VEGETABLE GARDENING

This Book Includes :

Hydroponics ,Microgreens, Create Thiving
Raised Bed Garden , Vertical Garden in low
Space and in Container Garden and Build your
Greenhouse.

William Urban Green

© Copyright 2020 - all rights reserved.
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 Table Of Contents
Diy Hydroponics

Introduction
Chapter 1 Types Of Hydroponic Systems
Chapter 2 Build Your Own Hydroponic System
Chapter 3 Growing Mediums And Nutrients
Chapter 4 How To Maintain A Hydroponic System
Chapter 5 Potential Problems And How To Overcome Them
Chapter 6 Growing Fruits And Vegetables With Hydroponics
Chapter 7 Pest Control
Chapter 8 Myths And Mistake To Avoid In Hydroponic
Chapter 9 Tips And Tricks To Growing Healthy Herbs Vegetables And Fruits
Chapter 10 Faqs
Conclusion
 Table Of Contents
Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners

Introduction
Chapter 1 Planning Your Thriving Garden
Chapter 2 Building The Raised Bed Garden
Chapter 3 Which Vegetables Grow In Raised Beds
Chapter 4 Planting And Maintaining Your Raised Bed Garden
Chapter 5 Crop Rotation And Seeding Techniques Succession
Chapter 6 Irrigation
Chapter 7 Pest Control
Chapter 8 Common Mistakes To Avoid
Chapter 9 Tips And Tricks For Growing Healthy Plants
Chapter 10 Herbs To Grow
Chapter 11 Flowers That Flourish In Raised Beds
Conclusion
 Table Of Contents
Microgreens

Introduction
Chapter 1 Microgreens And Health Benefits
Chapter 2 Detailed Varieties List Of Microgreens
Chapter 3 Step By Step Methods Of Growing
Chapter 4 Tools
Chapter 5 Start Growing
Chapter 6 When To Cover Or Not
Chapter 7 Getting Their Nutrients
Chapter 8 Combating Fungus And Pests
Chapter 9 How To Harvest
Chapter 10 Ways To Use Microgreens
Chapter 11 Some Delicious Recipes
Conclusion
 Table Of Contents
Vertical Gardening

Introduction
Chapter 1 Why You Should Have A Vertical Garden
Chapter 2 Choosing A Site And Preparing The Soil
Chapter 3 Arbors, Arches, Pergolas, And Trellises
Chapter 4 Planters And Supports
Chapter 5 Containers And Hanging Planters
Chapter 6 Prepping To Sow/ Getting Started
Chapter 7 How To Care For Your Plants
Chapter 8 Compost - The Only Fertilizer You Need
Chapter 9 How To Control Pests And Disease In Your Garden
Chapter 10 Watering
Chapter 11 Vegetables For Vertical Gardens
Chapter 12 Fruits For Vertical Gardens
Conclusion
 Table Of Contents
Container Gardening

Introduction
Chapter 1 Gardening Materials
Chapter 2 Deciding What To Grow
Chapter 3 Best Organic Vegetables For Every Pot
Chapter 4 Maintenance Tactics
Chapter 5 Plant For Year-Round Container
Chapter 6 Any Ideas For Vertical Gardening
Chapter 7 Managing Pests And Plant Diseases
Chapter 8 The First Steps For Success
Chapter 9 Common Container Gardening Problems
Chapter 10 The Best Plants In Containers
Chapter 11 Steps To Grow Plants In Containers
Chapter 12 Watering Guidelines
Conclusion
 Table Of Contents
Greenhouse Gardening

Introduction
Chapter 1 Every Types Of Greenhouses
Chapter 2 How To Construct A Greenhouse
Chapter 3 Planning For A Greenhouse
Chapter 4 Greenhouse Environment
Chapter 5 Essential Greenhouse Equipment
Chapter 6 Using Space Effectively
Chapter 7 What To Grow In Your Greenhouse
Chapter 8 Scheduling Plants For Year-Round Growing
Chapter 9 Hydroponics In A Greenhouse
Chapter 10 Managing And Operating A Greenhouse
Chapter 11 Pests & Diseases Control
Chapter 12 Cleaning Your Greenhouse
Conclusion
 DIY HYDROPONICS

A Step-By-Step Easy And Inexpensive Guide To

Build Your
Hydroponics Garden System
(Vegetable Gardening Book 1)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

ydroponics is of course a new way of growing plants. But giant strides

H have been created through the past few years in this innovative field of
agriculture. Through the past century, both scientists and horticulturists
have experimented with various techniques of hydroponics. Among the
possible uses of hydroponics that drove research was for growing fresh
produce in nonarable regions of the Earth.
It's a simple actuality that some individuals can't grow in the soil within
their place (if there's any soil in it at all). This application of hydroponics
was analyzed during World War II. Troops stationed on the Pacific
nonarable islands were provided with locally fresh produce grown in based
hydroponic systems.
Hydroponics was integrated to the space program. As NASA believed the
practicalities of finding a society on a different plant or the planet's moon,
hydroponics readily fit into their sustainability aims. This study is
continuing. However, by the 1970s, it was not only analysts and scientists
who had been included in hydroponics. Traditional farmers and keen
hobbyists started to be drawn to the virtues of hydroponic growing. Some of
the positive aspects of hydroponics comprise:
The ability to create higher yields than traditional, soil-based agriculture
Letting food be grown and eaten in regions of the world that may not
support plants in the soil
Eliminating the requirement for massive pesticide usage (considering most
insects reside in the soil), effectively making our soil, air, food, and water
cleaner
Commercial growers are now flocking to hydroponics like never before.
The ideals enclosing these climbing techniques touch on subjects that most
men and women care about, like helping end world hunger and also making
the world cleaner.
Besides the extensive research that's happening, everyday folks from all
around the world are constructing (or buying) their particular systems to
grow great-tasting, fresh food to their loved one’s members and friends.
Educators are realizing that the remarkable software that hydroponics could
have in the classroom.
Hydroponic Gardening is the method where crops can grow without soil.
Using hydroponics to grow plants can be suitable for many growers, as it
enables plants to be grown much faster and most times with fewer
difficulties.
Plants are grown in a solution made up of water and dissolved nutrients
necessary for the specific plant. There are lots of hydroponics systems and
techniques which are utilized in growing plants that are now booming.
The different kinds of hydroponics systems and techniques include the
aeroponics, nutrient film technique (or NFT), and the aeration technique.
With the aeroponics techniques, plants are fastened utilizing rigid pipes,
films, or screens. The nutrients are circulated to the plants' water source and
the plants' roots are suspended inside the water. The plant subsequently
obtains its food nutrients directly from the water or by an air mist sprayed
directly onto the plant’s roots.
Hydroponic gardening also requires the use of a growing media. Various
mediums may be utilized which have to keep the roots abundantly moist.
They need to also be in a position to support the plant’s roots. These are the
best media to date: enlarged clay, perlite, Styrofoam, lavender, rockwool,
vermiculite, and pea gravel.
Many types plants which could be increased in a hydroponics system. Some
plants will grow much better in a hydroponics system than many others,
however, a number of the very popular are carrot, tomatoes, cucumbers,
herbs, watercress, and also several other edible plants.
Tree seedlings and blossoms may also be grown using hydroponics.
Hydroponic greenhouses are generating countless plant seedlings each year.
These are subsequently transplanted and grown in other places where
they're planted into soil.
If you are only a beginner at hydroponic gardening, you may undoubtedly
be more concerned with the level of your plants and the faster rate of
expansion. Hydroponically grown plants will grow and grow faster and give
you an earlier harvest of vegetable plants.
There are many advantages to growing your plants in a hydroponics system.
Hydroponic gardening does not call for a fertile farmland or even a huge
water source for growing crops. Vegetable and plants can be grown year-
round. Hydroponic plants and vegetables can be grown in just about any
small area, or a cellar, or even a flat balcony.
The hydroponic systems need less space since the plant’s roots do not need
to propagate and hunt for water and food. The smaller area requirement
creates hydroponic gardening ideal for limited space house gardeners.
The best advantage to hydroponic gardening is your capacity to automate
the hydroponics system with sockets and remote monitoring equipment.
This lessens the time it requires to keep the crops and the growing air.
Additionally, it enables the grower to leave their method for lengthy lengths
of time without worrying about watering the plants.
Hydroponic growing without using soil isn't straightforward, but with time
it will get to be very simple and regular. Hydroponics gives the benefit of
several methods which may be beneficial to your crops and create a more
productive and healthy plant.
How is Hydroponic Gardening Different from Regular Gardening?
When growing via hydroponics, you will find a vast range of growing
mediums which might be utilized.
Each of the nutrition requirements comes in the nutrient solution, usually
mixing fertilizer and water. Hydroponic fertilizer and fertilizer meant for
usage in soil (regular fertilizer) include the three major nutrients. The most
crucial difference between hydroponic fertilizer and soil fertilizer is the fact
that hydroponic gardening fertilizers include the appropriate amounts of
each one of the vital micro-nutrients that fertilizers don't include. The crops
are expected to discover these components in the soil.
Issues may arise for the plants if some or all the micro-nutrients aren't found
in the soil or have been depleted by sequential or excess plantings.
Hydroponic gardening fertilizers are often in a purer form compared to the
regular fertilizers, so they're more secure and water-soluble.
The organic fertilizers trust the action of microbes and bacteria to help
divide the material into its fundamental elements so the plants can quickly
use it. Hydroponic and regular fertilizers subsequently provide for the
plants using these components.
Another difference between hydroponic and regular gardening is that
growing hydroponics can be extremely complicated. But hydroponics may
also be rather straightforward. The typical home hydroponic system
generally contains a couple of essential components, such as a growing
menu, a reservoir, a timer controlled submersible pump to water the crops,
along with an air pump to oxygenate the nutrient solution. Lighting is, of
course, also needed to assist the hydroponic garden to grow.
Additionally, there are micro-nutrients which are needed for healthy plant
growth. All these micro-nutrients include sulfur, calcium, magnesium,
boron, cobalt, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, and molybdenum.
These nutrients are the vital components plants need in tiny quantities.
Plants will probably become ill with no trace components and also will
grow all kinds of issues if that nutrient is lost.
The lack of micro-nutrients in food plants can signify a deficiency of
nutrition in the food. This is going to lead to the food not being as healthy
as it might be and possibly lead folks to grow health issues as a result of
deficiency of the vital elements. Any hydroponic gardener should use a
good quality hydroponic fertilizer when they're growing plants with
hydroponics.
It's also vital that the pH is regulated in both growing via hydroponics and
in the soil. Plants lose the capability to consume unique nutrients once the
pH varies. The pH needs to be monitored throughout the whole growth
cycle of these plants to keep up the utmost healthy uptake of nutrients. The
pH of the nutrient solution can influence how well each component can
pass through the main cell wall to nourish the plant. When the gardener has
correctly calibrated the proper concentrations and the pH of the solution,
they can normally assume it'll remain steady barring any unexpected root
disease.
Advantages of Hydroponic Gardening
So, have you decided to grow a garden this season? Well, prior to going out
and spending a great deal of money unnecessarily, you ought to have a peek
at the benefits of hydroponic gardening. Hydroponic gardening is garden
work at its very best. There's almost little to no soil involved with
hydroponic growing. Hydroponic gardening is the usage of light and water
to grow fruits and vegetables.
Hydroponic growing means less time and not as much money wasted on
unnecessary substances. You don't have to spend money on pesticides and
fertilizers. Nor would you spend hours weeding and tilling the ground.
Hydroponic gardening is quite valuable because the yields on plants are
much higher and the crops will normally generate richer, brighter, and more
fruits.
To begin your personal hydroponic garden, you have to choose where you'll
settle your crops. The hydroponic growth of crops generally implies that
you need a nice quantity of room to enable the crops to grow. Many men
and women use a greenhouse. Hydroponic growth of crops is quite
straightforward and virtually everyone can get it done.
All you will need is to do just a bit of research, particularly if you're just
beginning. Ask questions from those that you know who are in gardening.
Learn what sort of nutrients that your plants will require. Hydroponic
nutrients are often more concentrated due to the simple fact they have to get
added into the plants and their growing environment. It's advisable if you
discover a combination solution that will offer all the nutrients required for
the plants to grow.
Hydroponic gardening can grow your veggies and fruits throughout the
year. This way it is possible to control not merely the water and light, but
also the number of pests which will impact the return of these plants. When
growing a garden outside, you need to be ready to eliminate some of your
harvest yield as a result of pests, the weather, along with other aspects. But
with hydroponic growing, you are able to remove the majority of these
variables.
You might even be able to guarantee the quantity of hydroponic nutrients
your plants need. By utilizing hydroponic nutrients, you can control the
strength of their main systems and restrain the flowering potential of your
crops. Various kinds of hydroponic nutrients may promote your plants to
make more blossoms, which then provide more fruit in crops like the
tomato plant. Hydroponic nutrients are essentially plant food. This is as
vital to the plant’s growth as light and water.
 Chapter 1
Types of Hydroponic Systems

ydroponic system is so amazing; it has several different types that are

H available. There are some hydroponic systems that are among the best
available in the market that is a combination of different kinds of
hydroponics merged into a singular hydroponic system which is known as
an HYBRID. Hydroponics is so distinct; it has numerous techniques that
you can use to access the nutrient enriched solution for your plants. The
different types of hydroponic systems are:
Deepwater Culture (DWC)

In a DWC hydroponic system, the roots are suspended in a nutrient

enriched solution. The nutrient enriched solution is oxygenated by an
aquarium air pump-this assist in preventing the plant roots from drowning.
NOTE: Avoid light from penetrating your system-it can trigger algae
growth. This could cause boundless devastation to your system.
The key benefit when using the Deepwater Culture System is that clogging
of drip or spray emitters is non-existent, it makes Deep Water Culture a
first-rate choice for organic hydroponics-hydroponics system that makes
use of organic nutrients is disposed to having clogs.

The deep water culture technique being used to produce ‘’Hungarian wax
peppers ’’
Conventional method using deep water culture technique prefers the use of
buckets that are made of plastic as well as large containers. The plant is
confined in a net pot that is suspended from the lid’s center while the
suspended in the nutrient enriched solution are the roots. The air pump
saturates the solution with oxygen which is in combination with porous
stones. Using deep water culture technique makes the plants grow faster
due to the high volume of oxygen the roots obtain. The Kratky Method has
similarity to the DWC, the only difference is that it uses non-circulating
water reservoir.
Nutrient Film Technique

Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) is a kind of hydroponic system in which

there is a continuous flow of nutrient enriched solution that flows over the
plants roots. The design is very simple yet so operational and widely
popular among the growers of plant using hydroponic methods. This
solution type flows with the force of gravity because it is on a slight tilt.
This kind of hydroponic system works perfectly well due to the fact that the
plant roots have more oxygen absorbed from the air than from the nutrient
solution itself. The plant gets oxygen easily since it is only the root tips that
have contact with the nutrient enriched solution. This aids the plant to have
a grow rate that is quiet fast.
Nutrient Film Technique uses the components that are similar to that of Ebb
& Flow Technique. There is similarity between them in that they use
similarly water pumps for the delivery of nutrients to your crops. The
different is in their individual configuration. The difference is that Ebb &
Flow uses the mechanics of Flood and Drain but for NFT, it uses the
mechanics of the system flowing in a constant way. There are other systems
such as Wicking and also Kratky Method but they do not make the
provision of optimum conditions for the crops even though they are passive,
very simple to build as well as easy to use.
Nutrient Film Technique is usually used for growing plants that are smaller
in size yet fast in growth. For instance, variety of lettuces can be grown
using the Nutrient Film Technique. Other from lettuces, commercialized
growers makes use of the Nutrient Film Technique to grow various herbs,
baby greens as well as strawberries. Also with NFT you can grow variety of
leaves such as Bibb as well as Cos Type (Romaine), lettuces, kales, mustard
greens as well as many oriental vegetables including herbs. Also you can
plant flowers that are edible and can be added to make salad very rich and
make presentation of food to look sensational, examples of such flowers
that are edible are; nasturtiums as well as pansies.
NFT system can also be used to get responses that are fast, then new
seedlings can then be planted for future harvesting. This will make the
dream of any home hobbyist to be fulfilled because he/ she have a garden
and there is continual supply of crops.
Aeroponics

Aeroponics is another hydroponics technique in which the plant roots when

being suspended in the air are mist up with a nutrient enriched solution.
These are done with devices for misting that are specially made. Plants are
nurtured basically with nothing but mist laden with nutrient. This
hydroponic system technique as a concept is where the plant roots are held
in a medium that is soilless in nature. The growing medium such as coco-
noir; where intermittently the water livened with nutrient is pumped. In
Aeroponics, the seeds get embedded in the bits of foam that are squeezed
into tiny pots. They are exposed to light at one end and misted nutrient
spray at the other end.
Also holding the stem in place as well as the root mass is the foam as the
plants grow. There are two main processes that can be used to get the
nutrient solution on the roots that are exposed. The first process mists the
roots by using a fine spray nozzle while the second process uses a ‘’pond
fogger’’. If you make the decision of selecting the process of using a pond
fogger, you have to ensure the usage of a Teflon coated disc-this will assist
in reduction on the extent of maintenance needed. Who would ever think
that naked roots can actually thrive and have a survival trait? It has been
discovered that when the growing medium is removed from the equation it
makes the plants root to be very free. They are exposed to oxygen; and this
hastens and leads to more rapid growth.
Aeroponics is widely used because it is tremendously efficient in terms of
water. It uses less water. It is a closed system that is looped and uses ninety-
five percent lesser irrigation compared to traditional farming of using soil to
grow plants. The nutrients that are also held in the water get recycled too. It
has the capability of large numbers of crops to be grown in a small space.
Due to the fact that the crops are grown in spaces that are enclosed, the
nutrient does not run off to adjacent waterways. Although, Aeroponics is
technical because it needed power to make the mist system work. For
instance, AeroGarden, which is a commercialized aeroponics system,
makes it an exceptional entry point to using aeroponics technique. It needs
just a little setting up because it is a turn-key system. It has good support as
well as supplies that can give you the needed start up push.
Wicking

Wicking is a hydroponic technique that is easy to use and has the lowermost
costing. They are the utmost uncomplicated system of hydroponics. It is
also as a good introduction for students that want to understand the basics
of hydroponics without delving into the uncomplicated parts of the other
systems. Wick systems are passively active; this means generally that they
possess no part that moves. It makes them cheap as well as easy to maintain
than other systems such as Ebb and Flow. Although they cannot be use for
plants that need higher upkeep. Or even plants that are large, and ingest
loads of water. The idea that brings forth wicking is when you have a
material, for instance cotton, surrounded by a growing medium in which an
end of the wick material is positioned in the nutrient enriched solution. The
solution is at that juncture wicked to the plants roots. This kind of
hydroponic system can be made simpler by the removal of the wick
material totally and substituting it with a medium which possesses the
capability to wick nutrients to the plants roots. How does this work? It
works through the suspension of your medium’s bottom right in the
solution. Medium that are recommended for uses are; perlite or vermiculite.
Mediums to be avoided include; coconut coir,
Passive sub-irrigation

This reduces labor as well as provides a steady supply of water to the plant
roots. In a simple way, in a shallow solution of fertilizer as well as water
sits a pot or it could be on a capillary mat that is saturated with nutrient
enriched solutions. There are various medium available for usage such as
coconut husk as well as expanded clay that comprises of enough air spaces
than the traditional potting mixes, increased oxygen is delivered to the plant
roots and this is necessary in epiphytic plants –like orchids as well as
bromeliads, whose roots are naturally exposed to air. Extra benefits of using
passive hydroponics system are that it reduces root rot as well as the surplus
ambient humidity it provides through evaporations.
When comparing passive sub-irrigation to traditional ways of farming in
terms of crop per yield fares better because:
It uses thirteen times lesser water in a crop cycle unlike traditional system
of farming
It uses on an average hundred times more energy (kilojoules per kilogram)
than traditional system of farming.
Drip System

Another type of hydroponics is the drip system which is rather simple. This
system is very popular and borrows from the utmost proficient water-
irrigation system that is used in cultivating plants traditionally. It is being
used to produce crops that are bountiful by every person from the people
dwelling in the city to those living in apartments that are small, to some of
the largest hydroponic farms that are commercialized and working on a
large scale globally. How does the drip system work? It works through the
sluggish feed of nutrient enriched solution to the hydroponics medium.
Recommended are slow draining medium such as coconut coir, rockwool or
peat moss. You can also use medium that are fast draining even though you
would have to use a dripping emitter that is faster.
The drawback of this system is that it is well-known for clogging is the
dripper/emitters. It is a system that we prefer not to use, even though it is an
effective technique for plant growing if the clogs that affect this system type
can be avoided. of a feed of nutrient enriched solution to the hydroponics
medium. A drip system works by providing a slow feed of nutrient solution
to the hydroponics medium.
The downside to a system like this is that the drippers / emitter are famous
for clogging. We prefer not to use drip systems, but it can be an effective
method for growing if you can avoid the clogs that plague this type of
system.
There are two kinds of drip hydroponics system. We have the recovery as
well as the non-recovery drip systems.
 Chapter 2
Build Your Own Hydroponic System

