Vertical 4 Everyone Workshop

Grow up Already! Sponsored by:by:

Presented by: Monika Meulman & Dawn Allaby your local members of Legsetobicoke.ca Vertical Workshop Outline

Part 1 - Structure Basics

Part 2 - Growing Up

Part 3 - Specialty Structures & Unique Designs

Questions & Evaluation Any tool Or structure Will do… Structure basics Structure basics

.selecting Structure basics

.selecting plants .selecting space Structure basics

.selecting plants .selecting space .selecting time Selecting Plants

• How much room do you • Size? have? • Sun loving? • Sun lovers need lots of water • Edibles? • Edibles need replenishing

• Care free? • High need plants need daily maintenance Size

vs Sun or shade

PORTULACA GRANDIFLORA Begonias & coleus ‘Sun ’ - flowers bloom only when Great shade lovers sun is shining To eat or not to eat

Nasturtium Is it a flower or a salad? can become succulent walls Edible Flowers

Common use of flowers is in salads. You can incorporate them into sauces, tarts, preserves, pickles, fritters and salads. Small delicate flowers can be eaten whole, or you can separate the petals from larger varieties. Remove all the green parts, stems and leaves, and any white 'heels' on petals.

Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) : A common annual, in various shades of yellow to orange, with a quite definite flavour. Brightens up a salad. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) : Striking yellow, orange and red flowers on an annual plant which grows rampant and easily self-seeds. Leaves and seeds can be eaten in salads along with the flowers, and the seeds can be pickled as a substitute for capers.

Borage (Borago officinalis) : Beautiful blue flowers with a sweet flavour. Pull on the central part to pick the flower whole, and sprinkle on a salad or in Pimms. Daisy (Bellis perennis) : The smaller variety is common in the wild and on ,larger cultivated varieties are available. Pick just before they are to be used, to prevent flowers from closing up, and use small flowers whole or separate larger petals.

Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) : A common perennial, coming in a variety of colours. As well as the flowers, the scented leaves of some varieties can be used in salads. Rose (Rosa spp.) : All rose varieties can be used in salads. Some varieties could be too heavily scented.

Pansy (Viola wittrockiana) : A common perennial flower, can be used in salads. Lavender (Lavandula spp.) : There are many varieties of lavender, and most are strongly flavoured – use sparingly, finely chopped, in salads.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) : Primroses are becoming rare in the wild, and so cultivated plants should be used. Use the flowers whole in salads. Use liberally to impart a delicate flavour to apple pies. Cowslip (Primula veris) : Treat as Primroses.

Violet (Viola odorata) : Delicately flavoured small flowers can be used whole in salads. http://www.ibiblio.org/permaculture-online/artedibl.html Where can you plant up? Everywhere! Balconies, Terraces & Indoors & Outdoors Fences & Posts Walls, Houses, Furniture How Much Space Do They Need? Some vegetable plants are vines (and will sprawl). Others grow underground. Each plant needs a certain amount of space.

Shallow Rooters: Medium Rooters: Deep Rooters Brassicas Beans, snap Asparagus Celery Beets Beans, lima Cabbage Carrots Parsnips Corn Chard Pumpkins Endive Cucumbers Squash (winter) Garlic Eggplant Sweet potatoes Leeks Peas Tomatoes Lettuce (5 inches only!) Peppers Onions Squash (summer) Potatoes Turnips What is soil?

- majority of food comes from soil - complex mix of minerals, organic matter, & life Types of soil we can grow up in: - Clay - Silt - Sand - Loam Did you know?

One cubic centimeter of soil can be the home to more than

1,000,000 bacteria. Soil type: clay - Very fine particles - Holds water very well - Binds together - Locks out oxygen & water - Low rate of percolation - Cause runoff

Plants that love clay are…

Hostas Astilbes Daylilies Irises Shasta Phlox Daisies Everlasting Spiderwort Roses Peas Lamiums Dianthus Alchemilla Soil type: Silt

- Larger particles than clay, irregular shape - Still Holds water - Usually where rivers used to flow - Good base soil for mix - Hold nutrients well - fertile - Allows more water & oxygen in than clay

Plants that love silt are… Irises Creeping Spirea buttercups Juniper Forsythia Roses Lilacs Honeysuckle Broccoli

Cabbage Cucumber Lettuce Soil type: Sand

- Very large particle size - Percolates water quickly - Lose nutrients easily - Allow for great oxygen circulation

Plants that love sand are… Rudbeckia Lavender Yarrow Hyssop Columbine Gaillarida Coreopsis Echinacea Iris Mint Sage

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/Garden/07231.html Soil type: Loam

