for tomatoes and larger vegetables, though.
Another Mr. Stacky product in terra cotta. Quite a bit larger than the previous Vertical Garden. This one will allow the successful growing of some vegetables. 24 pockets allow you to mix your preferences. 18 inches in diameter and over 7 ft tall. The down side is that this also does not have a catch tray or wheels to allow you to turn the planter. These are both important requirements, especially if you are growing on a balcony.
Vertical Hydroponic DIY 4 Tower Garden System This is another vertical gardening system that is made for outdoor use only. Truly a hydroponic system with pumps and its own irrigation system. It gets rave reviews from verified buyers that seem to be very pleased with their purchase. I think if you have the outdoor space for this setup, it would be a good one. I have not purchased this for myself but I can fully understand how this would be a game changer for many people who don’t want to garden down low. Do check out what comes with this kit and make an informed decision.
I have included some Red Wiggler Worms! Why? Well, let me tell you that after all the research I have done for myself I know which Vertical Gardening Set up is going to work for my own personal needs and the red wiggler worms are going to be an important part of that setup. These worms are the best workers anyone could ask for in a composting situation. They will eat food scraps faster than you can deliver them. The resulting fertilizer that they make is the best natural fertilizers you could use in your garden set-up. These worms will work overtime in a compost heap too. They should be an important part of any gardener’s tools. Nature sometimes really does help us out.
Conclusion
Gardening is a hobby that many people love. It is relaxing and can result in some wonderful meals to share with your family. Fresh fruits and vegetables from your own garden allow you to fully enjoy the whole process of growing and then eating. Don’t let a lack of mobility hinder your gardening efforts. Fresh tomatoes from your own garden are just the best you will ever taste. Make use of your vertical space and garden in a whole new way. There are many vertical gardening supplies available and I have tried to show you several here. Do some research for yourself and pick the one that suits you best. This is going to be my choice….
I’ve been considering something like this, but I’ll have to wait until we can afford it. I would prefer one the handles larger plants like peppers and tomatoes. I also like the composting feature. I definitely need a composter, since our compost pile is at the other house and Hubby takes our garbage here over there and basically dumps it on top. I never see the compost because I can no longer turn the pile and it’s not much fun to transport in our cars.
I hear you Barbara, I have the same issues. We are moving to an apartment building. My composter will stay at my house, where my son and his future wife will be living….so I will be transporting compostables too. Unless I can get one of these with the composter in the middle and all the growing pockets. Apparently, this one will take the larger plants, but it is pricey.
3706 White Pine Road Apt. E
320 Hat Court
San Pablo Dam Road
Thanks Rose.
Thanks, I have always wanted to try this!
It is very doable Andria and not too cost prohibitive. For herbs and small flowers, it would be perfect. The larger ones will take tomatoes and peppers too!
Vertical gardening is something I have never intentionally done, but your comments about getting down to ground level certainly struck cord in my old body. What a wonderful suggestion! I think I will start thinking this year of bringing my gardens up to me instead of my bending to them.
I am definitely going to be doing this. I cannot bend down anymore and I get so frustrated with how the garden looks because I can`t do what I would normally have done. The garden no longer is an enjoyment for me, rather it is a lesson in frustration. So I know I need a better way. I will be moving to an apartment too, so that makes the vertical gardening a must do! Let`s try and see how it works for both of us. I`m sure our backs will thank us.
I especially like the idea of using one of these vertical gardening systems for herbs. How beautiful, not to mention convenient, that would be!
Susan, this tower or any of the towers would be perfect for a herb garden. They are quite reasonable in price and all of your herbs would be in one convenient place, no bending down to harvest them…..Snip, snip and you have what you need.
Thanks for your visit.
Would tomatoes grow in a vertical gardening system on a small apartment deck with very little sunshine due to a roof overhang? I’d love to have fresh tomatoes all season, but no place to garden.
Pat, what direction does your balcony face? It will depend of course on that. If you are facing northwards it might be difficult, but I would say to give this a try anyways. The ambient light will always get to the plants. The new apartment we are moving to has an overhang as well, I think watering daily will be the bigger problem rather than the light. Some of these vertical planters are not too expensive, I would give it a try and see. Gardeners are always pushing the envelope in the hopes fo growing something someone says they can’t possibly grow in their particular circumstances.