e know to build your hydroponic system is an arduous task to do. And

W especially if you have no experience and technical knowledge about
the system, then it seems like an impossible task. But seriously there is
nothing like impossible thing in building the hydroponic system because
you only need to follow some simple steps and then you will get your
hydroponic system without any error.
1) Determine the space/location
Indeed, one of the most essential and initial steps for building your
hydroponic system. An excellent place or space where you want to establish
your system is the path of attaining success. It doesn't matter whether you
are developing your hydroponic system in your home or outside your home
or in an open space area, the place should be leveled to maintain the right
balance of the system.
If you are planning to locate the hydroponic system inside your home, then
choose a dry place and a place which is far away from the electrical circuit.
Though some of the systems run on electricity, you also need to remember
that water will also be present in the system and any leakage can cause
severe damage.
And if you want to locate your hydroponic system outside, then you have to
must ensure the prevention of your network from outside elements like
wind barrier, temperature and humidity level, protection from worms and
other pests. And in the cold temperature, you need to bring your system
inside your home to prevent the plants.
2) Assemble - Hydroponic System
Each hydroponic system has its specific design and structure. Some are
highly equipped because of their commercial purpose, and some are like a
wicking system which mainly made for house farming.
So, let's know about general hydroponic systems assemble process:
Your hydroponic system consists of with reservoir that is also known as
container or tank, the tubes through which water and solution come, net pot
or anything which holds the plants, water pump and stone which creates the
bubbles, recycle the water and generate enough oxygen for the plants. Some
other essential things like nutrients solutions. So, after getting all these
things, then assemble them carefully.
3) Mixing of the nutrient solution in the tank Then fill up the tank with
water. And after that add some needed amount of nutrients into the tub and
turn on the pump so that water and nutrients solution will mix thoroughly.
4) Add Plants If you do not have any experience or time to grow seeds by
yourself, then it would be best for you to purchase seeds from the market,
and this is the most-simplest process of planting a hydroponic garden. But
for more significant results, you need to choose a healthier plant root of
your desire and then clean it thoroughly. It means to remove all the soil and
dirt from the sources.
After that wash them gently and submerge the roots into the lukewarm
water to cold water. Remember that too cold or hot water can damage the
roots and give them initial shock that can cause unhealthier results. And
then separate each root for removing the soil because any soil left can log
the spray holes.
So, after cleaning the roots, pull the roots from the bottom of the cup of
planting and add some stretched clay pebbles. These clays are hard and
capable enough to hold the roots without any damage.
5) Tie the sources in the trellis
The next step involves the process of attaching the origins in the grille. For
this, you can use strings and plant clips to tie the plant's roots to the trellis,
because chains and clips can attain better support for the plant. And these
are also helpful in maximizing the space. So, tie up the strings to the top of
the roots through a grille, attach the clips at the bottom of the plant.
6) Turn the system on and monitor it
So, after completing all the steps, now turn on the water pump and monitor
the system daily. We are saying because sometimes due to the evaporation
or excessive heat, the system runs out of the water and in that particular
situation the tank become dry and your pump can burn up too.
On the other hand, you also need to check the nutrients level and PH level
in a regular interval of time.
7) Measure plant growth
Hydroponic farming or planting is the most significant way of getting quick
and better results. Because the plant needs water and nutrients for
overgrowing and through a hydroponic system, they consume it more
rapidly. They grow faster, and that is why you need to monitor or measure
plant growth every day.
8) Check the diseases and pests in the plant Disease and pests are one of the
biggest obstacles in the process of hydroponics. Any bug or pests can
destroy your hard work in a short period. Any foliar disease chewed leaves,
and insect pest presence can damage your entire system.
So, it would be better for you to remove plant which is infected or sick
immediately. Plants that grow hydroponically do not need to spend their
energy to locate food because they automatically get the required food. That
is why they spend their strengths to fight with the disease and with any
infection.
Essentiality of hydroponic farming
1) Soilless growing
The story of hydroponic growing was started in 1940 when some
researchers had introduced the phenomenon of the hydroponic system by
growing vegetables without soil for the American troops. It was indeed a
great and successful experiment in science. And now we all have been
watching and gaining the benefits of landless growing or tank-based
growing.
The most significant benefits of this method are that now we can grow
plants and do farming where the soil is not appropriate for agriculture and
gardening.
2) Space friendly
Yes, you can step up your hydroponic system wherever you want and can
get some outstanding results of plantation or agriculture. If you wish to
locate your order on the outside of your home or inside, it will give you the
same results. Though you need to take care of some points like prevention
from dirt and dust or faster wind because these can erupt the smooth
progress of growing.
3) Control over climate conditions
The tradition farming or plantation mainly depends on the weather
conditions and shows the growth according to the climate and seasons. That
is why we get the vegetables and fruits available in the market according to
the seasons.
But here the all process will be done on the tank or reservoir. It means you
have total control over climate, seasons, weather conditions and air,
temperature, and humidity. So, you can grow plants according to your need
and also earn some high amount commercially.
4) Can save more water
Traditional farming or plantation requires more water consumption, and this
is one of the biggest reasons why ground-level water degrading so much. A
data says traditional farming method consumes around 80 percent of water
in comparison to soilless growing. And if we talk about the hydroponic
way, then it would be around 10 percent of water consumption. So, in this
way, you can be able to save more water. Because there is only one way of
water wasting in hydroponic and that is a leakage in the tank.
5) Maximum use of nutrients
Water and nutrients are the main elements which help the plant or roots to
be healthy and multiply. But in the traditional method, the plant root takes
more time and consumes fewer nutrients in comparison to soilless growing.
The hydroponic system method shows the maximized use of nutrient
solution and water for the plant's growth. By the hydroponic way, you can
directly increase the water and nutrients into the roots of a plant, and by
this, they will grow healthier and quicker.
6) PH control
Another great benefit of tank based growing in comparison of soil-based
growing. Because here we can easily control the PH level of water and
nutrients solutions more precisely and also can adjust them. And in this
way, we can be able to ensure the number of nutrients consumed in the
plant.
7) Greater growth rate
By giving the right atmosphere and climate condition, better nutrient, water
supply, and light, you can quickly grow more plants than the traditional
method. And hydroponics is the best way to provide a direct supply of
mixed water and nutrient solution. And it is easily understandable that if
you are providing all these things, then your growth rate will quickly
become higher.
8) No Weed phenomenon
Yes, you heard it right. Because weeds develop in the soil and when you
grow your plants hydroponically, then the aspect of weeds will be
eradicated automatically. It means you can build your plants and do farming
without any stress of weeds because, while doing the soil-based farming,
we need to cut down the developed weeds from the soil to prevent the
healthier growth of plants.
9) Prevention from diseases
Plant diseases such as fusarium, Pythium, and Rhizoctonia species destroys
the healthiness of the plant and make them vulnerable. And pests such as
groundhogs and gophers can also do severe damage in the plant growing.
But if you are doing your farming through the tank method, then the
chances of these things will be mitigated automatically.
10) Timesaving
In comparison to the traditional approach, you can save your significant
amount of time through hydroponic farming. In the conventional method,
you need to devote your time for watering, soil cultivation, and monitoring,
but here you need to understand the equipment of tank-based farming. And
the rest will be done by the system itself. By this, you can be able to save
your time and your labor too.
11) Stress-free work indeed, it is a stress-free way of doing farming of
gardening. There is no need to do the soil cultivation or watering for the
better soil condition. And you also need not devote your significant amount
of time. However, you can do hydroponic farming as a hobby to make your
life stress free.
The growing process when you are using hydroponics is quite simple and
does not differ too much from the traditional gardening growing process.
When you start your seeds, you will start them in a medium such as the
oasis cubes. You will use whatever method you choose, placing them in the
sun or under a grow light, but instead of simply watering them, you will
give them the nutrient rich solution.
Once the seeds have sprouted and have taken root, you can transfer them to
your hydroponics system, but you need to make sure that they are big
enough for your specific system. You do not want to place your spouts in
your system only to see them washed away or drowned so you should not
rush the process of getting them into your hydroponics system.
Once the plants are in the hydroponics system, they will grow just as they
would if you were growing them in a traditional garden.
The difference is that the plants are going to grow a lot faster than they
would in a traditional garden and they are going to begin producing more
fruit quicker than if they were in a traditional garden. Studies have shown
that you can actually triple the amount of food that you are able to grow
when you are using a hydroponics system versus traditional gardening.
When you think about how you are growing your plants, one of the most
important things people tend to think about is the pesticides. Many people
choose to grow their own vegetables and fruits simply because they know
the amount of pesticides that have been put on the foods they are eating.
 Chapter 3

Growing Mediums and Nutrients

P erlite is an obscure volcanic glass that has a moderately high water-

holding limit, ordinarily shaped by the hydration of obsidian. It usually
happens and has the abnormal property of incredibly extending when
warmed adequately. It is a mechanical mineral and a business item valuable
for its lightweight in the wake of handling. Perlite has abundant air space
inside the particles along these lines, making it an attractive roofing
material. It is inactive and does not contain adequate amounts of any of the
essential plant supplement components. Perlite has been utilized in different
manners: rooting plants in a sack of perlite, or the perlite is set into pots or
containers of different structures and sizes. Typically, after use, the perlite is
disposed of.

Rock Wool Substrate

Rockwool is a fibrous material delivered from a blend of volcanic stone,
limestone, and coke, liquefied at 1500°C to 2000°C, expelled as fine strands
and squeezed into inexactly woven sheets. The sheets are made into pieces
of changing widths (16 to 18 in. [15 to 46 cm]), ordinarily 36 in. (91 cm)
long and going top to bottom from 3 to 4 in. (5 to 10 cm).
Dividing among the pieces will rely upon the arrangement of the growing
region and the crop to be developed. Cuts are made along the lower edge of
every chunk of the polyethene piece covering on the base to permit
overabundance supplement answer for stream from the lump. An entrance
gap is then cut on the highest point of the chunk sheeting to oblige a
Rockwool square containing a growing plant. Supplement arrangement is
then conveyed to each Rockwool 3D square by methods for a drip water
system.
Rockwool is presumably the most broadly utilized hydroponic growing
medium on the planet today for the creation of tomato, cucumber, and
pepper, even though endeavors are being made to locate a satisfactory
substitute since the removal of utilized pieces is turning into a significant
issue.
Ceramic Substrate
Sintered, the permeable clay substrate has astounding water stockpiling
limit; high air content in the bed is well drainable and very appropriate
when microorganisms are wanted in the method, for example, inorganic
composts. They are all around populated. The fired substrates ought not to
be excessively sharp, so as not to harm the fragile roots.
Coconut Fiber Substrate
The coconut substrate is acquired as a side-effect in the handling of coconut
shells. Short filaments are dried and squeezed into formed bodies. This
makes it extremely minimized for transportation. Expansion of water
creates around 14 liters of coconut substrate from 1 kg of the squeezed
material. A hindrance is a regularly high and fluctuating saltiness, which
must be considered in hydroponic growth. As a substrate, it has been
demonstrated in numerous applications.
Plastic Sponge Substrate
Natural, yet artificially delivered are manufactured wipes. They are not
compostable. Their favorable position is the low cost and the enormous
pore volume. They have a useful water stockpiling limit, yet don't
consolidate when watering and work appropriately.
Peat Substrate
Peat is natural silt that has grown, especially gradually in moors. Peat has a
high spring and water stockpiling limit. The last can prompt compaction
when watered. Since peat is likewise harsh, it is just utilized in blends.
Coconut and peat pots are frequently utilized for seed growth. Shockingly,
the sullying of the hydroponic method can't be maintained a strategic
distance from totally.
MAGMA STONE, PUMICE
It is a characteristic, lightweight, permeable substrate material of volcanic
inception. The contrast in silicate substance, virtue, and porosity. As a
substrate, it is inactive with low water stockpiling limit; however, it
guarantees legitimate ventilation. The heartiness is lower contrasted with
extended mud. Regularly they are utilized in substrate blends.
The Natural Substance of Perlite, Rockwool, and Coir
These three rooting media are gotten from normally happening materials
and, in this manner, will contain a few, or many, of the essential plant
supplement components. What parts of these components are "accessible"
for plant use isn't commonly known, nor handily decided because of their
fluctuating parameters of utilization. Experience, nonetheless, would
propose that a part of the contained components in a rooting medium can be
accessible for root assimilation. How that assurance is made is the test.
Tests of perlite, Rockwool, and coir were warmed in water Regina (blend of
concentrated hydrochloric and nitric acids) to bring them into the
arrangement.
Notwithstanding, Rockwool and coir did, and their got digests were
examined for their natural substance by ICP spectrometry. Since they are
regular items, these substances will have contrasts in original content
relying upon the arrangement of the source material; in this manner, there is
presumably a "clump impact" that might be critical. For Rockwool, the
synthetic creation of the source mineral just as the fluxing specialist
(limestone) will decide the last item's natural substance; for coir, the
concoction condition related to the creation and preparing of the coconut
fiber will decide its component content.
Even though these rooting media contain the majority of the essential plant
supplement components, the inquiry concerns what part of these
components would be considered "accessible" for plant root ingestion. Two
extraction strategies can be utilized for making that assurance: water-
balance extraction or extraction using a dirt extraction reagent. The Melic
No. 3 soil extraction technique was picked.
The acquired concentrate was tested for component content being
communicated as pounds per section of land (lb. /A) with the goal that the
Melic No. 3 understanding qualities could be applied. Notwithstanding
perlite, Rockwool, and coir, two other ordinarily utilized rooting media—
pine bark and peat greenery—were incorporated. These dirt extraction
methodology results don't confirm that that which is removed characterizes
what bit of the component substance of the rooting medium is to be sure
"accessible" for root ingestion, even though it provides a reason for
examination among rooting media. The test results would recommend that
everything except perlite could be considered as a "fruitful" soil.
It might likewise propose that utilizing these rooting media, including the
micronutrients, would not be vital in the chosen manure or supplement
arrangement plan. Also, these outcomes would recommend that one needs
to coordinate a supplement arrangement definition with the "accessible"
primary substance of the plant rooting media. What happens when a
supplement arrangement is carried into contact with an attaching medium
and permitted to come to balance? To address this inquiry, a supplement
arrangement was included an equivalent volume to Rockwool, perlite, and
coir.
There has been extensive discussion about nutrients and how important they
are for your plants. Now is the time to take a look at what nutrients a plant
needs. Your plants need nutrition to grow successfully. However, you may
not realize that there are two types of nutrients: macro and micro.
Macronutrients are, unsurprisingly, in much higher demand. This is because
they are essential for the correct function of the cells within the plant.
Micronutrients are compounds that are needed in minimal quantities,
especially when compared to macronutrients.
Let’s take a look at what these are in more detail. This will help you to
establish what nutrients should be introduced to your hydroponics system.
Primary Macronutrients (NPK)
There are three primary macronutrients which are essential for the growth
of any plant. These are:
•Nitrogen (N)
•Phosphorus (P)
•Potassium (K)
1. Nitrogen (N)
It doesn’t matter if you are growing hydroponically or in soil, your plants
will need nitrogen. This compound is available in two forms, NO3 and
NH4.
NH3 is nitrate and is absorbed by plants slowly. It is an essential part of the
synthesis of amino acids, which helps the plant to mature and grow.
In contrast, NH4 is effectively ammonia and will damage the pathways
inside your plants, potentially causing your plant to die.
Nitrogen is added to the nutrient mix in the form of calcium nitrate.
2. Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorus is a compound that all living creatures need. It is part of your
DNA and provides energy transfer between cells, making it an essential part
of photosynthesis. You will find phosphorus in plant fertilizers, either as
phosphoric acid or phosphates. It is particularly important during the
flowering stage of plant growth. Without enough phosphorus, your plants
will become stunted and blotchy.
3. Potassium (K)
Potassium is a primary macronutrient as it helps the plant to utilize other
nutrients. It also helps seeds mature, flowers to grow, and increase fruit
yields.
Secondary Macronutrients
Secondary macronutrients are needed in the nutrient mix but not at the
quantity that the primary macronutrients are required.
Secondary macronutrients include:
•Calcium (Ca)
•Magnesium (Mg)
•Sulfur (S)
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are only needed in small quantities. But they are essential
for plant growth. These include:
•Chlorine (CI)
•Copper (Cu)
•Manganese (Mn)
•Boron (B)
•Iron (Fe)
•Molybdenum (Mo)
•Zinc (Zn)
Liquid Nutrients
Let’s start with a liquid solution that most beginners use. These are the
general hydroponics flora series.
How to mix liquid nutrients
Take water from your tap, rainwater, or distilled water and use a TDS meter
to give you the amount of total dissolved solids in your water. You need to
remember this number for later use. Tap water should be around 100-
400ppm while distilled water is less than 25ppm.
What you need to do is to take a cup and fill it with water from the nutrient
solution. Add some pH down solution to the cup and mix it with the water
in the cup. Once the pH down solution is mixed with the nutrients in the
cup, pour it into the five-gallon reservoir. Measure the pH of your five-
gallon mix and repeat until the pH is 6.5. The reason for using a separate
cup with the pH down solution is that it is a strong acid that can make the
nutrients dissipate out of the solution. This can be seen if white crystals are
forming in the nutrient mix.
Dry Nutrients
A 3-part powder nutrient solution
Dry nutrient mixing consists of three parts. This is a mix that is widely used
in the hydroponics community. Other mixes like the master blend or any
other three-part nutrient powder mix are similar in use.
Liquid vs. Powder Nutrients
There are lots of nutrient solutions on the market nowadays. Some are
liquid, and some are powder. The hobbyist mostly uses liquid nutrient
solutions, while powder nutrients are used for commercial or advanced
growers. Nonetheless, both are very easy to make.
Liquid nutrients are more expensive than powder nutrients if you compare
them to their nutrient content by weight. That’s why it doesn’t make sense
to use liquid nutrients when you are a seasoned grower or are growing
commercially.
Why do you need to adjust the pH?
Different nutrients have different uptakes at a certain pH level. When your
pH is high, some secondary macronutrients won’t be taken up by the plant.
If your pH is too low, other nutrients will not be taken up by the plant.
You need to find the best pH for your plants. A pH chart will help you to
find the best pH levels. A pH between 6 and 6.5 is recommended.
Effect of nutrient uptake by altering pH levels
Do you need micronutrients?
The short answer is yes. Although they are needed in much smaller
quantities. Micronutrients are an essential part of plant growth.
If you don’t supply the micronutrients your plants need, they will start to
experience stunted growth, and the yield will be reduced. All 3-part liquid
and dry nutrient mixes contain micronutrients.
Recommended nutrient levels
You may hear such terms as Hydroponic Nutrient Strength, TDS, PPMs, or
conductivity. These are all relevant to the nutrient strength of your water,
which means the better balanced these are, the happier and healthier your
plants will be.
 Chapter 4

How to Maintain a Hydroponic System

B ya this point, we have made our hydroponic systems, and mixed together
batch of nutrient solution to give them all the macronutrients they
could ever desire. By now, it is safe to call yourself a hydroponic
gardener! But the work hasn’t finished yet. Now that you have your setup
and you are growing your plants; you have to remain vigilant in
maintaining your hydroponic garden.
To this end, we’ll look at how we sanitize our growing space, as well as
how we go about sterilizing it. These two words are often used
interchangeably but are actually two different steps. From there we will
explore the ways we can keep our reservoirs in good condition, look at
some general troubleshooting advice and speak on how our plants tell us
that they need help.
Sanitizing
When it comes to sanitizing our hydroponic gardens, what we mean is that
we are giving our garden a deep clean. It is as important to keep our
gardens clean as changing a burnt-out lightbulb is or making sure that our
nutrient solution is properly balanced. A proper sanitization will kill off and
get rid of most microorganisms that can cause damage. Sanitizing doesn’t
mean that you are using a cleaning product or a chemical solution. While
this can be a part of sanitizing, sanitizing can be as simple as a wipe down
and the removal of any filth and dead plant matter.
The first step in sanitizing which you will want to take is to make sure that
any spills, excess water or plant runoff is immediately cleaned up. You can
purchase a wet/dry vacuum which can help in cleaning up spills but, while
this is a useful tool, you can do this cleaning by hand as well. You want to
make sure that you are getting these spills quickly and cleaning them up
fully because the extra moisture on the floor can raise the room’s humidity.
A rise in humidity increases the risk that mold will take up residence in our
systems. It also risks exposing our plants to rot, which is a plant’s worst
nightmare. Not only that, but spills can actually damage your floors which
can lead to having to pay for repairs.
Any time you enter into the room, in which you keep your hydroponic
garden, you want to keep an eye out for any dead plant matter that you can
find. You should take the time every day to check for fallen leaves and other
dead plant matter. While it is easy just to check your grow tray and call it a
day, make sure you check the floor around your garden as plant matter can
easily escape and out of sight doesn’t mean it isn’t hurting your plants.
These will fall into your grow tray or onto the floor around your garden. We
want to clean up this dead plant matter because it is extremely enticing to
mold and fungi. It is also extremely enticing to a variety of pests. Make sure
when you harvest your crops that you always get rid of old root and plant
matter rather than leave it for later.
When it comes to facing problems with plant rot, a lot of gardeners never
realize that the problem stems from the cleanliness of the grow room. We
saw that we want to make sure that the problem with our plants is not
something else before we start adding micronutrients into our solutions.
This is one of those situations where people jump to conclusions. However,
one of the first things we should be checking is that we have kept a clean
garden space.
If your hydroponic setup uses an intake filter, then you are going to want to
inspect and clean that filter at least once a week or so. These filters help to
keep dust, bugs and molds from getting into our growing trays. Routine
cleaning of the intake filter will make sure that your system keeps
maximum airflow. It will also be a way to get an early warning of any pests
that are trying to get into your garden. Finding a pest on the intake filter
gives you a head start on preventing them from messing up and damaging
your garden.
Once every few months or so you should also take out the bulbs from your
lights and give them a wipe. You should also do this with any glass you
have such as when you use a reflector with your lights. Setting a schedule to
do this, say, every three months, will allow you to plan it out ahead of time
and to make sure that you don’t neglect this cleaning. Harvesting can also
be a great time to get at this cleaning, as when we harvest our plants, we
tend to open up more space and make it easier to get at our equipment.
Glass cleaners or isopropyl alcohol can be used to clean this glass. We want
to keep up with this cleaning as grime can build up on our glass and lights
and this can reduce the light output that we are able to give our plants.
You will also want to sanitize the hardware in your grow room about as
often as you clean the glass. This means wiping down our pumps, hoses,
and all the stuff like that. You’ll even want to wipe down the outside of
your grow tray and your reservoir. If you have equipment that has exposed
circuitry then you will want to get a couple of cans of compressed air so
that you can clean these without damaging any of the electronics.
To recap: Clean up any spills as soon as they happen. Check for dead plant
material once a day. Check your intake filters on a weekly basis. Every
couple of months you should get in and clean the glass and bulbs used in
your lighting setup. Around the time you clean your glass, you should also
give any hardware you are using a quick clean, using compressed air on
anything with exposed circuitry.
Sterilization
When it comes to cleaning, sterilization is a more involved process than
sanitization is. We sterilize our equipment in order to kill off
microorganisms like bacteria, spores and fungi. Because we are speaking on
hydroponic systems with the assumption that they will be kept indoors, we
will look at how we use chemical cleaners to sterilize our equipment. We
can also use heat and filtration but these are more involved and complicated
and are more useful for large-scale growing operations.
Unlike sanitization, we don’t want to sterilize nearly as often. With
sanitization, some of the practices are best used on a daily or a weekly
basis. Sterilization should be used far less often because not only is it
unnecessary but it can also hurt our system and our plants. For one, it takes
more time and thought to sterilize and it can leave nasty by-products if we
aren’t careful to rinse properly afterward. When it comes to sterilization, we
will be primarily looking at sterilizing our trays and reservoir, as well as the
inside of any tubes we must clean.
The two most common chemical cleaners for sterilization are bleach and
hydrogen peroxide. Bleach typically contains sodium hypochlorite as its
active ingredient. This is the same chemical which is used to disinfect
wastewater. While bleach makes for a great sterilizer, it can leave residual
traces on our equipment and so if you choose to use bleach you should be
prepared to double and triple rinse anything you cleaned using it. After you
harvest your plants but before you set up the next batch to grow is a great
time for a bleach bath. Using a mixture of one-part bleach to one part water,
you should soak any air stones or other submersibles as well as your tray
and reservoir. Make sure that you rinse these off two or three times, just to
be extra sure that no harmful residue is left.
Hydrogen peroxide is actually just water that has an unstable oxygen
molecule. This makes it a great chemical cleaner as instead of leaving
behind a harmful residue it actually breaks down into water. Since water
doesn’t hurt our plants, using hydrogen peroxide means you don’t have to
worry as much about the double or triple rinsing that bleach requires. You
can use a rag that has been soaked in 3% hydrogen peroxide to wipe down
and clean your components. If you have a larger setup, you may consider
creating a hydrogen peroxide solution that you can have run through the
system. For this, you would want to keep it at about 35% hydrogen
peroxide. If you run a hydrogen peroxide mix through your system, make
sure that you send some water through to rinse afterward before you return
your plants to the system.
To recap: You shouldn’t sterilize too often as this can hurt your plants. A
good time to sterilize is between harvesting and setting up the new crop. If
you use bleach to sterilize, make sure you double or triple rinse afterward to
prevent residue from hurting your plants.
Maintaining Your Reservoir
All the greenery at the top is just so pretty and exciting to watch grow. It
can be easy to maintain a habit of removing the dead leaves that have fallen
because it is fun to poke around our plants and see how they are doing. But
while it is easy to focus up top, we can’t let ourselves forget about how
important the bottom of our system is too. Without the reservoir of nutrient
solution, our plants wouldn’t get what they need to grow and we would just
have one dead garden. Our reservoirs are such an important part of our
hydroponic systems that we should make it our mission to see that they are
kept in the best possible shape. To do that, there are several steps and
behaviors that we should adapt to make sure we stay on top of reservoir
maintenance. The first step we should take is making sure that our
reservoirs are kept at a proper temperature. If we let our reservoirs get too
hot then the levels of oxygen go down and create conditions for root rot to
flourish. We want to keep our nutrient solution around 65-75 degrees. If our
reservoirs are too cold, we can always get an aquarium heater or a heating
pad to raise the temperature up. If our reservoirs are too hot then there are
several options available to us. We can get a reservoir chiller, move our
setups into the shade, or add some ice cubes to our solution. We also want
to make sure that after we paint our reservoir black, we then add a coat of
white paint to help reflect rather than absorb heat.
If your hydroponic garden is using a circulating system, then you are going
to need to make sure that you check on your water levels and top up the
reservoir. We lose water to evaporation and to processes that our plants
undergo. This means that water loss is a part of the gardening experience
and so we should be prepared to top up what is lost. This is especially
important with smaller systems, as the loss of a little bit of water in a
smaller system is a bigger deal.
 Chapter 5

