Plant a Vertical Vegetable Garden
Growing a vertical vegetable garden is a great way to make the most of limited space and have your kitchen always be well-stocked with fresh vegetables. In a vertical vegetable garden, plants are supported by props that come in various designs and are relatively inexpensive. Picking the right location is key when creating a vertical vegetable garden, as it needs to get at least six hours of sun exposure daily and the plants must have a good supply of water. Trees and shrubs that consume high amounts of water should be far away from the garden.
If you plan on using containers for your vegetable garden, it’s important to remember that the soil should be changed annually to ensure it has the right texture and pH for the growing plants. To price this further, consider adding compost and mulch. When it comes to what types of structures you want to use, you can go with permanent options like trellises and arbors, or you can use something you can dismantle after the season, like bamboo stake tepees.
No matter which options you choose, it’s important to plan it out on paper first so that you can mark out the area and make sure there’s enough space to work and accommodate the structure. Depending on the type of structure you’re getting, it can be purchased already assembled or you can assemble it yourself – like when nailing chicken wire around wooden posts secured in the ground or nailing lattice sheets onto wooden posts. For twine, you’ll need to attach it to a stable support such as a garden shed or the garage. To make it easier to move around in the garden, you can lay down old bricks or gravel to create paths.
Once your structure is in place, it’s time to plant the vegetable seeds in shallow holes with plenty of space between each one. Three seeds should be planted per hole, then the healthiest will be chosen once it’s germinated and the remaining two removed. Water the soil as you go, and later on use twine to anchor the plants to the trellis in order to train them to grow upward – as twine is soft and doesn’t eat into the stems.
To retain soil moisture, mulch around the plants and make sure to give them at least a good watering once a day. Fertilizers and manure of the right composition for vegetables should also be added in order for them to receive the nutrients they need for growth. Once the crops are fully matured it’s time to harvest the vegetables, and you can start the cycle again by planting new seeds.
