It’s critical to understand how wall gardening differs from regular gardening in order to grow plants successfully. Although you are doing it, I never considered gardening in pots or on the ground to be horizontal gardening. Although there are variances in slope, traditional gardening has typically been horizontal. Succulent plants are frequently found growing on cliffs, clinging to any soil they can find support in or growing in the cracks between rocks or on the brink of cliffs. They are a wonderful choice for vertical gardening due to their capacity to survive on little soil.
It is vital to choose the right kind of container for the plants being used and the structure the containers are being grown on in order to handle plants growing on a wall. I’ve decided to use two different types of containers for my vertical succulent planting. The first is a frame I created in the initial part of the 1980s. With a wire mesh front, the frame is constructed similarly to a picture frame.
This frame is intended for minor applications when each frame is not constructed to be larger than approximately 18 x 24. The frame gets uncomfortable and requires significant adjustment as you go over that size to prevent problems like soil droop. I’ve used this style of frame most frequently in the sizes 6×12, 12×12, 12×18, and 18×24. Each of these is roughly two depths. The challenge of elegantly filling a bigger wall space can be overcome by hanging a collection of these frames together. These low-tech frames lack watering systems, therefore in order to flatten each frame for watering, it is necessary to remove them from the wall or hang them on a hinge system. The frames can be altered to accommodate a drip system, especially given the variety of drip materials readily accessible today.
The other technique I employ is a 19.5×19.5×2.5 polycarbonate panel made specifically for vertical planting. This is a high-tech device that can be scaled to any desired size and is intended to receive drip. There are 45 slanted pockets on each panel, allowing water to flow from one pocket to the next. This design foresees some of the problems with large-scale vertical gardening. Uniform watering, soil slump, ease of mounting, and simplicity of removal are a few of the main problems.
When gardening with each of these categories of frames or systems, there are some contrasts and some parallels. A description of each system and how to utilize it, from planting through hanging and care, is provided below.
What types of succulents work best for vertical gardens?
Four succulents that are ideal for vertical gardens
- Hortum sempervivum.
- Derenbergia echeveria
- the arborescent crassula
- Sedum tinctorius.
How is a vertical garden frame constructed?
For gardeners who lack a lot of horizontal space, want to conceal an unsightly wall, or simply want something new, vertical gardens are an option.
We spoke with Philip Yates, owner of the Singer Hill Cafe in Oregon City and creator of the website The Vertical Garden Institute, for guidance on creating vertical gardens. Yates claims that in addition to using the book The Vertical Garden by Patrick Blanc, a botanist widely regarded as the founder of vertical gardens, as a guide, he also learned from making a lot of mistakes.
Select a wall to begin with. The wall you want to remodel is the one that is unattractive, according to Yates. The good news is that practically any wall will work, and you don’t need to worry about weight load unless you want to develop a really large vertical garden or grow trees.
It depends depend on the wall you select and how much sunlight it receives what plants you should choose. But if you want to experiment with a certain plant, pick a wall that will give it the ideal conditions for growth.
A vertical garden wall’s basic construction consists of a sandwich of three layers comprised of a frame, plastic sheeting, and cloth. Prior to hanging it, complete the entire setup. Although you can really attach it directly to a wall, Yates argues that it will be much simpler to remove if you build a frame to hang on the wall.
Yates constructs a frame out of 3/4-inch PVC tubing, elbows, and four-way joints. He discourages the use of metal (because to the added weight and cost) and wood (which needs to be pressure-treated to ward against moisture rot—you don’t want water getting caught between a wood wall and the frame’s plastic).
A plastic sheet should be fastened to the frame. The plastic supports the cloth layer and deflects water away from the wall. Yates employs sheets of expanded PVC. (Note: You’ll need to ventilate behind if you wish to do this on a wood wall.)
affix the cloth layer to the frame. Your plants will dwell in this substance, which will also serve as their water container. Yates adds that you can use almost anything that can hold onto water without decaying. He has utilized simple felt carpet padding.
A minimum of two layers of cloth are required. As if you were stretching canvas across a frame, fasten them to it directly using stainless steel staples and galvanized screws. You’re good to go as long as the cloth is tight and secure, without any buckling or creases. Simply fix it in some way such that it won’t come off and that it looks nice, advises Yates.