Potential Problems and How to

Overcome Them

I fafter,
hydroponic plants are properly fed, and some ill symptoms are looked
then the problem is more likely to be PH-related. Some of the
symptoms of PH issues include: burning of the leaves, even if nutrients
are properly supplied, leaves bending and starting growing together.
Through measuring the PH of the water solution with a pH meter, a PH
question can then be solved and adjusted accordingly with a pH adjuster.
PH-related issues are one of the most easily identified and treated issues.
A PH tester is a must when cultivating with hydroponic systems and all
hydroponic growers should always have at least one. Too high or low PH
levels can cause root damage and nutrient absorption problems.
Nevertheless, the pH spectrum that plants can withstand is relatively large
without negative effects. The stature of the root system in hydroponic plants
at different pH levels has been found to be different. Plants with a pH of 7.5
above have a shorter, rougher root system than plants cultivated with a pH
of 5.5. Higher pH levels reduce the availability of some solution elements,
mainly iron and manganese, and may contribute to symptoms of
deficiency.
ALGAE
Sooner or later, most hydroponic farmers discover algae. It appears to be
green, grey, reddish or black, slimy growth which sticks to channels, slugs,
and pumps or stretches across the surface of damp material. In nutrient
tanks and return channels, long cords of algae are normal, and the speed
with which this type of plant life can expand and multiply is often
amazing.
Algae typically smell terrestrial or moldy; large quantities of decomposing
algae in the fertilizer will produce unpleasant odors. Algae are not only
irritating to any grower but also can block the droppers, emitters, pumps,
return channels, filters, as well as heavy growth, and can even screen the
surface of rising substrates and capture the oxygen roots.
The problem with algae is not so much that it competes for nutrients with
herbal roots, as it flourishes, dies and decomposes; it absorbs dissolved
oxygen from the system, as it grows. Decomposing algae can also emit
toxins as it breaks down and provides plant pathogenic fungi with food
sources that then grow to high levels in the environment.
Algae added directly to plant root systems can suffocate the roots and make
the plants more likely to attack manipulative pathogens, such as Pythium.
Algae are a type of plant life, and it is a natural result of water being
exposed to a light source, with nutrients contained in it. Where there is no
light, algae cannot grow, so light should be blocked whenever possible from
entering the nutrient solution. Channels should be light-resistant; return
gullies should also benefit from coverings; wide medium sizes can also be
protected with plastic film or a substratum coating that can act as "hot
mulch," as algae cannot thrive on dry surfaces.
Plastic collars are available for the propagation cubes of Rockwool these
days–a site normally green with algae as plants are ready for planting. Even
in the best-designed system, though, light usually falls on the nutrient -NFT
holes are placed, return outlets are common areas in channels and tanks.
Algae management can be challenging until developed in hydroponic
system–most farmers accept small quantities of algae in their systems if it is
not overwhelming. A regular scrub between crops often removes stubborn
algae and is often the only control that commercial producers use. Some
growers add algaecide to the nutrient to kill algae, and some of them are on
the market.
Nevertheless, because with every substance that destroys algae, a type of
plant life, destroys young and vulnerable root systems, care needs to be
taken as the dosage is known to be harmful. Also, after applications of most
of the algaecide products, algae will regrow very rapidly and require regular
applications to maintain control. The nutrient solution can also be
supplemented with hydrogen peroxide to kill existing algae.
Dose levels of 50 ppm of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) have however been
found to be needed to control algae, which has been phytotoxic in young
plants, though older plants have survived this dosage rate.
WATER
Plants are overwhelmed and quickly begin to develop root rot, which can
spiral out of control before even a problem is found. This could result in a
plant attempting to stop producing new leaves. When the leaves and the
roots overwatered, the signs are muddy and mushy and tend to stick a little,
while signs of under watering include: the leaves dropping dramatically and
gradually get dry.
SALT BUILDUP AND ELECTRIC CONDUCTION PROBLEMS
The salt or nutrient accumulation is often seen in hydroponic systems,
especially in long-season crops or in multi-year media.
The production of salt occurs when a substrate thoroughly saturated with a
nutrient solution containing dissolved salts removes moisture more rapidly
than the plant root system uses the mineral for evaporation. In this situation,
the soil lacks heat, but the minerals remain intact, thus growing the EC in
the media and around the surface.
This salt build-up in the root zone will lead to damage both through direct
contact with the salt crystals around the sensitive plant stem, particularly in
seedlings, and through increased osmotic pressure around the root of the
plant. Many media are more vulnerable to this substrate dilemma than
others–those that have porous materials and high water losses from the
substratum are more susceptible than others to salt crusting.
Once growers understand the symptoms, salt accumulation is easily dealt
with, but white crusting is the first indication, as is plant growth which gets
stunted, dull, hard and unexpectedly slow. When salt deposition becomes
more serious, the stem field at the base of the plant and roots can be
weakened and die, wilting in the colder periods of the day and causing
disease in these areas as the problem progresses.
Daily testing of the EC of the nutrient solution draining from the media,
helps to avoid and treat salt accumulation issues, the root system should not
elevate the EC of the nutrient solution, preferably. If the EC rises when it
passes through the root system and out the container foundation, salt may
be produced. Also, plants that have been fed a low EC solution can,
however, absorb salt when the environment is dry, and water loss from a
porous medium is high. In that case, the medium is sometimes leached and
carefully washed in plants (or even substituted in severe cases).
Nevertheless, when an actively growing crop emerges, this can be
detrimental, because a sudden decrease in osmotic pressure in the root zone
causes a significant inflow of humidity into the root cells that can, in effect,
lead to fruit splitting and slow plant growth. To remove excess salts from
the root region, flush growing media with either a common "flushing
solution" or a 1/3 intensity nutrient is required.
ROOT PATHOGENS
Root diseases are important to hydroponic cultivators. It refers in particular
to farmers who use NFT and other recirculation systems that can easily
transfer pathogens to many fields. Many pathogens, which can target roots
in hydroponic systems, have symptoms that promote their association with
a certain activity. Others, however, may have no effects at all.
One feature of these diseases is their ability to reduce plant growth and
yield. Detection kits for many root attack pathogens are available. Test
tissue can also be sent to a variety of laboratories for an accurate diagnosis.
But for most farmers, the first line of defense against root pathogens is to
investigate the root region.
Many crop losses have also been documented-in addition, approximately 20
fungal, 4 viral and 2 bacterial pathogens typically associated with root
diseases of hydroponic crops exist. Root pathogens can contaminate
hydroponic plants from a variety of sources, including soil, water, media,
insects, plant material infected, seeds and dust. Airborne root pathogens are
few, but they are known to occur. Soil, which contains a large number of
inoculums, is a more natural source of infection. Soil can enter a
hydroponic system on staff socks such as air, media, appliances or water,
especially from exposed sources such as reservoirs, rivers, and streams.
Pathogens may also be borne by insects such as shore flies and fungus
gnats. Since infections cause many root problems and unusual symptoms
and stressed plants often cause such attacks, the cultivation of a healthy
crop is always the first line of defense for farmers.
It is essential to ensure that the root zone retains enough oxygen throughout
the hydroponic system. Sometimes there are environmental or cultural
issues that threaten plants without the awareness of the grower. Therefore,
regular observation of the root zone is vital.
A grower, who sees a plant showing signs of wilting, or discoloration,
should cut it and investigate the root system in media-based systems. Once
a plant has been identified as having a potential root disease, it should be
removed and destroyed from the crop area. Proper sanitation and hygiene
are also important for pathogen control in hydroponic systems. Root
pathogens can be spread from one crop to another and any substrate or
substratum containing infected plants should be eliminated. Commercial
producers must take some form of control, such as treating the water supply
with UV light, hydrogen peroxide or ozone, into account in areas where
high populations of root disease pathogens exist.
ROOT DEATH
Suffocation hunger, pathogens, chemical damage, temperatures, and EC/pH
problems are the most common causes of root death in hydroponics.
Suffocation is probably the leading cause of root death and a decreased
growth rate in hydroponics. Generally, any present pathogens will not
invade a stable root system until it has been compromised or weakened by
unfavorable circumstances–usually stagnant or suffocating in the root
region.
The deficient oxygen can be caused by the drainage and lumping of the
nutrient solution, the decomposition of organic matter, sluggish variations,
and an excessive rooting of too many plants from the root zone. A lack of
oxygen decreases the root water permeability and contaminants build up as
root cells die. Many plants, such as tomatoes, try to adapt to the lack of
oxygen by developing unintended roots in the lower stem and swelling at
the base of the stem.
STARVATION
The root system is affected by a lack of nutrients, like the top of the plant.
The signs are, however, easier to detect. The roots are brown with a reduced
number of lateral branches due to phosphate deficiency. A lack of calcium
can create a thin brown root system that is poorly formed. Manganese
deficiency causes a thin root system that is considerably shorter and
smoother than normal, with some root tips browning.
Copper deficiency leads to severe root zone underdevelopment. Boron
deficiency causes the root tips to look like jelly.
SANITATION
However, residues of those chemicals that are not washed away before
planting can cause a number of problems, including root death. Chlorine is
a common sanitation agent, for example, but it can burn young roots even at
low concentrations so that every trace of chlorine has to be rinsed before the
system is replanted. Hydrogen peroxide has been shown to damage the root
systems of young lettuce plants at levels as low as 7ppm and should be used
carefully.
 Chapter 6
Growing Fruits and Vegetables with Hydroponics

Fruits and Vegetables Grown Hydroponically

ydroponics is a plant-growing process in water and without soil. At
H optimal levels, minerals and nutrients are applied to the water such that
the plants can commit their resources to grow fruits and vegetables,
resulting in greater production.
You can produce just about everything using the hydroponics. Here's our
top list of fruits and vegetables to grow in a greenhouse:
VEGETABLES
Lettuce
For hydroponic gardeners, lettuce is a top option since it needs little area,
little attention, and you can harvest leaves while it develops. Within a
couple of weeks, you'll get your first harvest so that you will reap the
benefits of your first crispy seed. Lettuce is a very low calorie veg, which
contains phytonutrients that promote health and prevent properties from the
disease. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, it includes minerals such as iron,
calcium magnesium, and potassium, essential for body metabolism, etc.

Perhaps the most popular vegetables produced in Hydroponics are lettuces,

the ideal ingredient for the salad sandwich in your kitchen. In a hydroponic
environment, they develop very quickly and are relatively easy to take care
of. In every Hydroponics device, lettuces may be grown like NFT,
Aeroponics, Ebb & Flow, etc. If you just start with Hydroponics, this
vegetable is, without a doubt, a great plant.
Tomatoes
Vining plants such as tomatoes are suitable for indoor gardens as they need
a limited amount of ground space so you would have room up to the ceiling
to train them. Being able to track and regulate the nutrients obtained by the
plant helps the grower to experience a consistent harvest during the year,
without losing flavor. Tomatoes are a vitamin A, C, and folic acid rich
plant. They contain potent antioxidants that help protect against the risk of
heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Hydroponic hobbyists and commercial farmers have widely produced
several forms of tomatoes, including regular and cherry ones. Botanically,
the tomato is a plant, but most people find it as vegetables, whether dealers
or customers. One point to bear in mind is tomatoes need a lot of sun. And
if you decide to grow indoors, be prepared to purchase any grow lights.
Radishes
Radishes are another vegetable that makes an excellent aromatic mixture
with other vegetables. Radishes are one of the most commonly produced
crops-either in soil or in hydroponics. Beginning from seeds is easier, and
seedlings can be seen within 3-7 days. Radishes grow at cold temperatures
and need a little sun.

Kale
Kale is a very healthy and tasty plant for home and restaurant specialties.
This is a wonderful crop that has proven health benefits for a single adult.
The best news is that for so many years, people have developed Kale
hydroponically, and you can certainly do it in the water network. And in
reality, well increasing and thriving in this program is simple.

Cucumber
Water loving crops make your hydroponic garden a good pick. Provided
ample room and concomitant help, cucumbers should grow abundantly. The
cucumbers are high in copper, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and
zinc micro-elements.

Cucumbers are a growing plant grown at home and in commercial

greenhouses. Under the appropriate circumstance, they experience fast
growth and hence offer very large yields. There are many styles and sizes of
cucumbers, including thick-skinned American slicers, long thin-skinned
European seedless, and smooth-skinned Lebanese cucumbers. In
Hydroponics, everyone will rise well. Cucumber is a warm plant, so make
sure to provide ample light and temperature to it.
Spinaches
Just like lettuce, other leafy vegetables such as spinach in hydroponic
systems grow well. If you hold it picked, spinach develops rapidly and is
abundant. Spinach is an extremely nutritious green leafy vegetable whose
antioxidant effects are well established. It provides calcium, sugar,
nutrients, and vitamins. Spinach is a major source of vitamins A, C, K, E,
magnesium, folic acid, iron, zinc, and many others rendering it one of the
healthiest green leafy vegetables to go. It strengthens the skin, decreases
cholesterol, improves metabolism, prevents aging, and offers a rich iron
supply.

In the water-based climate, the favorite vegetable that can be eaten raw or
cooked in your meal does well rise. Spinach is a nice herb, so it doesn't
need too much sun. You can reap all at once, or you can cut off any seeds.
Under a reasonable climate situation and increasing weather, you will get
up to 12 weeks of continuous harvesting.
Beans
One of the most popular and low-maintenance vegetables which can
hydroponically be produced. You will pick the varieties of beans that you
will plant like green beans, pole beans, pinto beans, lima beans. If you grow
pole beans, you'll need a trellis or anything to protect the plants.
Germination of seeds typically requires 3-8 days. Harvesting begins after
six-eight weeks. You will start the cultivation for 3-4 months after that.

Chives
In a Hydroponic device, it is simpler to develop chives from a vine. So safer
to get them from the products in your local yard. It takes six to eight weeks
until it is entirely ripe under a normal rising environment. Then you should
harvest it at regular intervals-it takes 3-4 weeks to regrow completely.
Chive takes a lot of energy every day for 12-14 hours of light.

Mint
Mints, especially peppermint and spearmint, were widely cultivated in both
soils and Hydroponics. Their herbal compounds are soothing and pungent
in mints, which shows their use as food and beverage flavor. Mint roots
disperse so rapidly, making Hydroponics perfect for development.

Coriander
Coriander is a fantastic growing herb that requires just around four weeks
and can yield 2-3 harvests. This doesn't need any particular criteria, so
you'll get the best crop though plenty of sun. Coriander has numerous
advantages for the skin. This includes vitamin c, vitamin k, and calcium, as
well as magnesium, copper, and sugar. Aid for inflammation of the eyes,
elevated cholesterol, oral ulcers, digestion among several other illnesses is
well established.

Spring Onions
Indeed, spring onions are very young onions harvested before the bulb gets
to swell and expand. One pot will sprout hundreds of onions and harvest
every three to four weeks! The antioxidants in spring onions aid by
inhibiting the activity of free radicals from avoiding harm to DNA and
cellular tissue. Spring onions are filled with vitamins C and K, both
essential to healthy bones. Natural products of spring onions are more
commonly used for managing respiratory illnesses such as fever and colds.
They include vitamins B and A, as well.

FRUITS
Peppers
Peppers can grow under somewhat similar conditions to tomatoes, but
increasing night time temperatures and declining daytime temperatures
increase the yield of fruit once plants achieve their mature height. Not only
do peppers bring taste and spice to your diet, but they are small in calories
and rich in vitamins and nutrients. Full with vitamins A and C and a decent
source of protein, folic acid, and potassium give them valuable powers in
the battle against infection and disease.
Peppers need the same rising hydroponic environment as tomatoes-warm
weather and significant quantities of sun. Peppers sometimes take two to
three months to mature. You may either start growing them from the nearest
garden supplier's seeds or plants. Jalapeno, Habanero for spicy peppers are
preferred varieties for hydroponic growing; Mazurka, Cubico, Nairobi,
Fellini for soft peppers.
Strawberries
Strawberries are well adapted for growing hydroponic crops. These fruits
are, in reality, one of the most common plants grown in commercial
hydroponic production. For decades the commercial farms have developed
them in large-scale NFT schemes. Nonetheless, you will also enjoy tasty
fresh strawberries by cultivating them at home and picking the fruits all
year round to feed your entire family.

Strawberries flourish under moist conditions and are well developed under
hydroponic conditions. Providing fruits that are bigger than in dirt and will
have harvest during the year. Strawberries, which are well known immune
boosters, are rich in antioxidants and vitamin c. often; they tend to reduce
cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Blueberries
At Hydroponics, you will develop blueberries well, a great fruit rich in
vitamins for your meal. This plant needs longer to produce seed than
strawberries, even before the second year. Usually, they're built using an
NFT process. Blueberries are challenging to grow from seeds, so
transplants are suggested.

Blueberries demand strong acidic conditions in the soil and therefore

develop best under hydroponic conditions. It's much simpler to monitor the
ph content and nutrients, which can allow a far larger, better crop.
Blueberries are well known to be rich in antioxidants that support the
nervous system and the brain. They are ranked among the highest fruits
needed to provide antioxidants and vitamins for a healthy body.
 Chapter 7
Pest Control

e’ve made it through setting up our own hydroponic garden, picking

W plants, learning about nutrients and figuring out how we can maintain
it. But now we’ve come across a whole new issue: pests.
Our setup provided a great environment for our plants to grow. But it also
created an environment which pests love and we even filled it with tons of
healthy plants for them to eat. This would be fine if they provided some
kind of service to our plants but all they want to do is snack on them and
leave them wilted and yellowed.
Our number one defense against pests is to prevent them from making our
gardens their home in the first place, so we will learn some of the
techniques used to detect them early and prevent an infestation.
Common Hydroponic Pests
While there are many pests that can try to make our gardens their home,
there are certain pests that show up with more regularity than others. These
pests fall into five key categories: spider mites, thrips, fungus gnats,
whiteflies and aphids.
If you find yourself with an infestation of pests, it is a safe bet that they’ll
fall into one of these five categories.
Spider Mites
Out of all five types of pest, spider mites are a particularly annoying one.
While they are less than a millimeter long, these little guys are actually tiny
spiders. Because they are so small, they have a tendency to start damaging
your plants before you even notice that they have taken up in your garden.
Spider mite damage will look like tiny brown and yellow spots on the
leaves of your plants. While they don’t look like anything serious when
there are only a couple of bites, this damage adds up quickly to really wreak
havoc on your garden.
To spot a spider mite infestation, there are two key signs to look out for.
While the damage on your plants can be a telltale sign, it doesn’t
specifically tell you that spider mites are the problem.
To spot a spider mite infestation you should check your plants to see if you
can spot any spider-like webbing. Another way to check for spider mites is
to use a tissue or clean rag to wipe the bottoms of your leaves gently. If you
come away with streaks of blood, this will tell you that you have a spider
mite problem.
Aphids
These little guys are also known as plant lice. And just like head lice, they
aren’t all that much fun. These tiny, soft-bodied pests are pretty much able
to set up in any environment. They multiply quicker than rabbits, so you
want to make sure to tackle an aphid infestation as soon as possible.
These pests are typically a quarter of an inch in size and can come in green,
yellow, pink, black or gray varieties.

Aphids like to feed on the juices of the plant and you can find them
chewing on stems, leaves, buds, fruits or roots. They are particularly drawn
to the newest parts of the plant. If you find that your leaves are misshapen
or yellowing, checking the bottom can reveal aphids. They also leave
behind a sticky substance referred to as honeydew.
This sweet substance can actually attract other kinds of pests so aphids are
particularly annoying little critters. This substance can also lead to the
growth of fungus, like sooty mold which can cause your branches or leaves
to turn an unpleasant black color. Aphids are also able to carry viruses from
one plant to another so they can help nasty pathogens to spread quicker.
Like spider mites, spraying water on the leaves can dislodge them and leave
them with a hard time finding their way back to your plants. If the
infestation is large, dusting your plants with flour can constipate them and
help convince them it is time to move on. Wiping down your plants with a
mixture of soapy water can also help to kill and drive them off.
Thrips
Like spider mites and aphids, these little guys are also tiny. Often, they are
only around 5 millimeters long. It can be hard to spot these little guys but
they leave damage that is clear as day. If you start to see little metallic black
specks on your leaves, you probably have some thrips snacking off your
garden. Leaves that thrips attack will often turn brown and become super
dry because the thrips like to suck out their juices.

Thrips are small and are either black or the color of straw. They have
slender bodies and two pairs of wings. Because they are so small, they look
like dark threads to the naked eye. They like to feed in large groups and will
fly away if you disturb them. They stick their eggs into flowers and leaves
and they only take a couple of days to hatch so a thrip infestation can feel
like it just happened out of the blue.
Because thrips like to lay their eggs in plants, it is super important that you
remove any dead or fallen plant matter. If you paid attention, you’ll know
you should be doing this anyway as it helps to prevent many issues that can
assail our hydroponic gardens.
Make sure that you inspect your plants for thrip damage and remove any
that are infested. Hosing off the plants will also help to reduce their
population. Ladybugs, lacewings and minute pirate bugs all feed on thrips
and can be beneficial to your garden.
Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are an odd one. Adult fungus gnats have no interest in
harming your garden. But their larvae enjoy chewing on the roots of your
plants which slows growth and opens the plant up for infection. In extreme
cases, fungus gnat larvae can actually cause the death of plants. They really
like areas with a lot of moisture and a high humidity. You’ll likely notice
adult fungus gnats before you have any issue. As adults, these gnats are
about three millimeters in length and kind of look like mosquitos. They tend
to be a grayish-black color with a pair of long legs and clear wings. Their
larvae have shiny black heads with a whitish-transparent body.

Adults typically live for a week and in that time lay up to 300 eggs. It takes
half a week for the larvae to emerge but when they do, they start a two-
week diet where their main dish is the roots of your plants. When they feed
on your plants, they cause them to wilt, stunt their growth and cause a
yellowing of their leaves. These nasty little things can have many
generations living off the same plant.
If you suspect a fungus gnat infestation than you should inspect your plants
by carefully turning up the soil around their stems and look for larvae. If
you check a plant and it suddenly lets loose a bunch of adult gnats then you
should dispose of that plant. They really like damp soils so make sure you
aren’t overwatering your plants. If you have a fungus gnat problem then
letting your potting medium drain longer will help to kill off the larvae and
mess up the development of fungus gnat eggs. You can also spray your
plants with a combination of peppermint, cinnamon and sesame oils. This
mixture is called flying insect killer and will help to get rid of gnats.
Whiteflies
About the same size as spider mites, whiteflies look like small white moths
that take up residence on your plants. They are easier to spot but because
they fly away when you bother them, they can be hard to kill. Like aphids,
they enjoy sucking the juices out of your plant and you see their damage as
white spots and yellowing of the leaves.
They tend to lay 200-400 eggs in clusters on the underside of the higher
leaves. These eggs hatch in about a week and unattractive little nymphs
come out that crawl around on your leaves before they grow wings.
These crawlers will spread out from the egg and find a place to start
chewing on your leaves. They’ll stay in that spot for the next week or so
before growing into young adults which will repeat the cycle of movement-
feasting.

