TOOLS
&
T IP S
FOR
EV ER Y O N E
WHO
LO VES
TO
DIG
1
PICK YOUR SPOT
Indoors or out, any
vertical structure—
wall, trellis, fence, gate—
that receives sufficient
light (6 hours or more for
sun-loving plants) can be
turned into a green wall.
L iv in g
A r t
Nowhere to grow? Look up!
Vertical gardening is on the rise.
Choose among an array of
wall-mounted planters, from
individual pots and pockets to
multiplant modular panels.
Then get creative!
2
PUT DOWN ROOTS
First, insert plants
into pots,
rig h t
, or
panels; then fill gaps with
lightweight potting soil.
Keep plants horizontal
for a few weeks so they
can develop roots without
fighting gravity.
3
HANG ’EM HIGH
Position the planter
within arm’s reach
for easy upkeep. Mount it to
the wall. Depending on how
the system drains, you may
need to place a plastic sheet
behind it to protect the wall
from moisture.
N
4
WATER OFTEN
Water an indoor
green wall with a
watering can. Outdoors,
use a gentle spray with a
garden hose. Some vertical
garden products feature
self-wicking reservoirs.
Others are set up for
drip irrigation.
Off th e w all
Create a geometric
pattern of these
powder-coated
steel pots, available
in orange, white,
blue, black, and
silver.
$ 2 6 each;
a p la srstore.com
What plants are best-suited for
a living wall? Small ones, such
as baby’s tears,
San sevieria,
and
P lectran thu s, above,
do well. So
do shallow-rooted succulents,
which have low water needs,
including aloe, sedum, hen-and-
chicks,
E cheveria, K alanchoe,
A eon iu m ,
and
C rassula.
1 2 2
B E T T E R H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S |
MAY 2011 |
BHG.COM
P H O T O : : B L A I N E
M O A T S