You’ll need an irrigation system that can supply moisture throughout the cloth layer to keep plants thriving on a vertical surface. One can be created using poly tubing and locking fittings (Yates uses Perma-Loc irrigation fittings). It resembles a tube that runs the length of your panel and has emitters at either end that drip water. Purchase them from an irrigation source for the best results.
A propagation timer that may be set for seconds rather than minutes is required, although you can purchase a regular valve and irrigation drippers. Depending on the weather and your specific configuration, you want a fast flow of water for 10 to 15 seconds three to six times per day. In order to keep the wall moist without overwatering the plants, attach an emitter every 2 to 3 inches along the top irrigation tube and experiment.
Utilizing stainless steel hardware, fasten the frame to the wall (to avoid rusting). If you anticipate wanting to take the frame down, hooks are excellent; otherwise, brackets screwed into the wall and the frame will also work.
Use an irrigation valve that distributes liquid fertilizer into the irrigation system along with a fertilizer injector, such as Add-It, to fertilize your wall. The irrigation system should then be connected to your water supply and hooked up. A cheap irrigation water filter, which is simple to use, is all you’ll need to filter the water.
Keep in mind that there will be some runoff; one solution is to create a flower bed beneath your vertical garden.
When selecting plants that you’ll leave outside all year, consider factors such as sun, shade, humidity, wind, and cold. Yates advises choosing plants for a colder zone than the one you reside in if you plan to leave the garden outside throughout the winter. For instance, zone 9 is Oregon City, yet Yates plants at least a 6 and typically in the range of 3 to 5.
You might want to consider storing a removable wall you’re constructing with evergreens over the winter, when the plants are dormant, in a cool, dry location.
Hostas, iberis, phlox, ferns, weigela, and even blueberries are a few plants that have thrived in Yates’s walls. He claims that native plants seem to perform better than nonnative ones.
Make a horizontal slit in the fabric with a razor blade to allow plants to be inserted into the top layer. To prevent root rot, remove as much soil as you can from the plant’s root ball and place it in a cut. Create a secure envelope by stapling the fabric to the plastic backing in a semicircle around the root ball using three to five stainless steel staples.
Yates claims that arranging your plantings is the fun part, and a vertical garden’s height opens up a lot of opportunities.
Select plants that will extend 2 to 3 feet from the wall and place them at the top of the garden so they can cast shade beneath the wall. But bear in mind that if you do this, you’ll need to plant shade-tolerant species underneath, like ferns. A plant that is 8 feet off the ground will also frequently droop, according to Yates. You’ll need to clip it back since while it creates a lovely waterfall impression, it also smothers whatever that is underneath.
It’s a good idea to plant in vertical stripes, with sun-loving flowers in one strip and green shade plants in the other. Yates advises getting “over their heads” if you want to accomplish this with the greatest impact and to make your friends and neighbors’ jaws drop. The plant they would often notice at their feet requires them to look up at it.
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How deep should a wall planter for succulents be?
In a straightforward wooden box with a depth of about two inches, numerous vertical succulent gardens are cultivated (5 cm.). The ideal box size should not exceed 18 inches by 24 inches (46 x 61 cm.). When hanging on a wall, larger sizes have a tendency to get out of control and lose soil or even plants.
Succulents may establish themselves in barely an inch (2.5 cm) of soil since their roots are typically shallow. To promote root growth, use rooting hormone or even a sprinkling of cinnamon. Several weeks should pass before watering.
Include a wire screen in the box to create a vertical garden from cuttings. This aids in keeping the soil and the plants in place. Push treated cuttings through the holes after working in the appropriate quick-draining soil and give them time to take root. Then simply hang it on the wall.
Once established, roots hold the soil in place. Give roots two to three months to establish. They should adjust to how much sun they will be exposed to while hanging during this period. Once vertical, the box can be mounted to a wall without the dirt spilling out. Combine numerous boxes to cover the wall completely or at your desired level.
