How to build a vertical vegetable garden frame
What is a vertical garden?
Before answering the question of how to build a DIY vertical vegetable garden frame, one needs to know what exactly a vertical garden is. In essence, vertical gardening is a method of growing plants by making use of vertical space as opposed to horizontal space whereby vegetable plants and flowers are grown up and off the ground.
The plants are held on a panel suspended vertically, which is a great way to make use of available space, whether that may be small spaces like an apartment balcony or a tiny garden, it is a popular option for vegetable gardening with limited space.
Advantages of a vertical garden
- Vertical gardens act as natural air filters: They help to create a clean and healthy environment that improves overall health and productivity. As humans are exposed to many toxins in the air, like benzene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde, vertical gardens absorb these harmful toxins and release oxygen into the air.
- Vertical vegetable gardens help reduce the cost of energy: Interior and exterior vertical gardens can help to cool the air during the summer months. Exterior vertical gardens, specifically, can help reduce the temperature of the wall surface by as much as fifty degrees. As a result, there is significant energy conservation and reduction of air conditioning costs thanks to these types of gardens.
- Vertical gardens help reduce the noise levels in a building because they act as a sound barrier in the building absorbing about forty percent more sound than other structures. This results in reduced noise of up to eight decibels.
- Reduces stress levels: Spending time outside, surrounded by nature, positively affects one’s mental health, and having a vertical garden provides one with all the positive effects of nature by being able to have this structure no matter how small one’s living space or garden is.
Are vertical vegetable gardens easy to maintain?
Vertical gardens are generally known to be easier to maintain than regular gardens. When looking at the physical aspects, working at eye level is easier than having to bend over in the garden. In terms of plant pests and diseases, because the plants are in containers, means that one will need to devote less time dedicated to fighting pests and diseases in the garden.
What vegetables can one grow in a vertical garden?
- Peas: All three types of peas such as snow peas, snap peas, and garden peas grow well vertically and don’t require any special type of support system. Pea plants have small, delicate tendrils that carry the vines upwards, gripping onto any support type.
- Green beans: Green beans are the most popular vegetable that one can grow vertically. Green beans, wax beans, and French filet beans grow vertically, climbing up any strong trellis that is created and some plants can reach 8-10 feet in height.
- Cucumbers: One of the greatest benefits of growing cucumbers vertically is that it makes it a lot easier to notice when they are ripe. When the vines grow on the ground, stretching out everywhere, it’s easy for the cucumber to hide under a leaf. This results in not noticing the ripe cucumber and being able to use it.
- Tomatoes: Indeterminate, or vining tomatoes, can be trained to grow up a vertical structure and they continue to grow from the tip of the plant around structures such as cages or poles.
- Pumpkins: Although large-scale pumpkins cannot be grown vertically, one can grow smaller varieties, such as baby pumpkins, on different support systems. This is where it is important to know exactly how to build a vertical vegetable garden frame, as one needs to make sure whatever vertical support is being used, is strong enough to handle the weight of the vegetable through its different stages of growth.
Other vegetables that grow well vertically in containers include:
- Peppers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sweet potato vines
- Carrots
- Radishes
- Garlic
- Leafy greens
- Microgreens
- Various herbs.
How to build a vertical vegetable garden frame step by step
Step 1: Gather materials and equipment
- An iron frame or garden rack.
- Wood consisting of:
- 4 to 6 pieces of approximately 10 x 5 x 5 cm in measurement to hold the garden rack from the wall.
- Planks to line the frame.
- A sheet of plastic.
- Jute cloth to hold the soil which should be the size of the garden rack, plus an extra 20 cm on the long sides.
- Paint that will be used to protect the wood against the weather.
- Screws, dowels, iron cramps, and small connection strips or corners
- Tools
Step 2: Preparing the wood
The wood for the frame should be painted to protect it against rain. If the wood is not painted, it may start to decay and the vertical garden frame will not be strong enough to support the vegetables.
The planks will be used to line the frame and make it more solid, allowing it to be able to hold the weight of the soil. Cut the planks to size to fit the frame and in the end, there will be three pieces. These pieces will consist of one short piece for the top of the frame, and two long ones for the sides.
The blocks, which will be approximately 10 x 5 x 5 cm in measurement, will be used to attach the frame to the wall. One will use the long sides for this attachment and thus will require long nails around 15 cm in measurement. One can drill a hole through the wood using a drill with a diameter slightly smaller than the screw before putting the screw through.
Step 3: Preparing the vertical vegetable garden rack
When preparing the garden rack, one can attach the three planks to the frame using the iron cramps. The frame can then be turned around and the planks can be attached at the top together, using connecting strips or corners.
Step 4: Preparing the wall for the vertical vegetable garden frame
The frame will be attached to the wall at 4 points such as the two top corners and about halfway down the middle on each side. One can use the frame to mark these spots, then drill holes and put the plugs in.
One can also drill two more holes in the bottom corners of the frame and make two more wooden blocks to attach the bottom of the frame to the wall. Useful to note is also the fact that one can protect the wall against the roots of the plants and against potential humidity getting into the wall by placing a piece of plastic sheet on the wall where the vertical garden will be attached.
Step 5: Attaching the jute cloth
One can take one of the wooden blocks along with the jute cloth and put the screw through the corner of the jute cloth, before screwing it into the plug placed in the wall during step 4.
This process can be repeated with the remaining wooden blocks. Although jute is not elastic, it is flexible enough to be pulled over the blocks when they are attached firmly to the wall.
Step 6: Securing the frame
When fixing the frame, one can put a screw through the planks at the places where the wooden blocks are, and use it to attach the frame to the wood blocks. After this, one can cut away the excess plastic sheet around the vertical garden.
Step 7: Time for soil and planting
Now that the vertical vegetable garden frame has been built successfully, the time for adding solid and plants is next. It is recommended to mix in plenty of compost to make the earth fertile and put water on the soil when halfway through to settle it.
When it comes to planting, one can use small seedlings, but not too small, and cut a small hole in the jute and put the plant in.
Vertical Vegetable Gardens for the Future
Gardening options are becoming re-envisioned to accommodate all styles of living environments, which makes the vertical garden such a popular option. With the clear benefits and advantages of this structure, one almost feels encouraged to look at gardening in a new light overall.
With space being a non-issue, anyone can take on the project of learning how to build a vertical vegetable garden frame, thereby allowing one to enjoy the benefits of this ever-so-popular gardening option and let the greens grow!