Vertical Garden: How to Make a Vertical Garden

Surely many of you have ever wondered how to make a vertical garden? And this is becoming very fashionable, especially on terraces where there is not much space.

How to make a vertical garden?

Before explaining how to do it, it is best to first be clear about certain concepts… for example, what is a vertical garden?

A vertical garden is a way to grow without having land. This is based on the fact that they do not need to have land, only water and multiple nutrients dissolved in it, along with light and carbon dioxide, which are essential for any plant.

Vertical garden elements

Before starting to plan to do it, another of the concepts that we have to be clear about is what elements make up the structure to make a vertical garden.

These are the following:

1. Metal structure: This is based on a vertical structure, the base on which the auxiliary structure and all the elements of the vertical garden rest.
2. Support panel: it is a PVC panel that is attached to the metal structure. It is what gives rigidity to the structure and at the same time makes it waterproof.
3. Irrigation layer: Made up of synthetic fibers in a double layer and with an inner plastic sheet. It is fixed by staples to the support panel. It is what the basis of all vertical plantations is. The felt is special, it does not rot and its enormous capillarity means that the water is distributed evenly. The plants will be placed here where the felt and the roots will grow without problem.
4. Planting: It is done by putting the roots of the plants between the two layers of the blanket and then stapling. All this without soil, although sometimes depending on the garden we make it could be used.
5. Supply of water-nutrients and water collection: It will have pipes with holes for water dispersion, with drip nozzles, fed by a water pump. The irrigation of water with nutrients is done from the top and will be pulling water down, where there is a gutter at the bottom.

All these are the elements that will constitute the vertical garden. It must be said that this has a great benefit that it produces, which is thermal insulation, keeping the cold out in winter and giving us greater freshness in summer.

Who invented vertical gardens?

The forerunner of what are now vertical gardens or also called green walls was Patrick Blanc.

At the age of 70 and based on the observation of tropical undergrowth, he created a whole system that he later patented in 1988, thus revolutionizing the new architecture of landscaping throughout the world, something novel that until then no one had imagined.

Types of vertical gardens

There are two types of vertical gardens today, these are the following:

• Hydroponic: In these, the roots grow within an inert medium such as polyethylene felt, polyuria or polyurethane foam, or even rock wool. The most important thing for them to grow will be the nutrient in the irrigation.
• Substrate: The roots grow through porous material with an organic percentage thanks to peat and perlite. In this, although it is also important, irrigation with nutrients is no longer essential due to its retention capacity.

Type of plants that are used for vertical gardens

Normally we are going to use plants that have little substrate, better known as air plants, for example:

• Mugs
• Lichens
• Ferns
• Epiphytes
• Bromeliads
• Orchids
• Casuals
• Sedum
• Echeverrias
• Earaches

What are vertical gardens like?

It consists of making a wall or green wall, which consists of putting a vertical installation in which you can put various types of plants.

What happens with this type of garden is that the plants take root with the compartments of said sheets, which will be made of fibrous material and anchored to said wall.

These types of gardens are hydrated by means of water with an irrigation system that is put on it. What happens with this type of garden is that bacteria are generated in the roots and these bacteria metabolize impurities in the air, such as volatile organic compounds.

Main benefits of vertical gardens

• Only 1 square meter of garden generates the oxygen that a person needs per year.
• 1 square meter of garden traps 130 grams of dust per year.
• If we have it in a 4-storey building, covering about 60 square meters, it filters 40 tons of harmful gases per year and is also capable of trapping and processing 15 kg of metals.
• It improves performance and reduces discomfort for people who have this type of garden nearby.
• The vegetable insulation reduces noise pollution.
• They save space; by putting it vertically we no longer have to put it on the ground.
• We save ourselves having to remove weeds, in this type of vertical garden weeds do not appear.
• They reduce about 5 degrees in summer and in winter they maintain and even give more temperature, producing savings per year of about 500 euros per square meter.
• Water is saved by having a closed irrigation system.
• There is no proliferation of insects and bacteria due to the biological repellent it carries.
• An urban space that was not used is used.
• Revaluation of the building for the aesthetic improvement.
• Integration and also an aesthetic and landscaping improvement of the building.
• Anti-graffiti and vandal-resistant green wall.

Easy way to make a vertical garden

Many people are interested in knowing how to make a vertical garden. And it is that this way of putting gardens is spreading and becoming very fashionable.