To water the boxes, remove them. Although they require watering less frequently than conventional plants, succulents nevertheless require it occasionally. When it’s time to water, the bottom leaves will wrinkle.
How are succulent walls watered?
Succulents are drought-tolerant plants that thrive without water, as you probably already know. This does not imply that you should disregard your living wall. Consider the following maintenance advice:
- Before you water your plants, let the soil dry. Depending on the type and specific requirements of the succulents, allow seven to ten days to elapse between waterings;
- When you need to water the plants, take the frame off the wall. Before hanging the picture back up on the wall, set the frame down on a flat surface, water the succulents, and allow the dirt to drain.
- Mist the succulents occasionally if you don’t want to take the hefty succulent wall art down.
Succulents planted in chicken wire: what should I do?
Succulent plants are the perfect choice for a hanging basket since they have thick, meaty leaves and stalks that can hold water. You may make a circular display of various plants that require less watering than typical plants and flowers by hanging the basket succulents from chicken wire. A tree branch, pergola beam, or the top of an arbor all make beautiful hanging locations for this spherical succulent hanging planter.
Put an 8-inch flower ball and the contents of a 100-cubic-inch bag of sphagnum moss in a pail of water. Let the moss and foam soak for 20 minutes under a brick-covered ball to keep the foam submerged.
Using a tape measure and wire snips, measure and cut a piece of chicken wire that is 8 by 8 inches. To attach the chicken wire to the planting basket, bend the free ends of one edge over the edges of an 8-inch wire basket.
Sphagnum moss that has been moistened is used to line the wire planting basket. Then, cover the moss with a 1-inch layer of cactus soil, pressing the soil firmly into the moss. Put the basket with the flowered foam ball inside. Wet sphagnum moss and cactus soil should be spread over the upper half of the foam ball. With your hands, bend the chicken wire over the foam ball. Use wire snips to remove any extra chicken wire.
To a depth of 3 inches, insert a pencil into the foam ball through a slit in the chicken wire. Put a succulent plant’s roots in the foam. Continue filling the hanging ball with succulents until it is entirely covered in greenery.
Wrap a number of the free ends of the chicken wire tightly around one metal chain, measuring 12 inches in length, and attach it to the top of the ball. Hang the succulent basket by attaching a chain over a hook that has been attached to the ceiling, a tree branch, a pergola beam, or the top of an arbor.
How much room should you provide between succulent plants?
Let’s now discuss some justifications for why you might allow your succulents a little more room to expand.
As you would have anticipated, there are several advantages and disadvantages to planting succulents farther apart as opposed to putting them closer together. The fact that your succulents will grow larger more quickly is one of the main benefits of putting them a little more widely spaced.
This is a really nice alternative if you’re not as concerned about how tight the arrangement appears, and how properly planted and close together everything is from the get-go.
Because they have more room, your plants will grow bigger and are more likely to delay having children or experience new growth.
Additionally, you’ll discover that you won’t need to keep the arrangement up as frequently. You won’t feel the urge to prune back or eliminate portions of the plant to make the arrangement appear as though it is properly occupying the area because there is more room for them to flourish.
Additionally, it is simpler to water this kind of arrangement and ensure that the roots are thoroughly moistened. It will be much simpler to deliver water to the roots if you pour it straight on top of the plants or directly into the soil below them.
Downsides to spreading out your succulents
The fact that the arrangement frequently doesn’t appear as complete or striking right away is one of the major drawbacks of spacing succulents farther apart.
Using a decorative rock as a top dressing is a fantastic method to combat this. Between each of your succulent plants, you could place a really lovely rock to make the arrangement look finished and more polished. The beautiful thing about this is that it merely enhances the appearance of the arrangement while not preventing your succulents from growing.
You won’t immediately notice as much growth in the succulent itself if you plant your succulents too widely apart since too much space will force the succulent to send out roots.
If you want to give your succulents room to grow, I suggest placing them in a pot or with other succulents approximately 1/2″ to 1″ (13 mm to 25 mm) apart. Give them another 1/2 to 1″ from the pot’s edge as well.
The final drawback might not actually be a drawback, but you could be tempted to purchase additional succulents to fill in the spaces created by the gaps between those succulents!