Ladybugs and lacewings enjoy eating whiteflies and so introducing them to

your garden can help to kill off whitefly populations. Hosing off plants with
a strong blast of water will help in reducing their numbers as well. There
are a bunch of organic pesticides on the market which you can get to deal
with whiteflies. These pesticides can also work for the other pests but
pesticides should be a last resort option, one that you are careful with so as
not to lead to undue stress on your plants.
Preventing Pests
Now that we have an idea of the pests that are most common to hydroponic
gardens, let us turn our attention towards how we prevent these pests from
getting into our gardens in the first place. Many of these techniques will
help us to identify a possible infestation as it is trying to get started and so
they offer us early warnings to prepare ourselves to battle pests. If we keep
up our preventative measures and keep our eyes peeled for pests then we
can save our plants a lot of damage and ourselves a lot of time by cutting
off the problem at the head.
When it comes to pests it is also important to understand that not every pest
is the same. This doesn’t just mean that whiteflies are different from fungus
gnats. What this means is that fungus gnats on the West coast are going to
be different than fungus gnats on the East coast. Not every solution for
prevention or extermination will work. A certain pesticide may be used to
kill gnats on the East but the ones on the West might have grown immunity
to it. For this reason, it is important to check with your local hydroponics
store to see if there is any region-specific information you need to tackle
your pest problem.
One of the ways that we prevent pests is to make sure that we limit their
ability to enter our garden in the first place. We can do this a few ways.
Insect screens go a long way to keeping out pests. We also want to limit the
amount of traffic in and around our setups. If at all possible, our setups will
benefit greatly if they can be protected by airlock entrances as these offer
the most secure protection against both pests and pathogens. Airlocks can
be doubled up to create a space before the garden in which to wipe down
dirt and any insects or eggs that are catching a free ride on your clothing.
In order to see if pests are starting to show up in your garden, use sticky
traps around your plants. Yellow and blue sticky traps are both useful, as
they attract different pests, so you want to make sure to use both kinds for
the best results. Place traps near any entrances into your garden such as
doors or ventilation systems. Also, make sure to place one or two near the
stems of your plants to catch those pests that prefer snacking on the lower
bits, such as aphids or fungus gnats. Get into the habit of checking these
traps regularly as they can give you a great idea of what kind of life is
calling your garden home.
Make sure to remove any weeds that take up root in your garden as these
plants are only going to sap your garden’s resources and offer a breeding
ground for pests. Also remove dead or fallen plant matter, of course. This
includes leaves but also any fruit, buds or petals that have been dropped.
 Chapter 8
Myths and Mistake to Avoid In Hydroponic

hese are some of the mistakes and myths that pop up frequently in
T talking about hydroponic gardening. By digging through the myths to
find the truth and learning from the mistakes of those that came before
us, we are able to benefit from the knowledge and avoid making the same
mistakes ourselves.
Mistake: Hard-to-Use Setups
When you are setting up your hydroponic garden, it is important that you
consider how hard it will be to use. Are you going to have a difficult time
reaching the plants in the back because you put the garden up against a
wall? Are you going to bump into the lights every time you try to tend the
bed because the space is too small and cramped?
When you are setting up your garden it is important that you consider issues
such as the physical space in which it will sit. You want to make sure that
you can get to all your plants without a struggle. If you’re knocking over
lights or throwing your back out to reach plants then the setup isn’t going to
be a very good one. Chances are you are going to end up breaking
something or neglecting it. Consider the ways in which you move through
the garden space; make sure that you are able to reach everything.
You also want to make sure that you are able to get to your reservoir easily.
While it may be tempting just to rest the grow tray on top of the reservoir,
consider how this might cause issues when it comes time to switch the
nutrient solution. Will you have somewhere to place the grow tray while
you have to mess around with the reservoir? If not, then how did you plan
to do it?
Myth: Hydroponic Gardens Are Only for Illegal Substances
It seems that any time hydroponics pop up in the news it is in relation to
some illegal grow operation that has been busted by the police. This has led
to a stigma around hydroponics, one which it really doesn’t deserve. Just
because it happens that a lot of illegal growers use hydroponic setups, it
doesn’t mean that hydroponics is used just for illegal purposes.
This is because hydroponics is a system for growing plants. Those plants
don’t need to be illegal. They can be, yes. But they can also be the garden
veggies you serve in a salad. Hydroponics is just a great system for growing
plants and it is a system that you can run from inside your house, which
means that you can hide your garden easily. But hydroponics itself is not
illegal, it does not mean that you are taking part in illegal activities and this
particular myth should be put to rest already.
Mistake: Choosing the Wrong Crops for Your Climate
You hear about a new crop on one of the gardening sites you check online.
It sounds like it could be a lot of fun to grow, some kind of berry you never
heard of before and people say it does great in a hydroponic setup. You
order some seeds, plant it and it grows but it just doesn’t give the results
you wanted. Looking to see what goes wrong, you do some more Googling
on the plant and you realize it needs to be in a super-hot, arid environment.
And you’re living through the coldest winter of your life.
Different plants want different climates and nothing will be more
disappointing than trying to grow a plant that just doesn’t like the climate
you can offer. We can do this easily with Google or by going into our local
hydroponic store to speak to the staff.
Myth: Hydroponics Have to be Done Indoors
Many people out there who don’t have access to an outside plot in which to
start a garden. Most people that live in an apartment building have at best a
balcony and many don’t even have that much. Being that you can have an
indoor garden, hydroponics offers a way for more people to get into
gardening.
But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have an outdoor hydroponic garden.
When we raise our gardens indoors, we are able to control the seasons and
really take an active role in maintaining the humidity and temperature, how
long the grow lights are on and much more. If we grow outdoors then we
can save money on grow lights by using the sun but we also open our
garden up to more risk from pests and disease. However, hydroponics can
be done anywhere that you want.
Mistake: Picking the Wrong Plants for Your Setup
This could also be called “Not Doing Your Research.” Like picking plants
that match your climate, you are also going to want to make sure you pick
plants that will work well in your setup. Some plants work better in
different systems. Some want less water; some want slower draining and
others want more water and others yet want faster draining.
It is important that you research the plants that you want to put in your
garden. There are hundreds upon hundreds of websites jam-packed with
information about every plant you could consider growing. They will tell
you the pH and EC levels for the plant, how hot they like their environment,
how much water they want and what type of hydroponic setup is best for
them.
So make sure you do your research and plan out your garden. Preparing
yourself with information will avoid costly mistakes. Not only does it cost
to grow but there is also a time cost and you will lose weeks before you
realize that growing that one plant is a losing battle.
Myth: Hydroponics is Super Expensive
This myth has good reason to be around. The truth is that hydroponics can
be expensive. Can be, But just because it can be doesn’t mean that it always
is. When you head to the hydroponic store and look at all the prices and get
talked into buying more than you really needed, then it is going to be
expensive. But like many hobbies, it depends on how serious you want to
take it and you can always start slow.
There is a ton of ways to cut down costs when beginning your garden.
Searching online you can find hundreds of do-it-yourself guides to starting
a hydroponic setup. These offer great ways to try out hydroponic gardening
for the new grower. You can get your hands dirty and really see if it is
something that you enjoy before you go spending a lot of money. Speaking
of spending a lot of money…
Mistake: Scaling Up the Operation Too Early
Starting off too big can be a terrible mistake. For one, it means sinking a lot
of money into growing right out the gate. Before you do this you should at
least have some experience with hydroponics. Another big issue is that until
you have some experience you don’t actually know how to best care for
your garden and every step in the operation cycle is going to be a learning
experience. This isn’t bad when we start small but starting bigger means
any mistakes we make along the way are going to cost us that much more.
You should start slow and learn the ropes. As you go along you can buy
more expensive equipment as you figure out what equipment you actually
need and what equipment works best with your style of growing. As you
learn the way your plants take to the system, get a feel for how they grow in
your setup, then you can begin to expand. You can start to add in another
grow tray, maybe two. But add slowly, take your time and make sure you
have a good grasp of how to run a small garden before you jump into a
large one. You can always get there but patience will help save you from
some truly devastating mistakes along the way. It’s one thing to mess up
one grow tray, it’s another to mess up a dozen.
Myth: Hydroponics is Unnatural
What happened to just sticking a plant in the ground and letting it grow?
Hydroponics seems like a lot of work to do the same thing. The plants come
out bigger, too. Seems like there must be something unnatural going on
here. It must be all those chemicals used in the solution.
Of course, this myth is just silly. We are growing plants and using natural
mix in our grow trays. We mix together a nutrient solution but all of these
are natural nutrients that the plants take from the Earth anyway.
Hydroponics is just a system of growing. We grow healthy plants the same
as any gardener tries to. There are no gross chemicals being used to give us
better growth than soil. All we are doing is using the natural desires of the
plant to provide it with the most comfortable growing experience we can.
In a way, hydroponics is almost like owning a pet. There are wild dogs in
the world but nobody thinks it is unhealthy to have a pet dog. We are
treating our plants the same; we are providing for their needs so that they
can focus on living. Just in the case of plants, living means growing into
fruit or vegetables that we can enjoy afterward!
Mistake: Not Maintaining Your Garden
I know, I know. You’ve heard this one before. But it is the number one
mistake that new growers make and so we are going to speak about it one
last time. The fact is that maintaining your garden doesn’t just mean
changing the water. It doesn’t just mean we look at the garden when the
plants look ill and infected and get to work. Maintaining our gardens is a
commitment that any gardener has to honor.
Something spill? Better wipe that up. There’s dead plant matter in your
grow tray or on the floor around your setup? Best clean that up and get rid
of it. Infestations and infections love to grow in these conditions. So, check
your plants, test the water, clean up the beds and show them a little love.
You wouldn’t let your dog sleep in its own waste, so why would you let
your plants? Maintaining your garden is the most important thing you can
do as a new grower.
Treat your plants right.
Mistake: Forgetting to Have Fun
If you are growing because you want to sell your crops, that’s a fine reason
to do it. But try to have fun. For many, this is an enjoyable hobby and
brings them a lot of peace. When you start to get money involved, it can be
easy to lose track of that. Don’t forget to take time to smell the roses. Or the
tomatoes, whatever it is you’re growing.
 Chapter 9
Tips and Tricks to Growing Healthy Herbs
Vegetables and Fruits

n ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure." This is very true for

A Hydroponics system, which is a must during the initial setup phase. If
from the starting enough attention is emphasized, then the chances of
yield grow doubles.
Sometimes, you see that despite having complete hydroponic equipment
and care, the overall results are not satisfactory, which is not worth and
waste your time and money as well.
The gardening of hydroponic is that type of planting which uses the water-
based medium to grow crops. This method is a soil-less method which is
using a solution of water-based nutrient for growing plants like varied fruits
and vegetables.
To get the optimum results out of the hydroponic system, you must know
the right way of growing hydroponic plants so that they will yield more
crops. Many individuals quickly get disappointed with hydroponic
gardening, amateur growth, and as they are beginners. However, the reason
for this disappointment can be one of these: -
Lack of ability- for hydroponics system you need experience, or you don’t
have sufficient equipment or supplies.
Unorganized- you know everything regards to hydroponic gardening, but
you want to put forth the maximum effort into it.
May be lack of knowledge- means you don't have enough experience
concerning hydroponics gardening.
Let’s put some light on the varied hydroponic tips and tricks in below points
by which you can become an expert and fulfill your dreams: -
Choosing the right type of crop
In the technique of the hydroponic system, almost every plant can grow, but
as a beginner, you can start with small plants by which you gain knowledge
and experience.
The first step is, choose those plants which need less maintenance and
nutrients. As a beginner, you can take herbs and vegetables. Therefore,
growing small plants can improve your experience as well as learn new
things which are best for the future when you produce other plants.
Make a proper plan
When you make up your mind to plant a specific type of crop in your
hydroponic garden, the next step comes is planning. Means knowing varied
kind of nutrients which are essential for plant, various equipment,
photoperiod, etc. so that you have a full overview of how it can offer better
results.
Make a list of each and every small to the massive thing before planting a
crop.
Why and when to test and adjust the ph level in hydroponic plants
Every plant which you plant in your hydroponic garden only absorbs
nutrient solution in the PH if the answer is in between the range of plant
which you have planted. However, if the Ph is not up to the mark, then it
won't matter how much your nutrient solution is, the plants will definitely
suffer from malnutrition and will die after some time.
For the beginners, it is recommended that they will check the PH of the
plants on a daily basis for the best results.
Have proper and sufficient lighting
When you search the market, you will get countless types of grow lights
according to your budget. To offer the right kind of lighting to the plants,
you have to gain knowledge on that which depends upon the space, the
overall distance between the plants, and most crucially the budget.
Having control on temperature
This is one of the essential tips of hydroponic gardening. If the temperature
of the plant exceeds 85 degrees, the overall growth of the plants will stop
quickly. If the gardener is using HID lights, then it becomes challenging to
control the temperature.
For maintaining the accurate temperature, the gardener has to install
centrifugal fans, but in some cases, the fans alone cannot solve the
problem.
For this, plan hydroponic gardening when the outside temperature is 55
degrees or less. Therefore, it is possible to pull fresh air in the garden. On
the other hand, you can install air conditioning.
The right type of equipment
First and foremost, one thing which you need to consider before setting up a
system of the hydroponic garden is to have proper and unique tools, like-
dark area, hydroponic gardening system, an oscillating fan, TDS meter,
maybe an air conditioner, a digital timer, etc.
Select an appropriate nutrient
You have to gain knowledge with regards to varied nutrients which are
crucial for plant growth when you start gardening. Side by side, an
individual must know about the quantity of nutrient required by diverse
plants or which plant you have grown.
However, timely purchase the adequate and right equipment to check the
nutrient level of the plants as per the requirement.
The health of the roots
The health of the root is essential for the overall growth of the plant. Time
to time check the origins of the crop so that plants will not suffer from any
damage. While offering nutrients to the plants minimizes the amount of
light so that algae and fungus will not damage the roots of the crops.
Offering water to the plants
This tip is one of the crucial ones because overwatering the plants will
damage the crops. In reality, the water intake of the plants depend upon the
type of plants means whether it is small or large.
Crops that grow on dry season need more water than crops which grow in a
humid climate. On the other hand, some plants hold moisture for a long
time as compared to other plants. So, while planting a crop see whether it
needs more water or less so that you can set up the water draining system.
Maintain the humidity level
Varied plants have a different level of humidity on which they can survive
on their development. So, keep in mind that plants will grow faster and
yield higher crops when they are given the proper level of humidity.
Airflow and ventilation should be proper
For the healthy growth of crops, airflow is the very vital part which also
aids in maintaining the overall temperature of the plants. Fans and air
conditioners should be installed in appropriate areas so that plants will be
healthy.
Understand PH first
The understanding of PH level in plants is must get success in hydroponic
gardening. Interestingly, there are meters that can take the PH readings, but
on your side, you also have to understand this. The main reason for
checking the PH level of plants is that water doesn't have a proper range of
Ph by which plants can die or suffer from malnutrition.
Make liberal use of your pruning shears
Any time of the day when you see something on the plant just prune it
away, it can rot the full plant. The cleaner you keep your plant higher the
yield.
Think about the taste of the fruits or vegetables
In this regard, which fruit or vegetable tastes excellent when it is purchased
from the market or plucked from the hydroponic garden?
The main motive of doing this is there is an end number of crops that don't
have a different taste. Either they are purchased from the market or plucked
from the garden. Before deciding to choose the crop to plant give priority to
those fruits or vegetables that taste better when they are freshly harvested
from the garden.
Take care of space and type of hydroponic system
Well, it is fascinating to grow crops such as corns, melons, and squash, etc.
but the point is they need ample space. Make sure that you choose the right
system and appropriate hydroponic kits. There are countless factors like
ventilation; water, etc. are crucial elements which make the hydroponic
system successful.
Always plant fastest-growing, most natural cultivation, and most crucially
which offer high yield
In this field, you have learned as much as you can depend upon your
capability. This is the only way by which you can decide which is the right
crop for your hydroponic system? Find out the seeds which are cheap and
yield high so that your profit margin is also high.
Explore vitamins b
Many of the beginners in hydroponic gardening ignore the impact of stress
on the plants. If you see that your plants are not suffering from any of the
diseases then also, they can face stress issues. So, if you think that your
plants are facing stress issues offer them vitamin B supplements which are
totally safe and with that growth will surge significantly.
These above tips are a basic one, especially for beginners who says that
hydroponic gardening is complicated.
Some helpful tips for hydroponic system
Pay attention to the type of equipment and also focus on the reason for use
of these equipment.
You should know the particular nutrient requirements of your plants.
There is a need to know the light requirements of your plants.
Use the hydroponic system that has professional three-part products.
Try not to use extra additives when you begin; it will make your work quite
clumsy.
Try not to feed your plants haphazardly, feed them with a routine and clear
cut plan.
You should have all the needed equipment and all the nutrients before you
begin.
Your garden will do well when it is 55*F and sometimes less, you can make
the use of AC.
Ensure that your best light remains in a different room.
Do a thorough check of your nutrient reservoir daily.
Reduce the exposure of light to the nutrient solution.
Have a backup water reservoir that you will use for your next change.
Change the water and the nutrients every two weeks; this should be a
complete change.
The timer you should use should be a digital timer; this will help you
control the hark period of the plan.
Ensure the dark period is dark and nothing interrupts it
You should clean your system after harvesting a plant and preparing to plant
another
You should quarantine new plants before you add them to the garden. This
should be done for about 2 weeks.
Do not visit your garden after you visit another garden; you should clean up
first. This is to prevent the transfer of germs.
Avoid pets from being in your garden
You should only visit your garden after you have cleaned up yourself and
changed your clothes
Also, you should ensure all your visitors follow the same guidelines
Ensure you have a plan; all the gardening systems are only successful
because they have a plan. There is always a need to keep a solid plan. Have
a good plan would mean that you will have to know the nutritional
requirements of your plant. Also, it means you will have the photoperiods
of your hydroponics. What you need to do is to have a week by week
feeding plan. This will make you know what to do before the time is upon
you to act.
Tips for feeding and nutrients
You should be aware of the nutrient requirements of the plant you want to
grow. You should know how strong the nutrient you want to grow going to
be. At the initial stage, a lot of plants will need more nitrogen; then, they
will begin to need more phosphorus, which is necessary to grow more
flowers and fruits. An EC meter will be needed for you to keep proper track
of the nutrient that is in your solution.
 Chapter 10
FAQs

lease avoid thinking that everyone who has attempted hydroponics at

P first has not failed, not once, but many times. The failure in hydroponics
can result in many lost investments, so we will present you with the
most common questions in hydroponics as well as their answers to be able
to turn your hydroponic system into a success rather than a failure. We can
learn from our mistakes more than we learn when things go right, so you
should study and learn from the various mistakes other growers did to
prevent you from falling into the same trap. Let’s start!
How often should I change nutrients and flush the system?
To be entire certain of the levels of your nutrients is mixing a new batch.
The hydroponic system loses water through evaporation as well as the
nutrients plants use for food. If the level of the water drops too fast, the
nutrient solution will be more concentrated, and it can burn the roots of
your plants. You should know how many gallons you added first into the
tank then add plain water, as much as it needs until the total reaches half of
your first addition. This will be a good time to change.
Which are the perfect temperatures in a grow room?
Region and the species of your plants play an essential role to the answer of
this question due to the fact that not all plants thrive in the same
temperatures. For instance, tropical plants will thrive with temperatures
around 80F. On the other hand, plants like kale and broccoli like lower
temperatures between 60-65F.
Most commonly, the temperature range used for growing is between 70-
75F, so you will have a head start by raising plants that like such
temperatures. You should also know that insects thrive easily in
temperatures over 80F. Added to this, as you lose more water because of
evaporation, this is where nutrients will turn toxic quickly, your growing
medium will dry out fast and the oxygen in the nutrient solution will be
reduced.
What is the difference between an organic fertilizer and one that is
inorganic?
Fertilizers that are labelled as organic are made up from worm castings, fish
bones, and various other organic compounds. On the other hand, inorganic
fertilizers, otherwise nutrients, are building up through a chemical process
and are inorganic compounds. These inorganic fertilizers are the reason
many people question the quality of hydroponic crops and more specifically
whether they are organic or not. However, as far as your plants are
concerned, you should not worry about if you are using inorganic or organic
nutrients.
How do I get rid and prevent scum in my tank?
These foreign organisms in your nutrient reservoir may be algae, fungi, or
bacteria. Any of these organisms will rob your tank of its nutrient and
oxygen with the possibility of also causing clogged drip feeders and pumps
if not taken care off on a regular basis. This development of
microorganisms is usually caused by light entering your nutrient reservoir
as well as high temperatures of the mixture.
In order for you to fix this, you should ensure that your reservoir is covered
and that your nutrient solution cools off. There is a chance that the whole
room will need cooling or that you have to purchase a reservoir chiller.
What helps the most is making sure that your system between crops is
clean; however, you could also add hydrogen peroxide with the change of
your nutrients to prevent this.
How do I avoid the dusty mildew on the leaves?
Poor ventilation is the cause for this fungal infection as well as high
humidity. You will be able to prevent this from happening by keeping
humidity below 65% and with ensuring plenty air circulation. For instance,
oscillating and ceiling fans will produce amazing results. If this is already
on your leaves, you could dust or spray the leaves with Sulphur. For the
prevention and removal of powdery mildew, pine tree oil and neem oil will
also be effective.
When should I change my HID bulbs?
HID bulbs offer a variety of spectrums and can come in different strengths
that will meet the various needs of indoor hydroponic gardens. If you
constantly use them, the PAR and lumens will drop fast. You will be able to
see the difference in yields from bulbs that are approximately 8-12 months
old and with new ones. It is between these ranges, of 8-12 months, that you
should change your HID bulbs and buy new ones.
Which nutrient supplements should I use to increase flower size?
There is a wide variety of nutrient supplements you can use to increase
flower size, the most common ones are bloom boosters that are high in
phosphorus and are found concentrated in the form of powder. This solution
will be used as a chelating agent as well as increase the number of flower
sites, thus aiding the plants in absorbing the macronutrients better.
Why my leaves have a yellow color on them and what can I do to fix it?
The causes of yellowing in leaves are many. It is a common problem when
the lower, older leaves of the plant develop a yellow color. One of the
various reasons this is happening is due to a deficiency of the plant in
nitrogen. Simply put, there is not enough available nitrogen for your plants
to grow fast and thus they are forced to move the nitrogen form the more
mature leaves and transport it to the younger shoots. You will be able to
correct this problem with the addition of more nitrogen to your feeding
plan.
To provide your plants with more nitrogen, adding pine tree oil or worm
casting are two of the safest ways to do so. If the yellowing is found at the
younger leaves, this could be happening due to a micronutrient lockout.
This is usually caused by the toxicity of either potassium or phosphorus, or
even from low or high pH levels.
You could flush your growing medium with water that has its pH balanced
and then start watering with the appropriate nutrient solution. Also, the heat
from the lamps could also cause the leaves that are closest to it to turn dark
brown or yellow. In this case, you should move your bulbs away from the
canopy. Last but not least, overwatering could also turn the leaves of your
plant yellow.
What happens if I have spider mites? How do I know when I have them?
Admittedly, spider mites are the nightmare of every indoor gardener. They
are extremely small insects that feed on the juices of your plant and can
even decimate crops. They are very hard to pinpoint due to the fact that they
are extremely small and when you realize that your plant has them, it is
often too late. Through the first stages, you may notice stunted growth and
on closer inspection, you may notice some webbing at your plants. The
harm that is done will show as dried-out silvery spots on the more
vulnerable leaves which usually are the youngest one and this could result
in their death. If you plant is affected there is treatment.
Many growers use insecticides, but you could also spray the plants with an
insecticidal soap made by yourself, using water, garlic, cayenne pepper, and
dish soap or spray them with neem oil. These two choices will cover the
spider mite and prevent reproduction as well as molting. Just make sure you
have sprayed the undersides of the leaves since this is the place many eggs
and adults are hiding. One more solution you could use is predatory
insects.
For instance, ladybugs and predator mites are an excellent solution for
controlling the spider mite problem. Keep in mind that you should not use
pesticides of any kind when you are using beneficial insects since the good
insects will die along with the bad ones. To prevent spider mites from
getting access to your garden in the first place, you should make sure to be
clean and wash before you enter the grow room.
You should also not touch your plants for no reason, so as to prevent
transferring bugs to them and ensure that your pets are kept away from the
plants. Lasts but not least, if the temperature of your grow room is below
75°F the populations of spider mites will be kept down since the higher the
room temperature is the quicker spider mites reproduce. Taking the
appropriate measures will surely lessen the risks of spider mites invading
your plants.
What Plants can you Grow Hydroponically?
There are various plants you can grow with hydroponic gardening. Some of
the vegetables that will grow well in your hydroponic garden include:
- Basil
- Parsley
- String beans
- Green peppers
- Hot peppers
- Melons
- Squash
- Tomatoes
- Artichokes
- Beets
- Asparagus
You could also grow flowers such as:
- Roses
- Carnations
- Dianthus
- Chrysanthemums
The above where the most common questions many beginner growers ask
either developing them through trial and error or through research. It would
be best if you as a beginner grower, researched and asked about any part of
the process that seems vague or you do not understand so as to avoid any
failures that would prevent your and discourage you from pursuing the
many benefits of hydroponic farming method.
 Conclusion

