The Vertical Gardening Guidebook

by Tom Corson-Knowles

  It’s important that you create the perfect habitat for your seedlings to get the best results. This is why it’s easier to start with a small variety of seeds – because it can be pretty difficult to create multiple climates at once. If you can, you should try growing plants that have similar requirements. But just know that if you do make a mistake and some of your seeds don’t sprout, you can always try again! Trust me, we’ve all made those kinds of mistakes many times in our gardening adventures.

  You can either plant the seeds in their own cells or scattered across the surface of the soil. Don’t sow the seeds too thickly; they only need a fine layer of soil. Most seeds should be covered three times their thickness, unless the seeds are very tiny or require light to germinate, which in this case would need light coverage.

  Always read your seed packets because they should have all the information you need to know about how to sprout them!

  A mister or dribbles of water can be used to keep the medium moist and this will ensure great contact between the soil and your seeds. Make sure to put labels on the trays, so that you know which plant is which. Don’t throw away the seed packets either - you might want to use them for future reference.

  Correct Temperatures for Your Seedlings

  The temperature of your seedlings should be based on the requirements of that particular plant. This temperature should be that of the soil, not the air. Most plants grow great in soil that is 60 degrees Fahrenheit, while others germinate best in 85 degrees Fahrenheit. On average, many plants do well in 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve rarely problems germinating seeds indoors at room temperature – just try to protect your seedlings from any sudden or drastic temperature changes.

  It’s important that the soil isn’t too cold, because this will take the seeds a longer time to germinate or they won’t start at all. To heat up the soil, you can use a heating mat or simply move the container on top of a warm refrigerator, television or sunny window sill. Once you start to see sprouts emerging from the soil, it’s a good idea to put the plants in a sunny window or under lights within 24 hours.

  After germination has begun, you should ensure that the air temperature is kept around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is over 75 degrees Fahrenheit, then this could cause the plants to grow too fast.

  This isn’t always a good thing because they could end up weak and leggy. It’s sometimes alright for the temperature to reach temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit because most seedlings still grow well, as long as the soil is still between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Providing Sufficient Light for Your Seedlings

  Light usually isn’t a requirement for the germination process, but it is necessary once you start to see sprouts. Place the plants in a window that faces south or under grow lights. Make sure to check on your plants every day. If your plants don’t receive sufficient light, they could end up growing tall and leggy which is hard to correct.

  So how much light do your plants need?

  For most, about 14 to 16 hours of light is needed each day. This will give your plants enough food to build a healthy system and well-nourished leaves. You can enhance the amount of light your windowsill plants are getting by placing a cardboard with aluminum on the back of the container to allow light to bounce off and back to your plants.

  If you don’t have a window that faces south, but still would like to grow your plants indoors, you can use grow lights or full-spectrum fluorescent light bulbs instead. You don’t want to use incandescent light bulbs because they give off too much heat and not enough light – they even lack the blue-spectrum light that is responsible for making your plants dark green and stocky.

  When using fluorescent light bulbs, make sure that you place them very close to the plants – about three inches away from the sprouts. You can leave the lights on for about 12 to 14 hours daily. Then for windowsill plants, you may need to offer them supplemental light for a couple of hours – this is especially so during the winter time.

  Ensuring Seedlings Get Enough Moisture

  During the germination process, consistent moisture is needed. Just make sure that the soil isn’t soggy because this could cause your seeds to go rotten. Some people use clear plastic to cover their flats until their seeds have started to germinate. You can find seed starting systems that come with plastic covers that help your plants retain moisture.

  Once your seedlings have begun to sprout, you should remove the plastic – you don’t want humidity levels to be too high. Make sure to check the moisture level of the soil each day. There shouldn’t be too much moisture because it can cause the roots to retard and not grow, plus disease will begin to manifest. It’s a good idea to allow the soil to dry out a bit before watering it again – this will help to prevent mold and fungus from growing.

  As mentioned, warm water is better to be used than cold water from the tap. Room temperature water would suffice. If you have tap water that is chlorinated, avoid using it right away. You can fill up a jug or watering can and then allow the chlorine to dissipate by leaving it in direct sunlight outdoors for 24 hours.

  You should also avoid using water that has gone through a water softener because it contains sodium that can harm your seedlings. The best water to use is always fresh rain water. You can set up buckets underneath your gutter spouts to collect it or get a rain barrel or rain capturing device.

  When watering your plants, the water should always be able to trickle down all the way to the bottom of the container – if it doesn’t, then you haven’t watered it enough. Thorough watering will allow the plants roots to spread out nicely (just don’t overdo it and drown the plants).

  There’s a neat trick I’ve seen others use to ensure that your seedling containers get sufficient water. First, fill up your sink with an inch or two of water. Then put you containers in the water and allow them to sit there until the surface of the soil feels moist. Then just remove and let them drain and voila! – a perfect amount of water for your seedlings.

