Look Inside
Most gardens and farms are largely three dimensional, with plants almost always emerging from ground level. In places where there is insufficient space at ground level to grow plants however, the option exists to grow plants vertically, and the techniques available for vertical growing are increasingly sophisticated and diverse. Vertical growing is a particularly useful solution in urban and city areas, where the cost of space can be high, and often the quantity of plant growth is reduced.
Plants are important to human health and wellbeing in many ways, from improving air quality and modifying temperature extremes, to the psychologically soothing affect of seeing green foliage. Increasing the quantity of plants in a city will increase the quality of life for the residents.
Any farm produce that can be grown closer to markets will have distinct advantages. Transport costs are less. Freshness at point of sale can be better. Vertical growing may make all the difference to financial viability of a farm in an urban area.
Offices, restaurants, shopping centres, balconies and small courtyards can introduce a lot of plants into their limited space, without encroaching on valuable and limited areas that may be needed for other things.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 NATURE AND SCOPE OF VERTICAL GROWING
Nature of vertical growing
Green walls
Green facades
Crop production
Scope of vertical growing
The uniqueness of vertical gardening
Where to grow
How to grow
Benefits of vertical gardening
Mental wellbeing
Physical health
Environment
Food production
Chapter 2 BUILDING THE GREEN WALL
The living wall
Design and construction of green walls
Hydroponic systems
Loose media/substrate systems
Fixed media systems
Mat media
Sheet media
Customising
Waterproofing walls
Weight loading
Irrigation
Drainage
Lighting
Nutrition
Other design considerations
Chapter 3 GREEN FACADES, CLIMBERS, WINDOW BOXES, BASKETS AND EPIPHYTES
The green facade
Options for creating green facades
Some techniques in detail
Climbing plants
Hanging baskets
Window boxes
Epiphytes
Espaliers
Growing plants on trellis
Hedges
Wall shrubs
Chapter 4 VERTICAL FOOD PRODUCTION
Making use of vertical crop growing
Hydroponics
Nft systems
Alternative layouts for vertical nft systems
Nft system choices
Aeroponics
Gravel and loose culture
Aquaponics
Mushroom farms
Upright systems
Growing in protective structures
Greenhouse hydroponics
Design considerations
Temperature
Relative humidity and vapour pressure deficit
CO2 and O2
Water
Plant nutrients
Control of the environment
Artificial lighting
Outdoor vertical food gardens
Chapter 5 AUTOMATION
The need for automation
Automated systems
Irrigation and fertiliser
Automated irrigation systems for green walls
Fertigation of green walls
Monitoring vertical growing systems
Optimum air quality
Drone inspections
Cation exchange capacity
Measuring ec levels
Measuring ph levels
Chapter 6 MAINTENANCE
The range of maintenance tasks
Inspection tasks
Maintenance tasks
Maintenance of plants
The nature of plants
Watering climbers
Feeding
Mulching
Pruning and rejuvenating plants
Maintaining plants in containers
Watering
Feeding
Re-potting
Maintenance of hanging baskets
Problems with containers
Maintenance of hard landscape components
Maintaining plant health
Symptoms and diagnosis
How to conduct an inspection
Symptoms of nutrient deficiency
Pests and diseases problems
Occupational health and safety
Duty of care
Risk assessment
Identifying hazards and risk
Example of a risk assessment procedure
Work place safety
Safety with tools and equipment
General safety rules
Chapter 7 PLANT SELECTION
Planting considerations
Plants for green walls
Plants for green facades
Climbers to grow on trellis
Wall shrubs
Plants for hanging baskets
Plants for window boxes
Plants for hedging
Plants for vertical farms