hank you for making it to the end. In India, the hydroponic industry is
T expected to grow exponentially in near future. To encourage commercial
hydroponic farm, it is important to develop low cost hydroponic
technologies that reduce dependence on human labor and lower overall
startup and operational costs.
Scientists first figured out the basics of hydroponics in the 19th century,
when a team of specialized researchers discovered that plants do not require
soil to absorb nutrients. Soil essentially works as a sort of growth pool
where important nutrients and minerals are contained, but plants cannot
actually absorb these nutrients until after water has been added. By
removing soil and creating a water-based solution full of all the minerals
and nutrients required by the plant in question, it is possible to grow
virtually any plant successfully.
Many countries throughout the world have begun to use hydroponic
systems to grow crops. There are numerous advantages to this modern type
of plant cultivation. Notable advantages include an overall higher crop yield
and more stable growth throughout the cultivation period. It is also notable
more cost-effective to use hydroponics as a method of cultivation within the
agricultural industry, because less nutrients are required to promote optimal
plant growth than with regular soil. The reason for this is that plants require
a variety of nutrients that are rarely found in a perfect balance within soil.
When using a water-based system, however, it is possible to control exactly
which nutrients are placed within the solution and in their exact quantities.
This lowers the cost of soil enrichment and also helps to promote an
environment where plants can thrive and produce high yield fruits,
vegetables, and other crops, also, because the controlled environment
necessary for water-based plant growth, nutrition pollution is considerably
minimized. The primary disadvantage of this type of system is that the high
humidity levels and use of fertilizer can create a possible breeding
environment for salmonella.
Hydroponic-based systems are becoming increasingly popular among
agriculturalists and home garden owners alike. If you are interested in
switching over to this cultivation system, there are many ways to do so. You
will find that setting up a hydroponic is much easier when designed within
an outdoor setting, as there are numerous challenges associated with
creating a successful indoor hydroponic garden. However, with the right
tools and circumstances it is possible to set your indoor garden up as well.
In conclusion, if you are interested in creating your own garden from
scratch, consider using a hydroponic system to help you do this as easily as
possible. There are a wide range of products that you can find from online
retailers as well as detailed guides and accurate information on how to
install and set up your very own hydroponic garden. Happy growing!
Whether your interest lies in growing flowers or vegetables, the Hydroponic
Gardening System, is for you. Whether you garden for fun, food or for
profit, you also get to reap the rewards of hydroponic gardening without
breaking the bank.
Whether you have a big garden, a small one or live in a flat with just a
couple of window boxes, this can be the start of a very enjoyable hobby for
you.
 RAISED BED GARDENING
FOR BEGINNERS:

A Beginners Guide to Create a Thriving Organic

Vegetable Garden with
Less Space
(Vegetable Gardening Book 5)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

raditional gardeners have been making use of raised beds to grow their
T vegetables for many years. They would double dig the beds, creating
circular or rectangular mounds a foot or so high with the sloping edges
on the sides of the beds. This is especially effective in areas that receive lots
of rain since it guarantees good drainage. Additionally, it allows a bit more
space to grow your veggies.
Companion planting works perfectly on raised beds. Those vegetables
which need more space for their roots like carrots would be planted on top
while others like leeks and onions would fill up the space on the sides of
your beds. The latter repel pests and would act as a shield for the carrot
plants on the top of the bed.

They have added a twist though, now solid frames replace these sloping
sides to give the raised beds a distinct and well-defined structure. What this
means is that you can make the beds as high or tall as you want them to be
without the danger of soil runoff when it rains.
It might sound like a tremendous job, but these modern raised gardening
beds are easy to assemble or build by you. Frames can be built with
concrete blocks, timber or bricks and then filled with many organic
materials mixed with soil. You will find kits ready for assembling as well as
prefabricated plastic containers at almost any gardening center. Now
anyone and everyone can quickly and successfully grow their vegetables in
raised beds.
1. Excellent Aeration
The older, traditional way to create raised beds is simply to dig up the soil,
piling it into rows. You can follow this method and then support the two
sides by using solid frames. Otherwise, place your frames in place and then
fill them up with compost, farmyard manure mixed with quality soil.
We know that the different parts of plants all need to breathe, and so do the
roots. For example during photosynthesis, the leaves take in carbon dioxide
and expel oxygen. If your plant sits in compact soil, the roots will suffocate
and will not succeed in developing fully. This is because they need proper
aeration for their roots to be able to absorb the essential nutrients in the soil.
To explain further; the soil bacteria convert the nitrogen in the little air
pockets into nitrate salts and nitrate, thus providing the macronutrients for
the plant. Without sufficient air, there is a lack of nitrogen and therefore
fewer nutrients will be available to the plant.
It is clear that the population of microbes in your vegetable soil must be
kept healthy and this is made possible with good aerated soil. The balance
of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria should be maintained as they all play their
different roles to enhance the fertility of the soil.
2. Good Drainage
Even during a downpour of rain, your raised beds will render good
drainage. No wonder this method is so prevalent in the tropics with its
heavy rainfall. Because the soil has such a loose texture, water will seep
slowly into the bed instead of a making a quick runoff with the
accompanying washing away of all fertile topsoil. Furthermore, all the
excess water can quickly drain away.
Although most plants do not mind moisture at all, they hate to get their feet
wet. Firstly, all that water around their roots will make breathing almost
impossible. Secondly, too much moisture will promote fungal and bacterial
diseases. Lastly, excess water drenching the soil can change its pH level and
raise the acidity. Plants which prefer more neutral or slightly alkaline soil
will suffer as a result.
Some plants, for example those that live in bogs are adapted to grow in
drenched soil but most plants prefer soil with a twenty five percent-
moisture level. Raised beds will not allow water stagnation while at the
same time keep your soil quite evenly moist because the water is soaked
into the lowest levels of your beds quickly.
3. The Spreading of Roots
Although plant roots can be quite persistent in their effort to grow, they will
find it challenging to do so in tightly compacted soil.
In loose soil they can grow and spread out to their hearts’ contend.
Furthermore, a framed bed will retain the moisture after watering a lot
longer than the more traditionally raised beds because the frames prevent
water loss on the sides of the beds more effectively. Drying out of the beds
can therefore be prevented and good root spreading will follow.
Plants growing in non-raised garden beds generally have a very shallow
system of roots since they find it impossible to penetrate through the more
compact soil deeper down, unless of course you go to the trouble of tilling
the soil deeply before you plant your vegetables. This means that the plant
roots are unable to get to the moisture kept in the deeper layers, which in
turn may lead to dehydration of the plant when the moisture on the surface
evaporates. Well-developed root systems anchor your plants. It also
enlarges the potential food source area from which the plant can gather its
nutrients and water. Vegetable plants in particular, need enough of both to
encourage vigorous growth and maximum yield during their relatively short
growing season.
4. Minimum Risk of Compact Soil
A raised bed will not completely deter your smaller pets like dogs and cats
from digging and rolling around in your gardening soil, but it definitely will
keep humans and larger pets or animals at bay. This will prevent the
tamping down of the soil. The ideal width for your raised beds is three to
four feet, making it easy for you to do your gardening chores such as
weeding, harvesting and fertilizing without having to step onto the beds.
The floods which sometimes occur after a torrential downpour can also
compact the soil of cultivated fields. Wet soil is heavy and will sink down
and fill all the little air pockets. Once the water has evaporated, you will be
left with a dense, hard layer that is not very accommodating for the plants.
Raised beds allow the water to drain away much quicker, preventing floods
to cause soil compaction.
5. Improved Weed Control
Sick and tired of weeding? A raised bed garden is the answer. In a standard
vegetable plot, you will find it hard to get rid of all the frustrating weeds no
matter how dedicated you are. They just seem to take over all the time.
When you cultivate the soil for standard vegetable beds, you expose lot of
the weed seeds that have been lying dormant underground shielded from the
sun. The exposure to sunlight and extra moisture they receive during
irrigation will provide them with the opportunity to start sprouting, just
what they have been waiting for. Very quickly, they will feed on the
nutrient-rich soil prepared for your vegetable plants and begin to flourish.
You can make use of the option to fill your raised beds with relatively
weed-free soil and compost. If a few stray weeds appear, your raised beds
with its loose soil will make weeding a breeze. A good tip is to fill up your
raised beds with as many plants as will grow in it so that they will suffocate
and outgrow any stubborn weeds that may try their luck.
6. Easier than Amending Existing Soil
Garden soil greatly varies from area to area; sometimes it is more alkaline
and chalky, often it is too acidic and plants will not thrive without your
intervention. Vegetables in general like slightly acidic to neutral soil,
anything with a pH level of between 5.5 and 7.5. Having said that, there are
exceptions. Blueberries and tomatoes, for instance, like more acidic soil
while asparagus and broccoli prefer to have their roots in sweeter soil.
The remedy for alkaline soil is to add Sulphur, for acidic soil lime can be
added. Sometimes applications have to be repeated a number of times to get
the desired effect but a downpour can undo all your hard work in a flash. It
is not a simple, straightforward process to change the intrinsic nature of any
type of soil.
If you plan to cultivate different kinds of vegetables, raised beds will give
you the option of which soil you choose. On top of that, you can now fill up
different raised beds with the type of soil each variety of vegetable prefers.
The addition of lots of compost, something most gardeners usually do,
makes it easier to sustain the soil’s neutrality.
7. Garden on Top of Existing Turf
The task of having to dig up and clean the existing turf presently growing
on the area you have targeted is just too daunting. Do not despair; raised
vegetable beds can be built straight on top of your grass without having to
dig up any sods.
Mark your area, and then place multiple layers of cardboard and newspaper
on the area. Erect your frames and then simply continue to fill them with
grass clippings, soil, sand, decomposed farmyard manure and compost.
Plant your seeds or seedlings in this rich mixture and you have started your
garden without too much backbreaking labor.
 Chapter 1
Planning your Thriving Garden

emember that for all brand-new Raised Bed gardeners, it might be a

R case of trial and error to the initial calendar year. It may take the time to
find just what fits your requirements. There might be failures along the
way, yet we invite you to persevere. It'll be worth all of the efforts as your
crops will be bountiful as soon as you succeed.
CONSIDERING PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
We've arrived at the stage of decision making. Here I would like you to look
closer in your situation and the way you're able to determine which Raised
Bed system will best fit your lifestyle.
1) Space
2) Budget
3) Expertise
4) Timing
SPACE
At the start of the novel, I wrote regarding indoor or outside gardening.
In the event you decide to install outdoors, with no encompassing security,
your plants are susceptible to pest infestation.
It may be reduced somewhat in case you've got a greenhouse to cultivate
your crops. A conventional glass home or a plastic jar tunnel works well.
Should you expand your plants inside, then your plants will not be as prone
to fleas. Nonetheless, your space might be more limited inside.
If you're considering growing plants that aren't the standard for the climate,
you then may either require a greenhouse or grow inside.
In the event you would like to grow from year crops, then they're going to
need particular attention to their surroundings.
In the circumstance, you'll have to consider supplying artificial light,
heating system and control the humidity. These cannot be installed at the
open and has to be under a protective covering, including a greenhouse, or
rather, inside.
BUDGET
The intricacy of the system you've got is also determined by your available
budget. You're able to start and ought to start using a tiny, simple method,
like Water Staff. As you progress, that is if you will begin to pay more.
You can put all of your gear together by buying each part individually. The
only problem you could notice is that you may purchase the incorrect bits
and wind up spending more than you initially planned.
You will find readymade kits available with every system. They'll include
the specific materials you'll need for this distinct Raised Bed system. At
least this way, you may only be purchasing the essential equipment for the
job. Although kits tend to be costlier than the DIY option, in the very long
term, this may help you save money.
If you're capable of DIY, then you could have the ability to improvise
piping and containers. Or perhaps purchase secondhand pieces and pieces,
including a pond pump. You have to wash and disinfect everything entirely
before use.
EXPERIENCE
Whether you would like to develop specialty crops, or even the simpler
ones, like lettuces and herbs, then the Secret to development would be to
1) Humidity
2) Water
3) Heater
4) pH degrees
5) Nutritional advantages
Get these appropriate, and you ought to have a bountiful harvest.
In the first seeding to caring to your origins, from light and all of the
various methods of measuring amounts, it comes down to the practice. If
you're already a keen gardener, then you'll already have a lot of knowledge
required in caring for crops. The expertise of Raised Bed gardening will
probably come after, with practice and time. You have to consider these
factors, however, before determining which system is most appropriate for
you.
TIME
How long spent on your self-indulgent garden is left up to you.
Decide on a method you know will work on your current timetable and way
of life. The busier you're, then the more significant your system. It stands
to reason that the plants which you have, the time required. Much like any
garden, you'll have to watch over plants. Measuring of varying amounts
needs to get carried out. Flushing of systems ought to be carried out
regularly.
To assist you in picking, I've gone through every Raised Bed procedure to
provide a notion of all of these variables: Space, Budget, Expertise, and
Time. I hope that this can allow you to select which Raised Bed system in
the event the perfect one for you.
WHICH SYSTEM WORKS BEST FOR YOU?
DRIP SYSTEM
Space
A fundamental drip process is attainable for any novice. It will occupy a bit
more space since there are two big containers. The machine may sit on a
desk.
Budget
There's much more equipment to purchase utilizing this technique. You'll
have to have at least a circulating pump, a timer, and a tube. You'll also
need a trickle manifold. In case the budget is tight, then you can make tiny
holes in the machine instead. This system demands a growing medium. It
may be expensive to operate than the Water Staff, or even Ebb and Flow,
programs. It is because it creates a more efficient utilization of these
nutrients, hence using less. This might not make much difference to a
bigger garden. To gain from that, you'd require at least 10+ crops from the
computer system.
Expertise
It's a bit complex to establish. This procedure is much more complicated
than Water Staff, which may be carried out in one bucket. It's also more
Complex compared to Ebb and Flow to establish. If you're just beginning, it
may be better to purchase a ready-made kit with all of the ideal elements in
1 area. Be conscious that tubing may get blocked with all the surplus
minerals in your nutrient liquid. Be cautious of the since your harvest will
dry up and perish from not getting any water. A higher skill level is required
for this program. You will need a simple comprehension of balancing the
attention of nutrition. Besides, you require a fantastic understanding of how
frequently the pump needs to be off and on. Get these incorrect, and your
crops will suffer. When it isn't sufficient, then the origins might be stunted,
or perhaps worse, then dry outside. When it's a lot, the roots can clot or
develop a parasite. This system is dependent upon electric power. Ensure
that you check it occasionally and understand what to do when it goes
away.
Time
There are a couple of maintenance jobs that will require focus. The stream
of nourishment should be nicely balanced. Verify the pipes frequently so
that they do not get blocked. If the electricity cut off, then the entire
machine will probably come to a halt. You must check it regularly because
it's possible to lose your whole harvest.
Every one of these issues is extremely valuable to the achievement of your
backyard. Failure on any of these points, along with your harvest, will
perish.
EBB AND FLOW
Space
Much the same in distance requirements into the Drip System. The
expanding tray ought to be sitting on a desk using the entire reservoir
container beneath so it could make full use of gravity. This program works
well inside.
Budget
To put up this system, you'll have to purchase some simple equipment, like
a pump, tube, timer, and moderate.
Experience
It's not difficult to keep as soon as you get the hang of this. But, it may be a
bit complex to establish. If DIY isn't something, then you will find
readymade kits to purchase containing whatever you want.
Assessing temperature and pH levels isn't so crucial for this technique. You
still ought to measure these amounts, nevertheless not as frequently.
Time
Nutrient water at the reservoir may require changing every 7-10 days.
Additionally, the system will require a thorough wash, with hydrogen
peroxide, even following a crop. It's ideal for testing pH levels every day, so
it's possible to fix them if desired. You have to inspect regularly the pump is
functioning, and the tube doesn't become obstructed.
NUTRIENT FILM TECHNIQUE
Space
The increase tray is generally a gulley or station; therefore, it could be
lengthy. Besides, you need room to get a tank that retains the nutrient-
enriched H20. Again, it's wise if the increased tray is located on top along
with the reservoir beneath. Like most Raised Bed methods, if it's
maintained small, it could be installed indoors.
Budget
As it's a constant flow method, you'll require a pump; however, a timer isn't
vital. It's an affordable way to begin your Raised Bed growing, yet it's also
somewhat complicated, so take note. No medium is demanded. The crops
are stored in baskets, at a lid with pockets, so the origins hang out and get to
the station of water. To guarantee the reservoir water is ventilated, an air
rock fed through an air purification pump is a great option.
Experience
Setting up could be tricky. The increase channels will need to be in an angle
so that the water runs from 1 end to another. In case the corner isn't right,
then the crops can flood or shut out. You'll have to understand how to
measure pH and temperature degrees since these require checking daily.
Time
NFT isn't hard to keep with very little work necessary to keep it functioning
well. The tremendous job is substituting the nutrient-enriched H20. It has to
be performed every two weeks to make sure the crops are adequately fed.
Once harvesting, your own body will require a thorough clean outside. The
developing station and reservoir may develop with dangerous germs.
Suspended roots may grow a long time and limit the circulation of water. If
that is the situation, then you can cut them without damaging the crops. It's
crucial to maintain the water temperature cool at approximately 68F/20C.
WATER CULTURE
Space
You can begin with as small as the distance necessary to get a 5-gallon
bucket. Everything which you require can be confined to a single container.
It can be complicated if you want to expand the machine after. One bucket,
nutrient safety, and a lid with pockets inside are all you want to begin on
this Raised Bed system. If you don't develop individual crops in containers,
together with all the roots suspended from the water, you then do not even
require a developing medium.
Budget
It may be the least costly system to establish.
It may run with no moderate by hanging out your crops via a hole cut at a
lid. It may be better to utilize little baskets to your roots so that the plants
possess some way of support. You'll have to purchase moderate if you
decide to utilize plant pots for every plant. Unless you're operating a bigger
machine, you don't require a water heater.
Should you start small with the entire one container, then you can develop
1-4 plants at precisely the same system. It is precisely what I recommend to
the beginner. Start small, and then as you get expertise, expand your own
body.
 Chapter 2

