Whether you live in the tiniest studio apartment or the largest homestead or somewhere in between, vertical gardening may just be the answer for you to grow more of your own food, even in your limited space!
If you’re really in a bind this year with a small yard or balcony for space to grow your own food, going vertical can help you grow more in a limited space. Take a look at these examples to see what might work for your space.
And important thing to remember…container gardening requires more care – containers can dry out quickly. They can also hold moisture if not properly drained, which also leads to mosquitoes!
Vertical Gardening Ideas
Take a look at the Derveas Family Urban Homestead. This is a prime example of being able to feed a family on just 1/4 acre of land…due to a lot of vertical gardening.
If you need more inspiration, check out these ideas I found on Pinterest:
Gutter gardening is an AWESOME way to build grow extra food in space you didn’t think you had – UP! The above link shows you how easy it is to build a gutter-ready shelf, but what about using your fence line?
Why allow plants to vine along the ground when you can take them upwards? While this image is for a tomato cage, think about doing your green beans this way, or other vining plants that can be trained to go upwards instead of using up valuable ground footage.
Here is another way to go vertical. Fence posts connected by metal rods and flower pots hung with hoots. in the pots can be herbs of all kinds. And the cool thing is this forms a ‘privacy fence’ of sorts for the homeowner.
Even if you have only the tiniest patio space for your apartment or townhome, you CAN garden!
And talking about going up with your gardening + repurposing! How about using a trampoline frame as an arbor!
This post would be amiss without at least one wooden pallet project!
DON’T WORRY – MORE IMAGES BELOW!
Vertical Gardening Tips:
Water
Realize that with smaller containers or containers that don’t hold much growing medium, you’ll need to make a bigger effort to water and amend more often, especially if in a sunny or hot location. On the same note, make sure that the container you uses drains well, or you will drown all of your efforts.
Size
Make sure you are planting the right sized crop for the location or container you have picked out. Something too big will overwhelm.
Support
Pick the right kind of support needed for the crop you intend on growing vertically. Don’t use the shoe holder method on a crop that is heavy. Make sure the twine you are using to grow vine crops on can actually support the weight and won’t rot midway through the season.
Location
Make sure you pick the right location for your containers. We’d like to use every nook and cranny for our garden, but if the environment isn’t good for the crop (not enough sun, sitting on a hot concrete pad, etc.), your crop is doomed before you begin.
Realistic
While there are some pretty fantastic ideas on small container gardening, be realistic about what you can actually accomplish and be sure to pick a method that will give you the best results for the time put forth.
• READ MORE: 101+ Gardening Tips & Ideas
Like many Americans, you might have clotheslines in your backyard that is surrounded by dead space. Try this to make use of the space around the posts to increase your crop yield.
• READ MORE: DIY Bug Repellant
If you have link fencing, here is a great way to make use of it. Or grab a panel from a recycle yard and lay this up against your wood fencing to use space that’s wasted for more crops.
Take advantage of the wire available at your local hardware store. You can grow a potato tower that everyone is familiar with, or use it to grow vining crops, inside and out! Or, try using it as an arbor across a patio or gate entrance, or between two raised beds.
Take advantage of a wasted space to grow a small footprint crop!
A pyramid tower good for strawberries or herbs. DIY plans available clicking the photo.
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Katy Willis is a writer, lifelong homesteader, and master herbalist, master gardener, and canine nutritionist. Katy is a preparedness expert and modern homesteader practicing everyday preparedness, sustainability, and a holistic lifestyle.
She knows how important it is to be prepared for whatever life throws at you, because you just never know what's coming. And preparedness helps you give your family the best chance to thrive in any situation.
Katy is passionate about living naturally, growing food, keeping livestock, foraging, and making and using herbal remedies. Katy is an experienced herbalist and a member of the CMA (Complementary Medical Association).
Her preparedness skills go beyond just being "ready", she's ready to survive the initial disaster, and thrive afterward, too. She grows 100% organic food on roughly 15 acres and raises goats, chickens, and ducks. She also lovingly tends her orchard, where she grows many different fruit trees. And, because she likes to know exactly what she's feeding her family, she's a seasoned from-scratch cook and gluten-free baker.
Katy teaches foraging and environmental education classes, too, including self-sufficient living, modern homesteading, seed saving, and organic vegetable gardening.
Katy helps others learn forgotten skills, including basic survival skills and self-reliance.
She's been published on sites such as MSN, Angi, Home Advisor, Family Handyman, Wealth of Geeks, Readers Digest, and more.