And it is that as I have said it has many advantages and practically no disadvantages. So it is something that we can all do in our houses or buildings.

Here I explain how to do it step by step.

What do you need to make a Vertical Garden?

To make your vertical garden you will need the following:

• Slats
• Outside frame boards
• Wood varnish
• Galvanized wire mesh in coil
• Galvanized nails
• Staples
• Squads
• Screws
• Spikes and studs
• Special glue for wood
• Wood saw
• Nail gun
• Screwdrivers
• Wire scissors
• Stapler
• Drill
• Hammer
• Knife

Instructions to make a Vertical Garden

To make a vertical garden you must follow these steps; think that there is no rush and that it should look good. So my advice when building to make a vertical garden is to have a lot of patience and since it will be the first time we do it and we want to do it well, we are going to do it above all very calmly.

When we have done it and we see our work of art we are going to feel very good about ourselves and also whoever comes home will be perplexed by how well we have done it and they will want to copy our idea.

The steps to follow will be the following that I detail below:

1. We begin to make the internal frame, so we will cut the 4 strips, of which you will decide what the measurements will be, depending on the space you have to do this.
2. The slats have to be strong and resistant, also depending on the soil that we are going to put.
3. If you are going to do it outdoors, the important thing is that the wood is prepared for outdoors
4. Now we will have to join the 4 strips of the interior frame, securing them with special glue for wood, and then for greater security we will join it with nails with the nail gun to the exterior frame that we will have also made.
5. We will put the reinforcement brackets in each joint or angle that the frame has, since in this way we will give the frame greater reinforcement and security.
6. It is recommended to use zinc squares or material that is resistant to water.
7. We will paint with the varnish that entire frame that we have made to protect it from water and humidity.
8. The purpose of the outer frame that we have made is more to embellish, to make this outer frame we will have taken some finer boards, making miters between them and assembling them so that it looks more like a painting.
9. We put wire mesh on the outer frame.
10. I recommend it be a galvanized wire mesh and in hexagonal shape since it is the one that works best for vertical gardens.
11. The mesh will be cut 2 or 3 cm from the inner frame so that it does not protrude and then with the staple gun it will be attached to the back of the frame.
12. Once the mesh is attached to the outer frame, we will use the drill to join the outer frame to the inner one by means of a drill and lag screws.
13. Once all this is done, we will put a cloth on the inside against the wire.
14. We will hold the fabric by stapling it to the inner frame.
15. Now we will put some hooks to hang the structure that we have built.
16. Use large and secure eyebolts so that they can support the weight of said structure.
17. The most important thing is that the eyebolts are well secured and strong; in this case they can be reinforced with nuts and washers to prevent the frame from sagging.
18. Drill several holes in the bottom frame to help drain water.
19. Mix the soil that you are going to use in your vertical garden.
20. The best thing is to choose that land with the most indicated fertilizer according to the plants that you are going to put.
21. Make sure that the entire inner frame is filled with soil and that it is still there when you put it in an upright position.
22. Fixed back of vertical garden.
23. For this you can use a pressure treated plywood, or wood panels that are resistant to water.
24. Attach this wood to the interior frame using nails, doing so with the nail gun.
25. Fill your vertical garden with plants of your choice.
26. With a dry brush we will remove the remains of earth and dirt that may be.
27. After planting it is always good to spray all the plants.
28. Before hanging your vertical garden definitively, I recommend keeping it upright for 5 to 6 days, leaning against the wall but not hanging, as this is how the plants settle and the roots are established.
29. As you have seen, it is not difficult; it is more bricolage than anything else. A job that anyone can do.
30. You will feel good about having done it yourself but the best thing will be the great benefits that you will now begin to notice as soon as the plants begin to grow, they will begin to give you great benefits for your health.

Tips for making a Vertical Garden

• The first thing to think about and design is how we are going to make the garden. We must think about whether we want everything green or in different colors to give it a more special touch.
• Depending on these factors we will choose the plants that are most suitable for the design we have thought of. You also have to think about how you are going to distribute these plants that you have in mind.
• You also have to think about whether you want to put it in the shade or in the sun and that way we will know where we will put it, also depending on the plants that we want to put it.
• You have to inform yourself about the different substrate options that exist, such as hydroponic, with soil…
• Analyze advantages and disadvantages of each substrate option.
• There are also prefabricated vertical garden systems such as Hidro Wall.
• Depending on the substrate you will have one type or another of irrigation system.