Building the Raised Bed Garden

N ow that you have chosen your location to build your permanent raised
bed, you need to gather all your supplies together, and this can be done
in an afternoon quickly depending on what you have decided to
construct it out of.
What You Will Need:
• Hammer (with suitable weight)
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Saw (circular or miter)
• Drill or impact drill
• Galvanized screws 3” long
• Wood
Considerations When Choosing Materials
• Durability
• Cost-effectiveness
• Toxicity
• Aesthetics
• Environmental impact
• Portability
• Maintenance
• Duration of construction
Choosing what you will construct your raised bed has a number of factors
and considerations, but ultimately it’s your choice to suit your budget and
the size of the bed. Reclaimed or recycled materials are popular as they are
usually the most affordable; they have a low environmental impact, as they
don’t require any forestry, manufacture, or any long-distance transport. If
you check locally on free sites, salvage yards, or even the local refuse
center regularly, you will undoubtedly find reusable materials to use; you
just may need to be patient!
I will elaborate below on the different qualities of wood you can use and
how this could affect your plants, but I would urge you to do your own
research on the different materials to use and find what works best for you
and your plot. When I started making my first raised bed garden, I went to
my local hardware store and bought some timber and was overwhelmed
with the choice! Using untreated or organically treated wood is what I now
would recommend to build your raised garden. If the budget stretches to it,
using a naturally rot-resistant wood such as redwood or cedar is a great
option and gives a great aesthetic too. They are extremely durable materials
to use, will last 15 years, at least depending on your weather conditions.
Different Materials to Build Your Raised Bed
Wood or Scaffolding Boards
Some pressure-treated wood is toxic, so it’s worth researching and using
wood that is not. Use wooden planks that have been pressure treated with
Tanalith E, which is an organic preservative, perfectly safe to use around
your crops.
For reference, the most toxic pressure treated wooden planks CCA
(Chromated Copper Arsenate) can be determined by its greenish hue around
staple-like depressions. But to make it more confusing for the consumer,
not all types of CCA treated wood have these indicators! This can be mixed
up with pressure-treated wood which has been treated with ACQ (Alkaline
Copper Quaternary) as they BOTH have the distinctive green hue. The
ACQ treated wood is, however, considered safe to use. The only accurate
method to determine if it is CCA treated and so toxic, or ACQ treated and
considered to be non-toxic is to buy an arsenic testing kit and test it yourself
for peace of mind.
The lumber we can purchase now will generally be treated with ACQ and
another compound CA-B (Copper Azole) they both have a fungicide and
copper but not any arsenic. The purpose of the copper compound is to deter
pests and insects, and the fungicide in the compound is there to restrict the
soil fungi migrating into the wood. The fungicide in AQC is quat, which is
used in swimming pool chemicals and disinfectants. CA-B is a fungicide,
which is used on food crops and is made up of copper and tebuconazole. In
short, copper-infused lumber to use as a project such as a raised garden bed
is considered safe to grow food crops.
If you have existing wood in your garden that you are thinking of using for
your raised bed, it’s worth considering testing the wood to see if it has been
treated with CCA. The continued migration of the arsenic into your plot,
even if you are not using the wood in your raised bed, will affect the whole
area eventually, migrating into your fertile soil for your crops.
Pinewood is another alternative, and the attraction is the cost, which is
much lower than say redwood or cedar; however, it will not last as long as
such hardy woods. But it’s easy to source and easy to manage too. The
wood you select will, of course, differ significantly from region to region,
but the best choice and quite often the most cost-efficient, is locally
sourced, with an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. It doesn’t
have the great aesthetic that hardwoods give, and you will have to pay more
for organically treated pine. Personally, I wouldn’t use treated pine unless it
was safe to grow my crops and my thoughts are if you do, it will be at the
back of your mind that your product may be contaminated due to high
percentage of chemicals used, I believe it’s better to start as you mean to
carry on.
Cedar, redwood, Juniper, and Yew are all naturally rot-resistant and
extremely durable and long-lasting and do give a great look and finish to
your garden if your budget allows. There is a reason many choose these
types of wood and find them superior, their durability and versatility, as
well as their aesthetic and the fact they are easy to work with. The downside
is the cost is usually twice the price of say pine; also, they are not very
sustainable as hardwoods are slower growers.
When visiting your lumber yard, it’s a great practice to note what sizes the
lumber comes in; that way you can tailor your raised bed to this exact size
minimizing any waste cuts. 8-foot lengths by 4-foot widths are a perfect
size for me, but this may not work for you.
Wooden Frame Kits
Some will be reading this thinking how lazy can you be, but some people
just don’t have the time and ability to source materials to self-build; you can
find these at a lot of hardware or garden stores and, of course, Amazon.
They are pre-made garden bed kits that come in a variety of sizes, are well
priced, and easy to construct. The downsides are some of the quality,
certainly of the wood isn’t always the greatest (you don’t always know the
country of origin either), so it may not be durable and long-lasting. Also,
once constructed and filled, you may find because of poor durability and
strength, you may see some bowing under the strain of the moist earth.
Indeed, if it’s starting to bow at that point, rest assured on the first torrential
downpour, it will worsen. Not all are built this way, though, so if this is the
option you want, have a good hunt around and look at reviews, etc. to make
sure it is right for your project.
Brick Built Raised Beds
These can be time-consuming and require some skill to build; however,
they are built to last and will serve you well for years to come, plus if built
well, they look stunning in your garden.
You will need a string, a spirit level (use it at every given opportunity to get
perfectly level walls!) bricks, and a hard-core base of rubble. Don’t forget
to leave regular gaps between brick joints to allow room for drainage; you
can go ahead at the end to cover these holes with mesh to stop any
clogging.
Another alternative to brick is to use blocks or concrete panels, which will
require rendering to give a polished finish; these methods do offer good
insulation for your plants at a reasonably low cost too.
The downside, though, is if you needed to move your bed, it would be
troublesome to relocate. Also, you may find over time; it could crack or
sink.
Railway Sleeper Raised Beds
A very popular choice is to use old rustic looking railway sleepers which
give a great aesthetic to any garden, however most authentic or vintage ones
will have been treated with tar and creosote, which will inevitably be
transferred into your nutrient-rich soil and affect the quality of your crops.
They can be pricey to purchase, although if you hunt around, you can find a
good deal at salvage yards, also not all are the same size, so some
adaptation will be required to get the sizing right for your raised bed.
If this is the look you want for your raised bed, I would seriously consider
softwood sleepers that have been treated with eco-friendly preservatives.
The bonus is no nasty chemicals to tarnish your crops and also lighter
material to handle while constructing, a bit more pricey but overall the
better option of the two.
Now you have decided on what you are building with and sourced the
materials you now need to prepare the area before you actually build the
bed.
When preparing the land you need to ensure that the area is reasonably
level, don’t worry too much if you are thinking of shallow root system
crops but for deeper root system crops (carrots, parsnips, etc.) it would be
worth breaking the soil surface on the area and digging to appropriately
30cm depth, removing any rocks and debris that would hinder healthy root
growth. But if you are building your bed no deeper than 14-16 inches high,
then I recommend lifting the grass and sod from the surface and inverting it
before construction.
Building Your Raised Bed
After measuring your site, and inverting the turf. You can apply a landscape
fabric this, however, has proven only to offer modest weed prevention. It
has also managed to prevent earthworms from being able to get to the
nutrient-rich soil to help aerate said soil. Also, the fact using landscape
fabric may be detrimental to the overall drainage of the raised bed. In its
place, I recommend using newspaper or cardboard, which will break down.
Using string and stakes mark out the dimensions of your raised bed. Using a
spirit level at all times will ensure you get a straight, even raised bed. If you
have ordered the exact size for your raised bed from the hardware store, go
ahead and begin to use the screws to attach the timber lengths together. If
not, cut to size and attach. Don’t forget to measure twice and cut once!
Screws will last longer and are easier if you want to move the raised bed at
any time; however, nails are easier to work with and quicker.
If you find you have difficulty getting the screws in, you can pre-drill the
holes. Always use galvanized fixtures to protect from corrosion if your
budget allows. If you are concerned with small rodents being able to get
into your construction, you can opt to line the bed with a metal hardware
cloth or mesh (1/4 or 1/2“) to the bottom of the bed. Using staples to attach
is the easiest method.
Avoiding the use of plastic, if possible, as the toxins can leach into the soil
and contaminate your plants; it will also contribute to discouraging the
much-needed earthworms and insects and have a detrimental effect on your
drainage.
Here is an excellent example of how to build a great raised garden bed from
Off Grid With Doug and Stacy on YouTube http://b
 Chapter 3

Which Vegetables Grow in Raised Beds

I fofyou plant your raised bed garden correctly, you can get amazing crops
vegetables, flowers, and herbs with very little effort compared to what
you must do in traditional gardening.
These types of gardens have an important role in the landscape of the home.
They feature framed areas above the ground, and often have wooden frames
around the area. They have an increased ability to drain away excess water,
and eliminate compacted soil. In addition, you can add soil nutrients as
necessary to help your plants be the best they can be. This allows gardeners
to plant a variety of plants in their garden.
Most plants will work well in raised bed gardens. The exception is those
plants that are large or have very deep roots or sprawling top growth. Other
plants that don’t work in raised beds are those that are top-heavy and tall
and therefore need to be firmly anchored.
Since the plants in your raised beds will be sharing soil, light, fertilizer, and
water, you should make sure to choose plants with similar or the same
requirements for growth and development.
As far as size, moderately tall plants work well. Also, trailing plants or
smaller plants work quite well in raised bed gardens, and can be planted
together. Planting in raised beds is just another type of container gardening,
and therefore basically requires you to follow the same rules. Plant your
tallest plants in the center of your bed, and go down to the smaller plants
near the edge. Plant the trailing plants along the edges, so they spill over.
Vegetables are pretty easy to grow in raised beds. You can maximize the
amount of yield you get from your crops by planting the summer plants as
soon as the spring ones have been harvested and fall ones as soon as the
summer ones have been harvested. Since the fertilizer and soil are easier to
control, you can plant vegetables and plants closer together than in a
traditional garden.
In addition, raised bed gardens are being used to raise tropical houseplants
as annuals. The raised garden beds can be a spectacular addition to your
backyard décor.
As far as flowering plants go, you can raise both annuals and perennials in
your raised garden. You should choose annuals that match the availability
of sunlight in your area. The growing conditions offered in the raised bed
garden seriously increase the growth of the annuals, so make sure that you
allow enough room for them to grow. Annuals will flourish in the rich soil
offered in the raised bed garden.
Perennials will give your garden a more permanent addition. They will
flower year after year and can form the basis for your raised bed garden.
You can add perennials to create a low maintenance garden that requires
very little work through the seasons. To achieve constant color and
flowering, you should choose plants that bloom at various times of the
year.
Raised bed gardens are great for vegetable gardening because they offer a
neat area for planting. The rich soil will ensure that you have a prosperous
harvest, providing that you have placed them in such a way that there is
room for growth. Make sure that you read all your labels so that you can
decide on the best placement for the plants. An added benefit of the raised
bed garden is that it keeps pests out- the frame provides a base to which you
can place poles to attach fencing.
Peas
Peas work well in raised garden beds, according to the National Gardening
Association. The raised design helps drain the excess water away and
allows gardeners to plant earlier. You should plant peas after the last frost of
the winter.

Peppers
According to the National Gardening Association, peppers grow quite well
in raised bed gardens, especially if they’re really wet. This is because of the
drainage and the warmer temperatures offered by raised bed gardens. It’s
best to plant them after the last spring frost, but they can be started inside
earlier and then moved outside in order to create an earlier harvest.
Eggplant
Like peppers, raised beds are great for growing eggplants. They like lots of
sun as they grow and will do exceptionally well with a layer of mulch
around the base of the plants in order to prevent the growth of weeds.
Eggplants have beautiful purple flowers that make your vegetable garden
especially attractive.

Okra
Okra grows quite well in raised beds and does really well next to peppers
and eggplants. According to the National Gardening Association, you
should plant okra from a seed. It doesn’t do well with frost and doesn’t do
well in a really hot climate either.

Another great addition to raised bed gardens are herbs. They grow just as
well as the vegetables and annuals will. The extra organic material and the
soil looseness allow the roots to spread quite nicely. When the roots spread,
the plant can better absorb nutrients and moisture from the soil. Herbs can
be paired with vegetables or annuals, or can be planted all on their own.
You should disperse those strong-smelling herbs throughout the garden to
repel insets. In addition, you will attract bees and butterflies, which will
keep the pests to a minimal level.
Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the easier vegetables to grow, but there are still
environmental factors you will need to plan for and take into consideration
during the spring and summer growing season. Growing a full and healthy
set of tomatoes is accomplished by considering issues of sun exposure,
watering, and soil health. Location and Soil
Tomato plants like full sun and they always should get several hours of sun
a day. Little sun means little tomatoes or even non-producing plants.
If you are growing from seed start them indoors or in a greenhouse about 6
weeks before the last frost. Plant out into garden beds when frosts are over.
Tomatoes enjoy very fertile soil and will respond well to organic matter
mixed into the beds. One of the mistakes that new tomato growers often
make is watering the plants too much and not giving the soil enough
attention. Till about 5 or 6 inches of soil, and to mix compost into the area.
Types of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are usually referred to as "hybrids" or "heirlooms," different types
of tomatoes offer different benefits. While an heirloom tomato has a long
history of tasty tomato production, hybrid tomato plants will usually offer
more fruit each season.
Hybrid plants are also usually much more resistant to disease. Certain types
of hybrids have even been grown to be resistant to a specific type of
disease, which may be helpful for a person with a garden in a disease-prone
area.
Watering
A tomato plant should be watered at its base and its best not to get the
leaves wet. Unless temperatures reach near 100 degrees during the day, the
plants may be watered every 2 or 3 days.
These plants won’t tolerate soggy conditions which are another plus for
using a raised bed to plant them in. If you set it up properly with the
optimum soil profile, then drainage won’t be an issue.
Cucumbers

Because they are so easy to grow, include cucumbers when you are starting
with your raised bed vegetable garden. Most cucumbers are of the vine type
and send out runners, but there are also some varieties of bush cucumbers
and they generally fall into 2 category types...pickling and slicing
cucumbers.
Cucumbers also like soil that is rich in organic matter and is well drained
but since them like the sun which tends to dry out the soil, you’ll need to
use mulch to preserve the soil’s moisture. It is better to use black or brown
mulch as this will help to retain moisture best as well as keeping the soil
warm.
Cucumbers grow as bushes or vines and can be planted in containers, in
rows, raised beds, or even vertically. Bush varieties grow well in containers
while the vines will need a trellis which is easier to use in the garden.
Like the other vegetables in the cucumber family (the cucurbits), for
example zucchini, pumpkins, and melons, they are heavy feeders and need
to be supplemented well with nutrients. Work organic matter (compost,
well-rotted manure) into the soil before to planting, and fertilizers will not
be needed early on. But when they begin to blossom and fruit appears; add
a balanced soluble fertilizer to help them produce their potential of thriving
cucumbers in large number.
Cucumbers are ready for harvest in about 60 to 70 days after planting.
Cucumbers need to be harvested when they are young and tender as they
get bitter as they grow bigger. The slicing type cucumbers can be harvested
when they are 6 to 8 inches long while pickling types are gathered at around
5 inches.
Carrots
Carrots are usually grown from seed though you can buy punnets (small
light basket) of seedlings. It is much more cost effective to sow seeds.
Spread the seeds thinly so the carrots will not be crowded, and as seedlings
emerge, remove any weak and spindly plants.

Carrots require a lot of sun so choose a place that gets ample sunlight. Work
in your soil amendment until it is mixed evenly but at the same time not
overworked into a fine powder which can form a crust. Learn more about
these popular root veggies.
How to Grow Pumpkins
Growing pumpkins is a lot like growing Zucchini’s in that they are both
low-to-the-ground growers with vines that can spread 4-6 inches a day. The
yellow flowers that sprout out on these vines in about 40 days or so,
develop into the gourd-like vegetable.
The art of pumpkin growing can sometimes seem like a dark art to the
uninitiated, but the fact is that it can be a lot of fun to learn how to grow
them in a way that both maximizes their size and flavor.
The first decision that you need to make is whether you are growing the
pumpkin to be used as a lantern at Halloween, or for eating in pumpkin pie.
The reason is that different types of pumpkin are better for each use.
If you want a real monster pumpkin that you can carve out a face on and
discard the innards, then you will generally be better off buying a Variety
like a Howden.
 Chapter 4

Planting and Maintaining Your

Raised Bed Garden

O nce you have seeded your raised bed garden and have raised the
seedlings into young plants, you are still going to need to pay careful
attention to your plants and their needs. As the gardener looking after
these beds it is up to you to properly water and fertilize your plants. It is up
to you to repair the frame and amend the soil. And it is up to you to watch
out for pests and to prevent disease from entering into your garden. While
you could skip these steps, your garden won’t stay healthy unless you
follow through with them all.
But while all of these are necessary, they aren’t difficult. In fact, raised bed
gardens are easier to maintain than traditional gardens are and depending on
the size of your beds you may not even have to bend down to work on them
anymore. The height of a raised bed makes it easier to maintain and the
contained environment means there is less that needs to be checked. We’ll
figure out how to maintain ours starting with the soil before moving on to
fertilizing, watering, and pest protection.
Amending the Soil
As gardeners, our goal should be to keep our garden as healthy as can be so
that it continues to produce fantastic results year after year. But doing this
shouldn’t mean spending a lot of money. A little bit of attention from time
to time will allow you to keep the same soil in your raised garden bed for
years without a problem? To look after our soil, we’re going to amend it
occasionally and make sure it is protected throughout the winter. By taking
care of it before the start of winter and just after the end, you’ll be able to
keep your soil healthy for many seasons to come. You should still check on
the quality of the soil when you can but this won’t be necessary when the
following steps are heeded.
When we mixed up our soil for our raised beds, we start from a base of 33%
compost. This means that there are lots of nutrients in our garden soil to
begin with. But as each harvest passes, there are going to be fewer and
fewer nutrients in the soil. You should add compost either after you finish
harvesting or in early spring when you start to prepare the beds. While this
is one way to get lots of nutrients into the soil, we’ll also be using a liquid
fertilizer in a few moments and this will ensure that there are tons of
nutrients available to the plants.
When you or I eat, we stop after we get full. Plants can’t do this. If there are
too many nutrients in the soil then they may suffer nutrient burn. The edges
of leaves will gradually curl up like the legs of a dead spider and it’ll start
to change colors. It’s an ugly sight. You may need to check the pH level of
the garden bed to make sure it is still within the proper levels that it was
supposed to be. If there are too many nutrients then you will want to water
as normal but skip a fertilizer application or two so that the soil is flushed
out a bit first.
The organic elements in the soil will break down over time. When this
happens, they start to stick together much tighter and the pathways through
the soil start to get blocked up. This makes the soil tougher for roots to push
through while also blocking access to oxygen and slowing down the
drainage speed. As you water your garden throughout the first year, be
mindful of how long it takes to dry out and the way the water soaks into it.
When you first start, it will seem a little odd to be watching the water this
closely but over time it will tell you about the quality of the soil. When it
starts to slow down and really change, typically after two years or more,
then you will know what is happening. At the beginning of the new
growing season, you can either amend the soil by adding more sandy
minerals to it or you can replace the soil with a fresh batch. It can be
expensive to replace the soil every few years constantly. Amending is the
much cheaper way to go but you need to be careful and take it slow. You
could completely wreck the soil if you added too much of one thing in
without mixing it around and getting a feeling for the texture.
Winter is a big change in the weather and you need to prepare your raised
garden beds to weather the storms. First off, most gardeners yank their
plants out at the end of the season so that they can replant in the following
spring. This is a good idea but you should only cut away the above-soil part
of the plant. Remove any root vegetables as well but you want to leave the
roots. Over the course of the winter they will turn into nutritious compost
for your next crop. Speaking of compost, if you decide to add compost to
the bed at the end of the growing season then you should make a layer of it
on top, then cover this with a layer of mulch. This will make it so weeds
can’t get in, plus it will allow the compost to amend the soil and replenish
many of the nutrients that were spent that summer.
If you aren’t going to be mulching your raised garden beds then you should
consider covering them using a strong plastic tarp. This will protect the soil
and act in the place of mulch. It won’t look quite as nice but if you are in an
area where it snows a lot then you know that everything looks the same
when it’s buried in white fluff. It will be cheaper and far faster to put a tarp
over your raised garden bed but mulching is the way to go if you are going
to add compost before the winter. If you mulch, you can still use the tarp
but it is rather redundant to use both methods.
By following these simple steps you can keep your soil lasting years.
Checking on it throughout the season is important but making sure you
prepare it for the winter and then “wake it up” again in the spring, it’ll last
you quite a while. The health of your soil is an investment well worth
making. If you ignore it, you will find that it gets harder and harder to grow
anything in your raised beds. You might think there is a problem with the
bed while it is the soil at fault.
Fertilizing Your Raised Bed Garden
When you start seedlings indoors, you begin to fertilize them. When
seedlings start to sprout outdoors, you fertilize them. As your plants grow
and mature, you fertilize them. It is only just before you harvest any edible
vegetables that you stop fertilizing them because you don’t want to add any
more liquid to the soil. Fertilizing your plants is an absolute must if you
want beautiful flowers or large yields.
Fertilizer comes in two types. There are fertilizers such as manure which
can be added to and then mixed throughout the soil. A fertilizer like this is a
good application at the start of spring or end of fall. However, we can also
mix in compost as a top layer with a blanket of mulch to protect our beds
over the winter and add nutrients back into the soil. So we’re not going to
worry about fertilizers that mix into the soil. Instead, we’re going to stick
with liquid fertilizer.

Some gardeners brew what is called manure tea, which sounds as tasty as it
smells. Another form of fertilizer is created by crushing comfrey until it
oozes a sap which you distill in water and then feed your plants. For our
purposes we will be sticking to the store bought liquid fertilizers but even
here we have two options. The first option is to buy a premixed fertilizer.
These are ones with the NPK ratio listed on them in numeric form like 30-
30-30. If you get confused by the numbers on fertilizer bottles then don’t
worry, we’ll cover that in a moment. But if you do get confused by them
then we’re better off buying a premixed fertilizer rather than purchasing the
raw materials to make our own. Whatever we purchase will still be diluted
in water but the package can be read and it will have instructions for you to
follow.
We’ve already referred to these numbers as the NPK ratio, so let’s dig into
what that means. Plants need a bunch of nutrients and micronutrients. The
macronutrients they need are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium,
magnesium, and sulfur. Also included in these are hydrogen, oxygen, and
carbon. Micronutrients for them include iron, manganese, copper, zinc,
boron, and molybdenum. If you are adding compost to your soil and
keeping it healthy then you are going to have most of these nutrients in
place in the soil. This is refreshing since trying to balance all of these would
be a lot of effort. We have to worry about six primarily. Hydrogen is found
in water and we provide plenty of water to our plants throughout the
growing season. We make sure that the soil drains quickly and this also lets
both oxygen and carbon get to the roots and so half of the necessary
nutrients are provided simply by paying attention to the soil and watering
your plants.
The other three important nutrients for us to worry about are nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Together, these three nutrients play the
biggest role in the development of your plant. Nitrogen is used to make the
leaves of the plant grow faster and come in more fully. Phosphorus is used
by the plants to strengthen the roots and make them grow big and strong.
Potassium is a general nutrient which is used in multiple functions of the
plant that are required for it to properly use and distribute energy from the
sun and the soil. The three numbers on the soil refer to these three elements.
This is the NPK ratio or the NPK balance and it tells you the percentage of
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the fertilizer. It will always be in
that order, NPK; so many labels don’t bother labeling the numbers on the
front.
 Chapter 5