  Controlling Humidity in the Air

  You should try to maintain a level of humidity in your home that is between 50 and 70 percent. When the humidity is too high and the air circulation is poor, fungus will begin to grow and disease problems will ensue.

  A very low level of humidity is no good either. When the air is too dry, you can make up for this by placing your plants on capillary matting or a humidity grid. For small rooms, you can open the windows or run a fan to help improve the air circulation for your growing plants.

  Transplanting Sprouts to Larger Pots

  When your seedlings have developed into sprouts you may need to transplant them into a larger pot if things start to get crowded in your containers. If each of the seedlings had their own growing cells, then this won’t be a problem.

  Larger pots can be used for overcrowding of plants that are too young to be transported outdoors. You should do this before the roots begin to get tangled in the containers, making them more difficult to transplant. Ripping and tearing the roots can interfere with the plants ability to survive.

  Transplantation of your seedlings to larger pots can be done by pulling them up gently by their leaves or roots. Avoid pulling on their stems because they are very fragile – you don’t want the stems to be bent or smashed. You don’t want to damage too much of the roots either! Just be gentle and delicate with the seedlings and it should work out fine.

  You can either use a spoon or your hands to do the transplants. It’s easy to separate the stems from the roots when the soil is dry instead of wet. Or you can simply pull a clump of plants out of the soil and then separate them.

  When transplanting them to their pots, the soil should have the same depth or a little bit deeper than their containers. There is an exception to tomatoes – you should remove the entire plant and then bury the stem which will then produce more stems beneath the soil.

  After your plants have been repotted, make sure that they are well watered and fertilized. They should be
placed under grow lights or on a windowsill that is sunny.

  Feeding Your Seedlings

  You don’t have to worry about feeding your seedlings until they develop their second set of true leaves. You don’t want to feed young seedlings a full dose fertilizer because they are too fragile. Only give the young seeds a half-dose until after three to four weeks. Once they’re old enough, you can give them fertilizer weekly. Fertilizer can help if you’re having trouble starting seeds.

  Transplanting Your Seedlings to Your Garden

  Now that it’s nice and warm outside, it’s time to start transplanting your seedlings outdoors. The best way to do this is to start slowly exposing your plants to the outside world. They’ve been bred on the inside and will need a grand introduction to the outdoors, where the temperatures and weather aren’t so kind and predictable.

  About a week before you transplant your plants, you should start the weaning process by minimizing the amount of water and fertilizer that you use. Place the pots of plants outside on a protected porch or under a tree every day for about an hour. You can then gradually increase how long you leave them outside. Don’t allow them to be exposed to too much hot sun and wind.

  Try to choose a day for transplantation that is overcast or drizzling. The wind should be calm this day and the sun not too hot. The transition process can be made easier for the plants by placing a shade fabric over them. It will also protect them from pets, flea beetles and other outdoor enemies. Don’t forget to water your transplanted plants well to allow the roots to flourish beneath the earth.

  What Went Wrong with My Seedlings?

  There are a variety of things that could go wrong with your seedlings if you’re not careful. If you followed all of the directions, but a quarter of your seedlings failed to germinate, you can try to troubleshoot the problem. The first thing you should do is check the seeds package to make sure that you followed all of the directions properly, including providing the right amount of light, water and climate control.

  Take a look at the soil of the seedlings that failed to germinate – if it is cold and very wet, then the seeds have probably rotted. You can dig them up and take a look to see if this is the case. If the seeds look soft and swollen, then this is a sign of rot. You will need to replant the seeds and this time around, don’t overwater the plant.

  If the soil was a bit dry, this too could cause your seeds not to germinate. When the soil is too dry, the roots sometimes don’t take hold. Another reason your seeds may not have germinated is because the seeds were old. Make sure that the shop you buy your seeds from sells new seeds. When you replant the seeds, make sure to keep the soil moist.

  Seeds Are Leggy and Tall

  If your seeds did sprout, but are leggy and tall, then it’s likely due to lack of light. Try giving the plant grow light exposure for 15 to 18 hours. Having the temperature too warm can also make your plants leggy. Lower the room temperature and minimize the amount of fertilizer that you’re giving the plant.

  Below is an example of a tomato that has grown leggy and tall.

  Tomato Has Purple Veins on the Leaves

  If you look beneath the leaves of your tomato plants and you see purple veins, this is likely due to the plant not getting enough phosphorous. If you’ve only been giving your tomato plant a half dose of fertilizer during the first few weeks, then up it to a full dose. You should use a fertilizer that has phosphorous content that is at least three. Try looking for fertilizer that is especially made for seedlings.

  The Plants Started to Grow then Fell Over

  If your plants started out great, but then their stems started to wither until they toppled over, this could be due to a soil-borne fungus known as damping off. It’s hard to kill this fungus once it becomes present, but you can counter this by using a soilless medium that is sterile and ensuring proper air circulation.

