If you’re looking to maximise the amount of planting area available to you, no matter the size of your space, then vertical gardening is for you. With over 60% of gardeners using at least 1 vertical gardening method in their space, it’s time to get on the trend and start getting the most out of your space.
But, if you’re still wondering ‘why vertically garden’, then we’re here for you. Here’s our top 7 reasons why you should start growing upwards!
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What Is Vertical Gardening?
Vertical gardening is the method of growing plants in vertical containers or upright structures to maximise the use of space. While vertical gardening is ideal for small spaces, such as balconies, decks or patios, it’s even used in larger gardens as it offers creative challenges for gardeners to make the best use of the space they have.
Why Vertically Garden?
Since we’ve started gardening vertically, we’ve loved the increased yield and healthier plants that we’ve got, but there’s loads of other advantages too. Below are the 7 benefits that we think make vertical gardening worth it.
Increased Yield
By using all of the space that you have available, you’re able to grow more plants allowing you to maximise your yield per square foot. This is much better than growing plants much closer together, as this way they can end up competing with each other, reducing their end yield.
Healthier Plants
Additionally, vertical gardening methods can make your plants healthier than if they were just planted in the ground. With plants being higher off the ground, they can get much more direct sunlight and air circulation, leading to more healthy growth and less chance of fungus or disease spreading.
What’s more, if you have a slug or snail-filled garden like us, then vertical gardening can be a lifesaver as it keeps your plants further off the ground and away from those nasty pests. We’ve found that the plants in our vertical planters are almost never attacked and grow very healthy.
If you are struggling with slugs and snails in your garden, then have a look at our top slug and snail-proof plants.
Less Strain
If you find it difficult to bend down to your garden beds, or you find yourself aching after some time out in the garden, then buying some vertical planters could be a solution for you. Because vertical gardening containers bring the plants closer to normal sitting and standing positions, it’s much easier to tend to your plants. We’ve found that getting some of these containers has made gardening much more enjoyable, as it doesn’t come with any aches or pains afterwards!
Improved Privacy
Raising up your planting can also bring additional privacy benefits as you can position plants to block other’s views of your outdoor space. When we lived in a flat, we used a balcony railing screen and a rail planter to strategically hide our balcony seating from neighbours windows, which worked really well and allowed us to use the space throughout the summers we lived there.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can use planting to improve the privacy of your space, take a look at our privacy plant guide here.
Aesthetic Appeal
We love the look of vertical containers, from hanging baskets to wall planters, bringing your plants off the floor and closer to eye level helps them to stand out more and shows their true beauty. And it’s not just us who think so, it turns out that 31% of gardeners find that aesthetic appeal is the main reason they choose a vertical gardening container.
Noise Reduction
Plants are known for their ability to absorb sound, which can help reduce noise pollution if you live in an urban area. By growing plants vertically, you’re able to create a natural sound barrier that absorbs noise and creates a quieter, more relaxing space.
Reduced Water Usage
Although growing plants in containers normally means an increase in water usage, as pots allow more water to evaporate from their sides, vertical gardens can be designed in a way that help you to save water. This is because the drainage holes of one container leading directly into the pot below. This helps both save water and increased the drainage to individual pots, reducing the risk of a plant’s roots rotting.
Conclusion
So, why vertical garden? In this article, we’ve shown that vertical gardening is versatile, helps you save space and makes it easier for you to tend to your plants.
If we’ve managed to convince you to start your own vertical garden, then we’d recommend you take a look at our complete guide to vertical gardening. If you’d like some more inspiration, then take a look at our creative vertical gardening ideas, see how you can grow pumpkins vertically and learn more about how you can make the most of your balcony garden.