Crop Rotation and

Seeding Techniques Succession

I tbeds
is extremely important that you practice crop rotation in your raised
to prevent the build-up of pests and diseases in the soil. As you are
using raised beds these are going to be low initially, but if you grow the
same crop year after year in the same bed then you will encounter problems
as the pests or diseases targeting that particular crop build up.
Crop rotation is key to successfully growing vegetables because not only
does it reduce pests and diseases, but it helps to ensure that the soil retains
vital nutrients and micro-organisms which are beneficial to your plants.
Add in succession planting and you further help the soil whilst getting even
more out of your vegetable plot!
Crop rotation is perfectly natural, having been practiced by farmers for
thousands of years as it is vital to maintain soil quality and interrupt the
lifecycle of pests. However, remember that this only applies to annual
plants and not your perennial plants such as asparagus, fruit bushes and so
on. These stay in the same place year after year, but you will have to work
the soil and many people move them when they have outlived their
usefulness or reached the end of their life. Applying manure or fertilizer
once or twice during a growing season is often enough to keep these
permanent plants happy.
Crop rotation helps to reduce the severity and incidences of diseases such as
tomato or potato blight, onion/leek rust, and many others, as well as crop
specific pests. As you do not grow the same crop in the same soil season
after season, the diseases do not have the opportunity to build up. Some
pests or diseases will live in the soil for a few years and by rotating your
crop you ensure these pests die out before they have a chance to establish
themselves.
Like many things in existence, should you like to succeed, you need to
begin putting the foundation for achievement in an early phase growing
crops is comparable? You need to begin with the safest, most vigorous
seedlings to acquire healthy, effective crops since they older there's
certainly a term in agriculture which Says: “Start. Having a great seedling
to reach a more healthy plant; begin using a bad, Feeble seedling to Finish
at a less Effective plant" Optimum Ecological conditions may considerably
affect the wellbeing and productivity of this harvest significant factors
which affect seed germination comprise fever, water, and oxygen, and all of
that can be significant to commence rapid development and growth of the
embryo at the seed to start a wholesome lifetime of their plant.
Many seed catalogs provide Info on the best temperature ranges, such as
seed germination. They frequently provide tastes of their dirt conditions and
also mild for optimal plant expansion follow these hints carefully. Soil
conditions normally refer to drainage, and which directly affects oxygen
amounts to seed germination and subsequent Expansion. The Kind of
substrate plays a significant function for Its greatest germination of seeds
since it has to consume sufficient hydration, However in the same time
provide good aeration as oxygen is still necessary from the germination
procedure with Raised Bed substrates, Such oxygen amounts will probably
be supplied with Most of the substrates, but for greater moisture retention
you may utilize a perlite or coco coir Moderate, whereas Greater “well-
drained" substrates refer to vermiculite, Rough sand, and perlite.
Consistently watch the percent germination provided on seed bundles to
ascertain the number of new seeds to sow for the proper last variety of
crops. For example, if the germination test suggests 85 Percent, multiply the
Reverse of the Amount times. That the Closing number of Crops (Emails
Gram, 30 Crops) necessary (100/85 × 30 plants = 35 plants). It's also an
excellent practice to sow at least 10 Percent more seeds than you desire for
transplanting because lets you choose the very top buds for transplanting
and Climbing on. Applying this case Afterward, (35 + 10 Percent × 35 =
39) sow 39 seeds. The Exact Amount of seeds to sow per growth block or
tray mobile varies for different Plants, particularly herbs, which are sown in
clusters or bunches. Many seeds, including lettuce, Can Be Found in raw
type and pelleted type in certain Instances, seeds Might be Bought as
clusters or even as noodle seed to Alleviate sowing and enhance
germination. From the demonstration on respective plants which follows, a
manual is provided for the Number of seeds to Float per Block
ARUGULA
Arugula seed is rather small, using a seed diameter of about 1 mm (roughly
1 32). This little seed is tough to sow a certain amount of seeds correctly.
Many seed businesses make seed clusters of approximately 12 seeds
trapped with water-soluble glue. Normally approximately 10--12 seeds each
block are the right density. Or, the seedlings could be emptied upon
germination by cutting on down the excess ones away close to their
foundation using a spoonful. Be cautious not to harm those to be stored if
thinning. Sow the seeds at Oasis or stone wool cubes or a petite
combination in 72-celled compact trays. In baskets or beds of perlite,
substrate sows the seeds into the container Should you would like to
transplant out of cubes to nutrient film technique (NFT) or even raft
civilization do this 14--18 day after sowing the seeds. Optimum temperature
range for germination of arugula is 65--75°F (18--24°C) along with pH
between 6.0 and 6.8. Most vegetable plants such as a pH in 6.2 to 6.5.
Germination requires from 5 to seven times. Utilize raw water to your
initial seven times till they achieve about an inch, and then utilize a half-
strength nutrient alternative before they enjoy complete mild to partial
shade. It requires approximately 3--4 months to harvest and maybe chosen
just two times afterward at three weeks --4-week periods. Since the plants
grow, they get bitterer, so it's better to substitute them following three
cuttings.
BOK CHOY
Sow bok choy from rock wool or even Oasis cubes and then transplant them
into NFT, raft civilization, or plant creatures in 21--25 days. Sow one seed
each block or even longer, narrow them into a plant in 12 days old with
scissors whenever they're about 3/4. Top Geminate the seed using uncooked
water to your very first eight days, after which a half-strength nutrient
alternative before transplanting. Optimum germination temperatures are
between 75°F and also 83°F (24--28°C). The round, black, and bok choy
seed is marginally more than 1 16. in diameter and, consequently, is simpler
to manage than this of arugula.
LETTUCE
Lettuce, because I'm certain you're aware, is a cool-season harvest, so
reduced temperatures tend to be more beneficial for this, temperatures out
of 60--65°F (16--18°C) are greatest for germination and expansion. The
carrot seed could eventually become dormant in elevated temperatures,
particularly previously 68°F (20°C).
Utilizing pelleted carrot seed extends the temperature range for germination
by beating dormancy caused by elevated temperatures. Maintain pelleted
and uncooked lettuce seed trendy and dry in a fridge and use it inside a
year, particularly pelleted seeds. For both indoor and subtropical growing
usage, heat-tolerant types are resistant to bolting (going to seed) and also tip
burn (browning of outer borders of leaves). Start lettuce in Oasis or rock
wool cubes. I favor rock wool cubes since they don't split apart as readily as
Oasis during transplanting, particularly within raft civilization in which it's
essential for your seedling block to stay intact since the cubes are thrown
somewhat to match to the planting holes of their boards.
We're matching square cubes into round holes of their planks. The principle
of square pegs in round holes applies. With a few NFT stations, the holes
are both squares, and also, the cubes match little attempt. The seedlings
should be transplanted at 18--21 days old to their generation boards or
stations. Here is a process to raise the generation efficiency of your
developing system from using two transplant phases.
Having a raft culture method utilizes a 2 feet × 4 feet board comprising 72
seedlings (six rows of 12 plants) and transplant that the very first time in
10--12 times as the seedlings achieves their third true-leaf phase.
Determined by just how many crops you're growing, you can decrease how
big the first-stage transplant to two feet × 2 feet using 36 crops. A rule-of-
thumb is that the nursery region ought to be approximately 20 percent of
their entire machine. The seedlings are transplanted for their second-stage
(closing generation) planks in their fourth true-leaf phase (roughly 18--21
days from sowing) approximately 2 --10 days before transplanting. At this
point, you will find 18 plants (three rows of six crops) per two feet × 4 feet
final generation plank. The lettuce will probably be prepared to harvest
inside a second 24--30 times, creating the complete cycle approximately 45
days from sowing.
Together With NFT, the process resembles Plants have been seeded in Oasis
or rock wool cubes (phase 1) and therefore are transplanted for the first time
in particular nursery NFT stations that have plant holes in two. Inside the
station and stations are split in 4. Center to center. A 12-ft station matches
72 Control Again, ratio the nursery trays in 20 percent of their total
generation capability Start the seedlings in 1. Rockwool cubes (200
cubes/pad) or Oasis 1" lean cut" Horticubes (276 cubes/pad).
Grow these seedlings from the trays around the propagation seat for
approximately 18 days before attaching into the nursery station (s) (phase
2). Maintain them at the nursery station for approximately 10--12 times (28-
-30 days from sowing) before alerting them into the completing stations
(phase 3). Inside 20--25 days crop the adult lettuce in the developing
(completing) channels providing you 14 plants annually.
In consequence, the carrot just occupies the creation region for 20--25
times; that's efficacy in using your growing distance! The closing
generation interval depends upon the total amount of lighting and daylight
length. This can change somewhat to get a garden greenhouse because of
this year. Utilizing supplemental lights to prolong the day to 14 hours ought
to assist in attaining shorter generation intervals.
LETTUCE SALAD COMBINES
Germinate the seeds for lettuce between 60°F along with 65°F (15.5-
-18°C). Harvest over three months is cutting on the very best grips using
scissors or electrical knives. Permit three months or not involving harvests
to get re-growth of those leaves. This harvesting could be replicated a few
times to get a total of 3 harvests involving harvest fluctuations.
BASIL
Basils germinate quickly, generally in 4--5 times at temperatures between
75°F along with 80°F (24--27°C). Utilize any well-drained substrate like a
pearlite or even coco coir combination if climbing them in pearlite
containers or beds. Additionally, they germinate and grow nicely in rock
wool and also Oasis cubes should you want to transplant into an NFT or
even raft culture system. When the very first true leaves seem to start with a
half-strength nutrient option to nourish them. I've discovered that sowing 3-
-4 seeds at a plug or block to transplant over three months provides a nice
bunch of basil plants.
Space them around 6. × 6. From the creation region, Spacing them as the
lettuce will probably allow their growing rapidly to a bushy type of
numerous stalks. Don't let them blossom unless you especially need the
blossoms as this aging of these crops induces them to become woody
eventually. No matter rotates the harvest every three weeks after creating
several harvests. Otherwise, to get one crop, as is generally true for NFT or
even raft culture creation, eliminate the crops whenever they hit six months
--8. in elevation.
 Chapter 6

Irrigation

W atering the garden is not as easy as putting on the pants and leaving it
to run for some time. Recall the Four Golden Rules of Irrigation as
you water or irrigate your garden:
A. Consider where to drink.
B. Know how much water is needed.
C. Know how easily this water can be added.
D. About how many cycles to drink.
Factors influencing these laws include:
A. Climate
B. Soil type
C. Plant type
Note that the primary feeder roots of any seed extend 1 1/2 to 3 times the
width of the surface of the plant, where the rest of the water is drained.
Watering the whole root is essential to sustain a safe, well-spread root
system. The rest of the water collected by plants is below the canopy drip
and not at the plant's base and trunk.
Know, when air temperatures are less than noon, the optimal time for water
in the morning or evening is to reduce evaporation. Do not dump leaves in
the evening as it will promote the production of fungi or mildew, making
plants toxic and compromising their health.
It is just as important to know how much water to add as irrigation. Plants
should be provided enough water to water the soil at the appropriate rooting
depth in the entire plant root region.
This can be measured with a point metal rod called a soil sensor in order to
measure the depth of the mud. Just after irrigation, inject the test into the
field. The rod glides effortlessly over the watery surface, and it is hard to
move until it hits dry land. If it has been decided how long the soil needs to
be fully soaked, any time you wash, you will run the wash for the same
period of time.
Foot-and-mouth irrigation fosters a shallow root system, and unhealthy
plant and water loss. Studies suggest the rooting depths of approximately 12
inches a year, crops and lawns for the following plants; 12-24 inches for
perennials and shrubs; and 28-36inches for trees.

Water can only be added as easily as the soil can absorb. O rapidly
absorption of water induces flooding, wasting water, and cements the
surface of the earth.
Soil should be allowed to dry slightly between watering to provide the
oxygen they require with the plant roots. Using the soil sensor every couple
of days to test the soil before the device penetrates 4-6 inches deeper in the
soil. Three to four inches of mulch keep soils cool, reduces water loss by
evaporation, and impedes weed development, which competes for water in
the plant.
In hot, dry spring and summer, plants need more water, and varied
environmental patterns can influence the amount of water that other plants
require. Dry winds also boost the need for water for a farm. During the
monsoon, high moisture and rain decrease irrigation requirements.
Wherever you stay or what the conditions you have to deal with make sure
the plants get ample water and change the watering schedule accordingly.
Young plants and fresh plants should be watered more regularly than older
plants. Water should be added in the drip line and above as the roots grow.
After they have been developed, they cause plants to dry between watering
in one or two years. The plants are adapted to stress and are more tolerant
of drought. Efficient irrigation and cooking plants, in general, do not require
watering more than once every two to four weeks.
This is because fast-growing plants require more water than slow-growing
plants. Many plants are adapted to dry, arid conditions in the desert. These
plants have small leaves, gray leaves, and photosynthesizing trunks and
leathery or floured leaves or other features that allow them to survive on
less water. These plants need considerably less water than species with large
dark green leaves, which are less well suited.
Sandy soils absorb water faster and drain quicker than other soil types.
Water should be spread more easily and more regularly. Clay soils absorb
water gradually and hold water more quickly, allowing water to be added
progressively and less often. Water added so rapidly to clay soils is lost, and
the damage is induced when it runs out. When a berm has been installed
around a plant's root zone to retain soil, soil can be easily added without
fear of runoff.
Your garden must be watered properly. Note the four 'Golden Laws' of
irrigation when irrigating or watering your garden: 1) know where to drink,
2) know how often drink is to be needed, 3) know how quickly you need it;
4) know how much there is water. Wetter, surface and plant nature impact
irrigation laws
Ways to Conserve Water in Your Garden
It is well known that the intake of residential water rises by 10 to 50%
during the summer months, and thirsty plants do require water.
Do your water bills reach new heights every summer since your garden
washed up? Or, as an environmentally conscious citizen, does it bother you
to see a lot of water wasting in your garden? If you answered these
questions affirmatively, find some easy methods you may not have
considered to maintain your garden water while improving the wellbeing of
your plants as a whole.
When to save water during the hour? Mornings and afternoons are good
times for watering your lawn. In addition to the major impacts on how well
the plants are grown, watering them before growing temperatures decreases
evaporation and loss of water. In reality, if you water your plants early in
the morning, they will handle the heat of the day better. The watering
evening is not recommended because night temperatures are not suitable for
the absorption of moisture. But, if because of the lack of moisture, you see
your plants wilting or rotting, don't wait for the next morning to water
them.
Harvest and reuse of water-Water supplies should not be relegated to boring
wells and pipes. Build a water tank to catch rainwater from the Roof Rivers
and store the water for your garden. There is no space for you to set up a
tiny water tank, so rainwater will potentially help the plants grow even
further.
Don't underestimate your cooking water's potential. If you are accustomed
to tapping water from boiled or steamed vegetables in the kitchen, it is time
to break the habit. Pour this water into a bowl and use it for watering your
plants when cooled. In addition to supplying heat, the cooking water
provides nutrients that will allow the plants to grow.
If you have a fish tank, use the old water instead of rinsing it down the drain
for your plants. The ancient fish tank water is high in nitrogen and
phosphorus and will have an incredible effect on your plant health.
Developing a mini compost system is a perfect way to save your garden's
soil. Compost preserves and retains nutrients in soil moisture. It eliminates
the need to water the plants regularly, including in dry summer months. It is
easy to make compost bin-all you need is an old waste bin and
biodegradable nitrogen-rich waste. Seal and put the bucket in the sunshine
and roll it sometimes.
The Bokashi Bin, which transforms fermented grain and food scrap into
nutrient-rich compost, has become a common version of compost bins. Just
a few buckets, you can make your own Bokashi Bin-a bucket needs to
match just holes in its middle, which are then put within the second bucket.
The liquid from fermentation waste will spill into the bottom bucket as the
compost matures. The waste is distilled and conserves moisture, while the
fermented material is a fertilizer.
Your plant container counts – the size of containers that you use for your
plants have a great deal to do with what you use to water them. Many
fabrics quickly lose moisture since they are brittle, and you can need to
reconsider them. There is certainly no problem with metal pots as they heat
up easily and allow the soil to dry up much faster. Do use a less potful, like
glazed terracotta containers that are sufficiently porous to keep your plants
safe and maintain moisture.
Using Mulch – did you know that mulching will conserve up to 70% of soil
water? Some of the best moisture conservation techniques that you can add
are a defensive mulch coating on top of your ground. Mulch inhibits the
growth of water-consuming plants, avoids the evaporation of water, and
also contributes important nutrients to the soil. Of note, mulches will be one
of your garden's best water-saving strategies. When picking sets, do tend to
be dirty rather than lighter, water-repellent mulches. Coarser mulches
remove precipitation to prevent evaporation into the soil. The perfect depth
for mulches in a garden bed about 8 centimeters and in a pot about 3
centimeters.
Check the Plants – Certain plants save water practically, and they do not
suck dry air. Some of these plants are smaller, especially those with smaller
leaves. Also fantastic are fast-growing plants or plants with silver or gray
leaves. The thick, leathery, and fuzzy leavened plants require less moisture
not to be forgotten.
On the other side, thirsty plants flood with water and will waste energy,
time, and resources a lot. Some of these plants are with bigger leaves, fast-
growing plants, and plants, which you need to, fertilize a lot. The growing a
plant leaves, the greater is the water demand due to transpiration. Develop
in smaller plants with minimum water requirements.
Environment and Soils Go Hand in Hand-Have you just had a shower of
rain in front of the situation, where you sprayed your plants? Ok, check the
weather report periodically for rainfall predictions, and the automatic
sprinkler can be turned down. Understand the climate of the area you live in
and the seasons.
Windy, dry summers where humidity is less, you need more water for your
plants, while higher rainfall, cooler temperatures, and shade decrease the
need to water your plants. Although you have no power over weather and
seasons, a wise way of retaining water is to provide a couple of garden
structures or big plants with a fair amount of shade. In contrast with sandy
bare soils, a cooler garden combined with mulched clay soils will save
plenty of water.
Get a Humidity Meter-Invest in a Moisture Meter if you just want to learn
how much water your plants require to stop overwatering them. This is a
low-cost, easy-to-use tool that helps you to read the moisture content of
your soil and lets clearly you realize how much more you need to drink.
Unless the moisture meter is 80-100%, it means the soil is too damp, and
you should stop watering it completely. If the readings vary from 40 to
70%, the soil is fine, and you don't need to do something about it. On the
other hand, a 10-30% reading reveals that the soil is too dry and watered.
Having a water meter will let you realize how much water you need, which
does not waste or drown your plants.
Using a screwdriver to check the soil moisture if you do not want to invest
in a water meter. When the sprinkler falls into the ground quickly, you don't
need to spray it. However, it's time to water immediately whether you have
to work to get it in or if it fails to get in.
 Chapter 7

Pest Control

I nsects are always present in our garden. Many times we think that all can
harm our plants, but that is not true. Learn about the most common pest
insects in the garden, their characteristics and what you can do to control
them.
Aphids
Aphids are a tiny fly, measuring 0.9-3 mm. There are over 4,000 species,
but some 250 are considered pests. Its color may be gray, white, red or
black, and there are wings in some species. Its mouth apparatus is a sucker,
meaning it feeds on the plant's sap. We can find plenty of vegetables, like
lettuce, tomato, eggplant, cauliflower, spinach, chili, kale, etc. Aphids
transmit diseases, so monitoring our plants is very important. We can find
them at the leaves and growth points on the underside.

1 Red Aphid
To cool them we can add water on the underside of the plants with
biodegradable soap, do it really early in the morning or in the afternoon
when the sun does not touch the plants anymore. Some natural enemies of
aphids are parasitic wasps (Aphelinus abdominals, Aphidius colemani,
Aphidius ervi), Catarina (Coccinellidae), lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea),
parasitic fly (Apidoletes sp)
Larvae or caterpillars
There are various forms of larvae in our garden; various sizes and colors.
But what exactly is a larva? Larvae are the juvenile stage of some
metamorphosis-bearing insects. The larvae which affect our plants come
from butterflies or moths of the night.

2 - Larvae or caterpillar
The larvae can be 1-7 cm in size and can have a black, white, gray, brown
color. The larvae are insect chewing and can be located on the underside of
the leaves, at the point of growth or in the dirt. They attack most plants in
our garden, in this botanical family, in particular broccoli, cauliflower, kale
and other plants.
To control them, we can use soap and garlic and chili extract with
biodegradable water. Apply very early in the morning or evening when the
plants no longer receive the rays of the sun. It's a simple method even to
extract them by hand. Some natural larvae enemies are lacewing
(Chrysoperla carnea) and the Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) bacteria.
Whitefly

3 - Whitefly
The whitefly is a small (1mm) powdery white insect. This fly feeds on the
sap of the plant, reducing its productivity. A side effect of whitefly is
disease transmission. We find it on the underside of the leaves of many
plants such as; tomatoes, aubergines, pumpkin, cucumber, flowers such as
poinsettia and jamaica, among others. Some natural enemies are the
Catarina, lacewing, predatory beetles ( Orius sp ), parasitic wasps ( Encarsia
sp ). We can also apply soapy water or yellow traps.
Leaf miners

4 - Leaf miners
The leaf miner is a small larva that we can find in the leaves of our plants.
They make small galleries or paths between the leaves, taking away space
for the plant to carry out its photosynthesis. The most effective control is to
locate the larva on the leaf and crush it with our fingers, making sure that
you do not hurt the plant.
Chapulines
The chapulines are a common pest that can cause a lot of damage since they
eat the leaves and, in some cases, the whole plant. These insects can eat any
plant. The grasshoppers can be up to 8cm long. For the control of
grasshoppers, we can count on spiders, mantises, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt,
bacteria) and Beauveria bassiana (fungus).
Red spider

5 - Red Spider
The red spider is a very small insect (0.5mm) that feeds on the sap of plants.
Always in a group. These insects form a white spider web on the leaves and
stems, thereby protecting themselves from predators. They can attack
strawberry, eggplant, squash, tomato, corn, chili, melon, potato, and trees.
For its control, an extract of garlic and chili can be applied. If the plant is
severely affected, it is best to remove it to avoid spreading to other plants.
Good prevention is crop rotation.
Trips
Thrips are small insects that measure between 1-3mm. It is a yellowish-
brown or brown color. They feed on the sap of the plant, and they can cause
leaf spots and transmit diseases. These insects are attracted to the blue
color, and you can put a blue container with water and some soap or sticky
traps. Thrips have several natural predators, such as some varieties of mites
and the Orius bug (Orius sp).
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are small (6mm) black or grayish in color. Very common
behavior in mealybugs is that they curl up to protect themselves, forming a
small ball. If our soil is well nourished, it will not be a problem for our
garden.
Snails and slugs
Snails and slugs are mollusks that live in humid areas and water reservoirs.
They feed on all kinds of plants and can end up destroying the entire
garden. We can identify the damage by the traces of mucus that they leave
behind. We can prevent the arrival of snails by having our plants in elevated
places and using aromatic herbs. Remember they are looking for cool and
humid places. For its control, we can use coffee beans, beer traps or
eggshells.
Nematodes
Nematodes are small plant parasites found in the soil. Its shape is like an
earthworm, and they measure between 0.2-1mm depending on the species.
These small individuals feed on the roots of the plants, but there are species
that are beneficial (they are biological control for some insects). To control
the nematodes in the soil, we can plant garlic cloves, and this will serve as a
repellent. It is also important to have a crop rotation and fertilize our soil.
You can find many pests in your garden, but controlling them is not that
difficult. Remember to check your garden frequently, once or twice a week.
Look well under the leaves, and there you can find many pests and other
insects.

Vegetable Gardening Problems – Prevention

There are many alternatives to synthetic insecticides to control some
unwanted insects that we commonly call as garden pests. It is first
important to know which insects are harmful to plants and which are
beneficial, the natural allies of the garden. These allies are very important in
preventing pests and diseases as they help to protect the plants against some
hungry insects that appear more frequently in the spring. There are still
other good practices that must be considered in pest prevention!
How to prevent pests in an organic garden
1. Choose the vegetable varieties most resistant to insects and diseases.
Whenever possible, we should choose seeds from organic or biodynamic
agriculture. In addition, it is preferable to produce seedlings for
transplanting.
2. Provide shelter for natural enemies of pests, such as predatory insects
(spiders, ladybugs), bats, and birds.
3. Improve the soil structure, adding organic compost or making green
manure. As a result, healthy soil will allow healthier plants to grow.
4. Grow aromatic and medicinal herbs to bring beneficial insects to the
garden. In addition, some have a repellent effect on pests.
5. Try to plant in a small space in order to see if there is damage caused by
any present pest. In this way, we understand if there is already a pest
installed, and should apply home remedies to control.
6. Cut the first infected plants and remove them from the site. So, by
removing the residues from the infected crops, we will help to interrupt the
insect's biological cycles.
7. Take into account the practices of favorable intercropping of cultures.
Consequently, this practice also helps to benefit from more effective
management of soil space and nutrients.
8. Always use natural preventive methods, such as biological control.
Furthermore, when they are easily visible, we must collect the pests
manually.
9. Avoid monocultures in beds or plots with an area greater than 1 m2. As a
result, we promote greater biodiversity, cultivating, for example, some
flowering plants such as marigolds, chamomile, and capucinhas, among
others.
10. Promote crop rotation. Above all, don't grow the same types of
vegetables in the same place every year. We can do a 3-year rotation in 3
sites or a 4-year rotation in 4 plots (more advisable).
Treat a garden against pests
Many pests swarm in gardens and attack all plants, whether vegetables, fruit
trees or even ornamental plants. Discover how to treat a garden against
pests depending on the species you face.
Treat a garden against mealybug
Scale insects generally proliferate on fruit trees from which they suck the
sap, causing sores and proliferation of fungi.
To remove them, the use of solutions based on methylated spirits and black
soap is necessary. Softer treatment but just as effective: ladybugs, deadly
enemies of cochineal.
Fight against aphids
Aphids also suck the sap from plants, slowing their growth. Vectors of
viruses and fungi, they readily settle on roses and fruit trees.
Here again, the ladybug can help get rid of the pest, just like nettle manure
and repellents (lavender, thyme, mint ...).
Treat plants against snails and slugs
Snails and slugs appreciate the sap of plants and devour their leaves, bulbs,
fruits and roots.
The "ramparts" of ash and wood chips installed around the plantations help
to slow down these pests. To remove them, there are chemicals based on
iron phosphate.
Protect a garden from mites
Some mites (including the red spider) suck the sap from the trees, resulting
in desiccation and discoloration of the leaves.
The first bulwark against mites: humidity. Watering the plants well is,
therefore, essential. In the case of invasion, there are acaricides, but one can
also use the "services" of their predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis.
Treatment against moths
The larvae of the moth (moth) feed on many plants. Leaves, stems, fruits,
buds ... are ingested.
Preventive methods to limit egg-laying are essential here: suppress weeds,
hoeing, mulching, watering ... If necessary, we will use a phytosanitary
product or the Thuringian bacillus (caterpillar killer bacteria).
Treat fruit worm
The codling moth (fruit worm) is a caterpillar that feeds mainly on the flesh
of fruits.
To prevent its appearance, there are pheromone traps that limit its
fertilization. If necessary, we will spray bacterospeine (natural insecticide)
on the affected tree. One can also enshrine spared fruits and destroy those
infected.
 Chapter 8