- Highest concentration of organic matter - Very fertile - Crumble easily when squeezed - Black to dark brown in color - Smells (rich musty odor) - Contain humus Most Plants love loam! Pick your choice…

That’s why is so important.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/Garden/07231.html Part 2 Growing Up Use vertical gardening to:

-Provide shade or act as privacy screens from neighbors

-Conceal unattractive surfaces, such as the exterior wall of an old garage or chain link fence

-Reduce disease, pests, mildew, and fungus growth on plants

- Reduce spoiled from vegetables touching the ground Basic tools for: Flower/lettuce gutter garden

http://www.shelterness.com/diy-outdoor-vertical-garden/ Basic tools for: Flower/lettuce gutter garden

http://greenupgrader.com/16857/3-gorgeous-vertical-gardens/ Basic tools for: Flower/lettuce gutter garden

http://gardenhacker.com/get-your-mind-out-of-the-gutter-and-put-your-garden-there-instead/ Basic tools for: Pillar

$27 http://verticalgardeningsystems.com/products_new.html Basic tools for: House Plant Garden Pillar

http://www.uzplanters.com/Green-Wall-Planter-Kit.html Basic tools for: Outdoor Plant Garden Pillar

http://nelsonnbarnardslandscaping.blogspot.ca/2011/12/what-do-you-mean-by-vertical-garden.html Basic tools for: House Plant Garden Pillar

http://decorationideas.wordpress.com/author/michaeltulley/page/3/ Common supports used for vertical vegetables

Wire cages (common with tomatoes) Tripods (pole beans, pumpkins, melons) Trellises (cucumbers, melons, squash) Arbors (green beans, peas, lima beans) Hanging Baskets (tomatoes, herbs, ) Shelves or shelving units (potatoes, lettuce, radishes)

Repurposed: Furniture/Bicycles (peppers, eggplant) Old /Walls/Stone (beans, peas) Tires/Cinder Blocks (potatoes, herbs, onions) Metal/Wood Fencing/Crates (lettuce, tomatoes) Basic repurposed structures: Basic repurposed structures:

(note this arrangement supports tap roots)

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-diy-modern-outdoor-succule-94477 http://pocketgrow.com/blog/hydroponic-how-tos/diy-cinder-block-focal-point-vertical-planter/ http://www.verticalgardensolutions.com/mobilevegegardens.htm Challenges or Opportunities?

• Wind -increased • Sun/Heat -increased & decreased • Nutrient leaching - increased • Water loss - increased Part 3 - Unique Structures

How large can we grow? You can plant small…

http://www.modishblog.com/modish/diy/ You can plant large…

http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/11/green-cube-ivy-garden-shed-studio.html http://inhabitat.com/hanging-gardens-kept-alive-via-iv-drips/ http://www.notjustahousewife.net/2011/08/mason-jar-wall-planter.html http://pietsy.blogspot.ca/2010_07_01_archive.html http://verticalgardeninstitute.org/ http://gossipinthegarden.com/ Sage garden advice…Start out small

http://plastolux.com/category/modern-landscaping/page/2 …then grow up to be large!

http://www.busyboo.com/2011/11/02/garden-shed-green-roof/ Then become HUGE

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/06/vertical-grass-art.html Questions?

Thank you for wanting to grow up already!

Please fill out the evaluation form, to help us with future workshops.

Additional Image & Info Sources:

• http://remodelista.com/posts/diy-hanging-kitchen-herb-garden • http://thesweetsurvival.blogspot.ca/2011/05/diy-2-tier-planter.html • http://gardenhomeandparty.com/2011/05/27/the-joy-of-spring/ • http://mybayareagarden.blogspot.ca/2006/05/garden-desktop- nasturtiums_21.html • http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable- living.com/images/soil_types_diagram3.jpg • http://www.thetinylife.com/ • http://greenupgrader.com/16857/3-gorgeous-vertical-gardens/ • http://www.theverticalgardener.com/diy-vertical-garden/ Additional Image & Info Sources:

• http://www.survivalguidance.com/vertical-gardens-systems-supplies/ • http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/vertical-gardening-supplies-fr-73555 • http://www.homedepot.ca/know-how/projects/build-a-vertical-garden-wall • http://www.gardensupplyinc.com/prod_selfwatering.asp • http://www.theverticalgardener.com/vertical-garden-supplies/ • http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/114300079/Biowall_Flexible_Vertical_Garden_Sy stem.jpghttp://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2058317.htm • http://www.gardenguides.com/120094-vertical-gardening-ideas.html • http://realestate.msn.com/4-vertical-gardening-ideas • http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/quickref/vegetable/intensive_veg_ gardening.html • http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aeroponic-garden