  Mold is Present on the Top of the Soil

  If you notice that there is mold growing on the surface of the soil then this means that the medium you’re using is too wet. If you act quickly, you can save your plants. Just don’t water your plants for a few days and increase the air circulation in the room. Scraping the mold off the top of the soil can be done or transplanting it to a new container with fresh soil or soilless medium is an option as well.

  CHAPTER 9. HOW DO YOU CONTROL COMMON PESTS

  The first thing you should realize when it comes to gardening is that there is no such thing has a pest-free garden and nor should you want it to be that way! There are good insects and bad insects, but the key is knowing which of them benefits your garden and which of them are harmful.

  Learning about the plants you’re growing and their predators and helpers can be very helpful in this matter. There are a couple of ways that you can combat harmful pests without using chemical pesticides.

  Some of the common insects that are actually beneficial to gardens include:

   Earthworms

   Braconid wasps

   Praying mantis

   Spiders

   Yellow jackets

   Lacewings

   Honeybees

   Syrphid flies

   Tachinid flies

   Ladybugs

   Ground beetles

  One method of protecting your vertical garden from the unwanted pests is to grow certain plants that repel them or that attract predator insects that eat them. Below are some of the plants that are known to do just that:

   California poppy

   Broccoli flowers

   Dill flowers

   Parsley flowers

   Capsicum

   Oregano

   Marigolds

   Lemon balm

  You should learn about companion plants for each of the plants that you are trying to grow. This will help to ensure that enemy bugs don’t come and eat them up.

  Also, make sure to keep your garden free from litter, so that it doesn’t act as a breeding ground for unwanted insects. Weeding the grass that is around your vertical gardens will help to keep pests at bay since they like to breed and dwell in weeds.

  Non-Chemical Pest Control

  If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to get rid of the pests in your garden, you can use other living organisms to do the work for you. You can purchase toads, lady bugs, snakes and other sorts of predators that are known to eat the pests that you have.

  There are consumer products that you can buy that are made with all non-harmful organic materials. These are made into sprays that are easy to apply. A lot of the ingredients used are soap, vinegar and certain types of herbs that are known to kill or repel certain pests.

  Some people have even made their own concoctions using dish detergent and water or with a mixture of other herbs like onions and hot peppers. There are thousands of natural insect and pest repellants you can use to protect your garden!

  Chemical Pest Control

  This isn’t a recommended option, but it is an option if nothing else works. Chemical pesticides work by poisoning the pests that are disrupting your garden. It can also be harmful to your plants and your health, which is why it’s a good idea to try and keep your vertical gardens as organic as possible. Chemical pest control is known to negatively affect the ecosystem, so it should be used sparingly.

  Common Pests in Gardens

  You may find some of these pests in your vertical garden. Here is a list of them and how they can be ridded of:

  Cats

  If you or your neighbor has cats that like to come and play in your garden, you may notice that they have a negative effect on your plants. The best way to get rid of them is to protect your growing areas with strong nets.

  You can also grow plants that have a strong smell that keeps them away. There are also devices with high-pitched sounds that only cats can hear that you can purchase. If you ever catch them in your garden, you can also spray them with water or chase them away. It wouldn’t hurt to buy a pet dog either. P
ersonally, I love cats and enjoy them playing in my garden (as long as they don’t hurt my tomato plants!) but some cats may damage your plants so just be aware.

  Birds

  Birds love to eat seeds, fruits and flowers. Scarecrows can be used and other humane traps. Bird netting is another great option. Or you could bring back the cats!

  Aphids

  You may notice your vegetable garden getting attacked by an unseen pest, which are likely aphids. They mainly come when your garden has a dry spell, so make sure to keep your garden well-watered. I’ve found that the tea tree solution spray I shared with you earlier works exceptionally well to ward off aphids.

  Caterpillars

  These greedy little pests can quickly eat up your garden if you don’t keep an eye out. You can try spraying vinegar on the leaves of the plants to kill them or you can remove them by hand one-by-one.

  Hopefully, you will be able to keep your vertical garden pest free. A lot of people find fighting certain pests easier because the garden is off the ground. You can also recognize when there is a pest a lot quicker, since you don’t have to kneel down to see any damage done.

  CHAPTER 10. HOW DO YOU WATER A VERTICAL GARDEN?

  Keeping your vertical garden well-watered is important for it to thrive. Watering your plants can be done in a variety of ways, manually or automatically. The great thing about vertical gardens is that you can use irrigation systems.

  The beauty of it all is that vertical gardens allow you to conserve water, saving you money and placing less demand on the environment. However, it’s important that you regularly water your garden because the roots of your plants need to stay moisturized. Make sure to keep in mind the amount of water each plant requires – and remember that as plants grow, they will consume water much faster to feed their growing leaves.

  Vertical Garden Irrigation Systems