Growing food in small spaces can be tough, but it's by no means off the table. By making use of vertical space, you can maximize your garden's capacity, even if all that you have to work with is a balcony or windowsill.
I've run across a few beautiful examples of vertical gardening in action lately, and I thought you guys might dig them, too. Check these out!
Vertical Farm, South Korea
This vertical farm (photo at the top of this post) in South Korea is taking advantage of vertical space to showcase the benefits of vertical gardening. According to Chris Keenan at Planetsave:
The concept behind vertical farming is that it is possible to cultivate plant life on vertically inclined surfaces, and the plants produced in these surfaces would be organic and higher quality plants than through traditional farming methods. While this idea has been around for years, it’s finally come to fruition in Suwon, South Korea where they have been working and producing vegetables in a little three story demonstration project.
The angles allow excess water to run down to the lower levels of the garden. They were also able to grow this lettuce without any pesticides, thanks to this method of vertical farming.
Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by beelaineo
2. IKEA-Hacked Vertical Garden
Antonion Scarponi of Conceptual Devices hacked together a few different IKEA pieces to create this awesome vertical garden. This sucker is more than pretty, it's self sustaining! Here's how it works:
3. Vertical Gardening for Apartment Dwellers
Another IKEA hack, Flickr user mannewaar is using a the KROKEN cutlery stand to grow a vertical garden in his apartment window. He's growing herbs and cherry tomatoes, and using what looks like less than a foot of horizontal space. I can't find the KROKEN on the Ikea-USA website, but you could easily rig up something similar with a vertical rack, some small tins (reused, large tin cans?), and steel wire to attach them.
Have you guys run across any cool vertical gardening solutions? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!
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verygood i am live in bangkok
I’d like to see an “IKEA” hacker build a small wall unit that could revolve to face the plants out during the day, more sunlight, possible rain, and then rotate in during the night to benefit those of us where the nights become too cold early on. Gaskets like around a regular door could prevent heat loss and this would work in a too hot environment as well to prevent plants from burning in mid day. Could be small as in 2 feet by 2 feet or much bigger. Could be automatic with a timer. Or just hand turned. Extends the growing season.
What a great idea! IKEA Hacker is a submission-based site, so the best way to see something like that on there is to give it a whirl! If you try it out, I’d love to hear how it goes, too! I love the timer idea.
thank you for good idea
Vertical garden is good for a narrow area, a good idea, but not trunked plants hard so short-lived, but it is more rapid spread of the disease occurs when the plant most of the disease, need attention more like my experiences.
These are beautiful! I especially love the fish tank one, I bet the plants love the fish water too.
Amy
great idea especially for urban dwellers with limited space..