Common Mistakes to Avoid

S imply put, you have already learned the right way to plant and care for a
raised bed garden. When you learn the right way, you avoid making
mistakes by acting on assumption and instead act with knowledge and
comprehension.
With that said, it never hurts to be thorough. If you’ve been paying
attention, then hopefully you find yourself nodding along with the
understanding of how these common beginner mistakes could easily be
avoided. If you don’t want to make the rookie actions that cost time, money,
and energy, and cause major headaches and stomach pains then you are
going to want to pay careful attention to these common mistakes that
beginners keep making.
Overwatering Your Plants
This is the last chance there is to reinforce the idea that your plants should
be too dry than too wet. While plants need plenty of water, too much water
is the deadliest thing of all. It gets into the soil around the roots and
prevents them from sucking in oxygen. The roots will blacken and die.
They go from having a solid texture almost like a piece of string and instead
start to feel slimy and gross. This is all happening under the soil, though, so
the first sign that most gardeners see is when the leaves of their plants start
to go mushy as they rot from the inside, and if you aren’t regularly checking
your plants you might not see it until the whole plant has started rotting. If
you notice this early on the lowest leaves, you might be able to save the
plant by digging it out to remove the rotted roots but more often than not it
is already too late.
So the best way to avoid this tragic experience is to avoid overwatering
your plants. Always give the finger test before watering and if you are
unsure then be cautious and wait a day. It only takes a moment but it can
save you the work of removing and replanting your crops. Plants will begin
to wilt when they are overly thirsty and this can be a sign to water them.
But make sure this wilting isn’t just due to the noonday sun. Some plants
will wilt in order to protect themselves from the hottest temperatures of the
day. Once the sun starts to set, they will stop wilting. Since you should
never water your plants at night anyway, check for wilt in the morning to
get a more accurate reading. Noonday wilting has tricked many beginners
into a panicked watering in the afternoon and this leaves water in the soil
overnight. Even if your plants appear to be dehydrated, wait until the
morning to water them. It may feel odd but it is the healthier option.
Skipping Out on Maintenance
Maintenance is another one of those mistakes that happen often enough to
be embarrassing. There is simply no excuse for leaving your garden
completely untended to. When you do this, you are choosing to completely
ignore any signs of danger that you might have been able to catch early. If
you left your house for a vacation, you would lock the front door. When
you stop maintaining your raised garden beds, you are leaving them with
their door wide open for pests, weeds, critters, and disease.
The biggest problems with untended beds are weeds and dead plant matter.
Weeds will completely take over a raised garden bed if you don’t catch
them early. Skipping out on maintenance for half a week could lead to an
infestation you are unable to beat without replacing the soil. Weeds that get
out of hand will starve out your plants and this will lead to far more leaves
dropping off them than normal. This increases the amount of dead plant
matter in the garden bed and offers more space for pests and diseases to get
an entry hold. Both weeds and dead plant matter are issues on their own but
when maintenance is left ignored, they end up being a one-two punch to
your raised garden bed and the health of your plants.
Ignoring the Drainage
When you mix up your soil, you are doing it to create a quickly draining
texture. Raised garden beds drain better due to their elevated positions but
you still need to use well-draining soil. Introducing too many plants will
block up the soil and slow down the draining, while preventing anyone
plant from getting enough nutrients. Weeds will also slow down the
drainage. But the biggest problem is failing to include drainage holes in the
raised bed frame itself. Depending on the material used, water will have an
easier or harder time getting out even with a drainage hole. You need to
balance this all when building and mixing soil. Many beginners only take
into account their soil or their drainage holes and not the whole spectrum of
influence.
Using the Wrong Soil
We mixed a general-purpose garden soil mixture. This mixture will work
for many plants but not for all of them. You need to do your research on
what you are going to grow to see if this soil mixture will work for them.
Typically, most of what you want to grow is either going to enjoy this or it
will want something with a little more of a sandy texture. More minerals in
the soil will increase the speed of drainage but not every plant enjoys a
sandy soil.
The disappointing thing with using the wrong soil is that you may not
realize it is wrong when you first start using it because it does a decent
enough job. You might think that your plants are doing fine when they are
smaller than they should be. But when you provide them with the right soil,
you will notice a major difference in the size and depth of color they take.
This is especially true if the soil you have chosen doesn’t have enough
nutrients in it.
But the other issue with soil is that the right soil last year might not be the
right soil a year later. The quality of soil degrades over time, more so if it is
reliant on organic components like compost. It is important to pay close
attention to your soil. Degrading soil will start to drain much slower. You
may need to mix in some more minerals and compost but this can be hard to
do after you have planted your raised beds for the year. A good way to get a
heads up on this issue is to water your beds before you plant anything.
Doing this will let you see if they are draining properly or not. Take a few
minutes also to see if it “feels” right. If you have been using the same soil
mixture for some time then you will have a sense of how it is supposed to
feel. If it feels off then it will be time to amend it to make sure it still works
as intended.
 Chapter 9

Tips and Tricks for Growing Healthy Plants

A fair bit of finding your green thumb is trial and error. What works for
one gardener may not necessarily prove to be effective for another.
However, there is a lot to be said for taking in all of the advice and
learning what does work for others. That said, here are some of my very
own secrets to the gardening success that I enjoy.
Sticking to Favorite Varieties.
There are almost endless options to try in terms of vegetable varieties. It’s a
great idea to try something new each and every year. But as you gain your
gardening confidence, and learn more about how to utilize your available
space best, you may just find that you are sticking to a few favorites. Here
are some of my favorite varieties and some must-haves for all vegetable
gardens.
Tomatoes. Tomatoes come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and even flavors. For
large slicers you simply cannot go wrong with Brandywine. A pink
beefsteak, this tomato can reach almost 2lbs per fruit. With bold flavors and
an interesting texture, this is a must-have for your garden. It’s also found in
black, yellow and red varieties, but gardeners tend to agree that the original
pink offers the most flavor.
Cherry tomatoes are also popular, and you simply can’t go wrong with
Sweet 100. Sun Sugar is another tasty variety. Consider also looking for
white cherry tomatoes. They taste almost like a dessert fruit when chilled
for a few hours. If tomato sauce is on your agenda this year, then you’ll
have plenty of success with Roma tomatoes.
Peas. Easy to grow and incredibly sweet right out of the pod, peas are a
spring must-have. Sugar Pod snap peas are a tasty option that you’ll enjoy
in stir fries, stews, or just raw right off of the vine. Mr. Big is a variety that
produces plump peas, and it’s a great fun choice for kids to grow. For the
best in sweetness, Garden Sweet is a prolific and low-maintenance option.
Beans. Falling under the category of being low-maintenance, there are
endless options for beans. Some of my favorite pole beans are Kentucky
Blue, Monte Gusto (a tasty yellow wax bean), and Purple King. These three
should produce well through summer and up to the first frosts. Bush bean
favorites are French Stringless, and Italian Rose. With so many options for
beans, you should definitely experiment until you find your favorites. Beans
are also great for crop rotation as they help to replenish nutrients in the soil
for other crops.
Summer squash. Most zucchini and yellow summer squash are prolific and
low-maintenance options. But I do like to mix things up a little bit by
adding some Green Tiger zucchini, and of course a variety of Patty Pans.
The Sunburst Patty Pans offer a rich flavor that you’ll quickly find yourself
addicted to. Verte et Blanc squash are very similar to Patty Pans, but they
are so pretty to grow; and of course are incredibly tasty.
Winter squash. No garden is complete with growing butternut. Waltham and
Butterbush will deliver big. You’ll get plenty of squash, with each boasting
a rich buttery taste that you will never find in store-bought squash.
Buttercup and Lakota winter squash are also tasty, easy options to grow.
Any true Hubbard squash will also give you plenty of squash for those
pumpkin pies when the holiday season rolls around. A little known secret is
that many pumpkin pies are actually made with Hubbard squash!
Potatoes. Spuds can be enjoyed at any size, so feel free to harvest them at
any time. But if you are looking for large potatoes then you simply cannot
go wrong with Yukon Gold. The Rio Grande Russet is also a great reliable
option. If you’re looking for something a little bit different, try growing
purple or blue potatoes. The All Blue or Purple Majesty varieties are
delicious and hold their color when cooked. Purple mashed potatoes can be
a lot of fun for the whole family.
Onions. No winter garden should be without onions. Red Candy is a large
and sweet red onion that you’ll find easy to grow; for a sweet yellow onion
you’ll appreciate Walla Walla Sweet. Onions can be one of those subjective
flavors, so try a couple of different varieties until you find the ones that best
suit your taste buds.
Start with the offerings at your local garden center, and you’ll soon find
what does and doesn’t work for you.
Rain Barrels
Water is certainly easy to gain access to, but one thing I have found not just
to be a huge time saver, but also a huge money saver, is to invest in rain
barrels. Rain barrels collect and store rainwater that would otherwise be lost
as it pours from your roof and other surfaces.
Typically rain barrels are 55 gallon drums, PVC couplings, a vinyl hose,
and a screen to keep it free from debris. Relatively easy and budget-friendly
to construct, your rain barrels can sit underneath any gutter downspout
around your home.
During the summer months your garden is going to need extra water.
Watering your vegetables could boost your water bill a fair bit. But during
dry periods, having your rain barrel to rely on could make quite a positive
difference. Whether you purchase a kit or build one of your own designs,
you’ll find that rain barrels are an incredible addition to your garden.
Raised Bed Materials
There are so many options for building raised beds. I started out with kits
using plastic molded frames, and now I’ve moved on to a design of my
own. I’ve tried out most of the different materials in my pursuit of raised
bed perfection. My favorite is pressure treated lumber. It’s affordable,
durable, and easy to work with. With pressure treated lumber, I can build
beds of any size and height to suit my needs exactly. Bricks and
cinderblocks also work well.
Garden Twine
To make sure that you always have garden twine on hand when it is needed,
simply stick a ball of twine inside of a clay pot. Pull the end of the twine
through the drainage hole and set the pot upside down in a convenient
location. This way you’ll never have to go on the hunt for twine to secure
your tomatoes or squash. Those same small clay pots can make great
cloches for your tender young plants in the event of an unexpected frost.
Feeding Your Plants
Fertilizers and compost certainly do the job, but there are some little tricks
that can give your plants a boost. When you next steam or boil vegetables,
don’t pour the water out. Allow it to cool and then pour it over your garden.
You will be impressed at how well your plants respond to this little nutrient
boost. Leftover coffee grounds and tea leaves can add a bit of an acid boost
for plants that love acidic soil. Rooibos tea is one of the many great tea
options you should consider.
 Chapter 10
Herbs to Grow

raised bed can provide the perfect setting to build an herb garden. It can
A be put wherever it serves you and can be easily maintained.
Siting
If you are preparing to use the herbs to prepare, it is better to position your
elevated bed comfortably near the kitchen. Venturing into the garden on a
quiet, rainy, wintery evening to hunt for rosemary for your roast lamb can
be irritating. Choose a dry, sunny place with no frost pockets, bearing in
mind that some Mediterranean herbs can enjoy full sunlight during the
season.
Soil
General mixed compost with favorable pH is suitable for growing herbs.
Try to avoid high nitrogen feeds and improvers because they encourage
rapid growth at the cost of the delicate taste of the plant. Herbs prefer soil
well-drained and make sure they contain plenty of organic matter.
Layout
Grow the larger plants in the middle of the bed like rosemary, and the
shorter growing herbs near the edges. This equally distributes shade and
helps you to stretch across the bed to plant and reap. You are leaving space
between them when planting your herbs to allow for development and
spread.
Care
Secure small, young clove-like herbs until they are formed. Take time to
weed around the plants and remove dead limbs and leaves. This can be
accomplished quite easily with uplifted bed access. Using the
manufacturer's directions, feed the plants regularly with a general-purpose
fertilizer. Deadhead flowers can funnel energy and development into the
foliage as they begin to fade. Many herbs can last just one season, though
others will go on year after year. Take the opportunity to stock up by taking
cuttings or splitting the farm.
Harvesting
Most plants can benefit from continued harvesting because foliage
development is encouraged by cutting herbs while you are taking cuttings.
Don't slash the plant by more than a third, and always snip just above the
closest intersection of the root. The cut herbs can be used directly in the
oven, or processed for frozen or dried later. For a savory salad dressing, you
can also catch the delicious flavor of your freshly picked herbs flavored
with butter.
What to Grow?
In most allotment plots, growing the crops you like is good. This is mostly
the case for herbs, although it is necessary to plant other varieties just to
provide a good ornamental aromatic show. Elevated beds will give you the
room to grow a wide selection of tasty culinary herbs whilst offering a
splendid variegated view. Examples commonly found include Basil,
Rosemary, Parsley, Chives, Tarragon, Garlic, Oregano, and Thyme.
Mint: A beautiful and so flexible crop of containers. It can be used for
anything from tea and mojitos to mint and chutney coriander. It's also easy
to grow – it'll even cope with demanding sunny spaces that just get a little
light. However, it is a selfish beast, which needs regular feeding in order to
grow well. Place each plant in its own 5-liter jar, keep it watered well and
pick it up daily. Once your plant is grown, each spring after its winter dies
back, take it out of the pot and split it into halves or thirds, and report it
with fresh compost. This helps keep the vigor – and offers you knew plants
to enhance or give away your mint range.
Chives: Excellent in salads snipped over soups or applied to many tables as
a garnish. In the season, the flowers are bright, taste yummy-and the bees
do enjoy them. This is another simple one to develop and requires just four
or five hours of sunshine. Make sure it doesn't dry out because wet soil is
like chives.
Sage/Bay/Thyme/Rosemary: These traditional herbs are easy to grow with
unique flavors and are good for soups, stocks, meats, pasta, and more. They
do not like damp roots – but they thrive in well-drained soil and do not
overwater. You may develop sage from seed; the others are best purchased
as plants or grown from cuttings (bay from cuttings is difficult though).
Parsley: This is sluggish to get out of the seed, but once it's grown, it will
send you leave for almost two years before it flowers and dies.
Coriander: In the beginning, coriander planted flowers easily and goes to
work. You may try to postpone this (maintaining it well watered and fed,
increasing it in a shadier place, and cutting the leaves regularly), but
inevitably, whatever you do, will happen. Don't worry: the flowers are
attractions for hoverflies (whose larvae consume aphids), and they are tasty
green seeds. Throughout the late autumn, you will get buds, the plants will
withstand most winters, and in the spring it will grow strong and green
again. Basil: What the air needs. It is best grown in a dry, light, protected
location (it thrives in greenhouses) and sown in June when the weather
warms. Even it doesn't like going to bed with the damp roots-so rise in the
morning in well-drained soil and water. Sorrel: It has a solid, sour flavor
and a bit of lemony. Fried, sorrel shapes traditional egg and salmon combos,
or you can chop up a few fresh leaves and apply them to salads. Growing in
a jar is facile. Grow six to eight plants (easy to start from seed) in a window
box with at least four hours of sunshine, and it will give you a hit of flavor
throughout the year. Select the leaves outside, and it will continue to
produce new leaves. As long as you remember two rules, you can grow
herbs together in pots: Consider combining plants (such as chives, spinach,
and coriander) with plant-like soils (such as rosemary, thyme, garlic, bay,
and Oregano). And select similar size herbs for the same pot-for example,
large rosemary will swamp a small thyme plant. So search for a thin,
portable type of rosemary if you want to blend rosemary and thyme with it.
 Chapter 11

Flowers That Flourish in Raised Beds

M aking use of raised garden beds for the cultivation of flowers may not
appeal to everyone. After all, how many flowers can you actually eat?
Having said that, however, the joy and interest that beautiful blooms bring
to every garden cannot be denied.
Flowers also attract a variety of pollinators, among which is the much-
maligned and seriously jeopardized honey bee.
Tara Nolan (2017), in her article, Tips for Planting and Making Raised
Flower Beds, agrees that growing blooms alongside vegetables, herbs, and
fruits have many advantages.
Careful planning of your raised bed floral garden can give rise to many
hours of pleasure as well as plenty of bouquets of summer flowers to
brighten your home and cheer neighbors and friends.
When planting from seeds, ensure you carefully note the requirements for
each variety as well as their height at maturity. Taller plants should be
placed towards the center of the raised bed, allowing easier access to the
shorter flowers that you can plant around the edges.
Feeding your floral garden with good nutrients and keeping it well hydrated
is of the utmost importance. Mulching will keep the roots protected and
ensure these do not dry out too quickly in warmer weather.
Nolan (2017) suggests sunflowers, zinnias, daylilies, and cosmos are easy
to grow and produce an attractive show. Gladiolus and lilies may be
successfully planted where there are no squirrels to decimate the bulbs.
Important Aspects to Consider When Choosing Flowers
According to her article, 21 Easiest Flowers for Beginners, Linda Hagen
(2019) suggests the following important points should be carefully
considered as you set out to plan your new raised bed garden.
Take Careful Note of Your Garden Area
Consider the amount of available space you have for your raised garden
beds. Get acquainted with the gardening site.
Take the position of the planned garden into consideration as well as
whether there will be sufficient sunlight for your plants.
Check the type of soil in your area as well as its ability to hold water. Good
soil quality will ensure healthy plant growth.
Know your frost cycle, and ensure you plant crops and flowers according to
what will grow best in your zone.
Take a good look at the plants growing in your neighborhood. This will
give you a good idea of what is likely to grow successfully in your new
garden.
Choose Flowers to Suit Your Style
The same article suggests that although gardening can be a wonderfully
therapeutic experience, beginners should remember to curb their enthusiasm
for overindulging in too many colors and varieties of blooms. It is prudent
to start off deciding on a basic color scheme that will suit your personality
and style.
If you prefer a garden that whispers tranquility and peace, choose flowers in
shades of blue, purple, and soft pinks with a dash of white and yellow.
However, if your style leans to the more vibrant and exciting side, a mix of
cheerful, brightly colored flowers may suit you better.
The recommendation in the same article by Garden Design Magazine
(2019b) is to avoid too much variety and colors that clash as this is likely to
affect the overall beauty of your garden adversely.
Inventive Designs Catch the Imagination
Think fragrance, movement, color, and the overall final impact you would
like your raised bed garden to have.
Piet Oudolf, the internationally renowned garden designer from the
Netherlands, designs his gardens around the structure and shapes of the
flowers he plants (Garden Design Magazine, 2019b). Piet suggests choosing
blooms that have solid, stout’s stalks so that after they flower, these stems,
topped by their attractive seed pods, will make an attractive display when
covered with snow.
Perennials come in a variety of shapes that include bells, spikes, plumes,
screens, and buttons to name but a few.
Careful consideration of and inventive grouping of a variety of plant shapes
will lead to pockets of interest and surprise in your new garden.
Plan on layering your flowers so they blend together as naturally as possible
to create a free-flowing bank of gorgeous blooms.
Depending on the position of your raised bed garden, consider placing taller
plants towards the center or back with plants of medium height next. The
shorter, bushier plants should be placed towards the front and sides of the
garden. You can add objects such as a statue or a boulder or perhaps a
birdbath to your raised bed garden. These items will create added interest
and will encourage birds that are useful pollinators into this eco-friendly
space. Consider planting lots of foliage-producing plants as well if you
intend to cultivate flowers for cutting (Garden Design Magazine, 2019b).
Fair Flowers for Floral Fragrance
Choosing flowers for your raised bed may be quite an overwhelming
experience to begin with. There are many different varieties available, each
with specific characteristics of its own.
Some flowers are prized for their astonishingly beautiful colors, hues, and
shades while others are chosen for their tall, majestic stems. Then there are
those gorgeous blooms that enthrall us with their enchanting fragrance.
Other flowers are valued for their medicinal properties and others find favor
in being the most suitable for bordering your raised beds in cheerful
abundance.
In her article, 21 Easiest Flowers for Beginners, Hagen (2019) suggests a
wide variety of easy-to-grow flowers for any beginner gardener to enjoy.
Among these, she includes the following suitable annuals that will be
suitable for raised garden beds:
Dianthus
ZONE: 3-9
These showy, fragrant flowers surrounded by lush, evergreen foliage bloom
from May to August and grow to a height of about 20 inches.
They flourish in well-drained soil and require small amounts of water,
preferring not to become water-logged.
Dianthus grows well in either full sun or semi-shade. These small, colorful
flowers are resistant to deer and will bring gorgeous splashes of color to
your raised bed garden.
Fuchsias
ZONE: Annual, everywhere except for 10-11
The Fuchsias’ gorgeous shades of pink, magenta, purple, lavender, and
white make for attractive displays, ideal for hanging baskets on patios or in
trees where they thrive in shady spots.
These lovely plants prefer moist, well-drained soil and require regular
pruning to attract new growth. They attract hummingbirds, bees, and
butterflies.
Fuchsias grown in Southern California and Bay Areas are prone to fuchsia
mites.
Geraniums
ZONE: 10-11 (Grown as an annual everywhere else)
These hardy, sun-loving plants that enjoy rich, well-drained soil are ideal
for raised bed gardens.
Geraniums come in a variety of shades from magenta through red, pink,
lavender, and white.
These plants can reach heights of 24 inches when mature. They attract
birds, bees, and butterflies.
Lupines
ZONE: 4-8 where they are often grown as an annual
Lupines are tall, quite majestic plants that can reach a height of four feet.
These happy, little flowers enjoy being in the full sun in cooler climates and
in partial shade in warmer areas. They are attractive to butterflies.
Lupins come in a variety of gorgeous blues, lavenders, and pinks. There are
white and yellow varieties as well. They grow well from seed and are good
self-sowers.
These plants require a good, deep soaking but their roots must be allowed to
dry out between watering.
Morning Glories
ZONE: Annual
Morning glories love the full sun and bloom late summer or early in the fall.
These climbers in shades of blue, purple, white, and pink make excellent
plants for trellis covers and readily self-sow.
Although these plants attract butterflies as well as birds, the seeds are
highly poisonous if eaten.
Morning glories prefer fertilized, well-drained soil and require regular
watering during dry periods.
Pansies
ZONE: 6-10 grown as perennials/biennials
Pansies are ideal plants for warmer areas where they will bloom throughout
the winter and well into early spring.
The plants prefer well-fertilized, well-drained soils and require regular
watering. They enjoy sunny conditions but will also thrive in partial shade.
Pansies come in a variety of attractive colors and grow to a maximum
height of nine inches.
Snapdragon
ZONE: Annuals everywhere except for 5-10 where they grow as perennials
These attractive 6-15 inch tall plants come in a variety of lovely colors from
white, pink, and lavender to red, orange, and peach.
Snapdragons will enjoy a sunny spot in your garden and will bloom from
spring through fall. These interestingly-shaped flowers attract butterflies.
They require well-drained, rich soil and regular watering.
Sunflowers
ZONE: Annual
These cheerful, yellow flowers grow to a height of between 3 and 16 feet.
Because of their height and their brittle stems, to ensure your sunflowers
remain upright, it is prudent to place supports into the ground for these
plants.
They are tough plants that cope well in most soil types and are drought
resistant, so they require less water than other plants.
Sunflowers do best in full sun and bloom during the summer. They attract
bees, butterflies, and some seed-eating birds.
Sunflowers make a great backdrop in a garden or as a cut flower.
Sweet Peas
ZONE: Annual
These wonderfully scented plants come in a variety of colors and make an
attractive addition to any garden.
They prefer regular watering in good-quality loamy soil that is well-
drained.
Sweet peas do well in full sun and can be successfully grown on a trellis as
their soft stems require added support.
Zinnias
ZONE: Annual
These summer bloomers that grow well in full sunlight come in a variety of
shades of red, orange, yellow, white, and some pinks.
Although zinnias are fairly hardy plants, they prefer richer soil that drains
well. Their water requirements are minimal.
Zinnias bloom during the summer and can reach a height of about 24
inches. They are, therefore, suitable flowers for cutting as their long, sturdy
stems look good in a vase.
Helpful Flowers Medicinal or Edible Purposes
Important Advice on Edible Flowers
Perhaps the most important advice you can receive about edible flowers is
as follows:
● Eat only confirmed edible varieties and preferably those that are
organically grown.
● Avoid eating flowers grown by retailers as these are often sprayed
with pesticides.
● thoroughly wash the flowers before consuming them.
● Make sure to eat only those areas of the flower that are
recommended. In most instances, it is usually only the petals that are edible.
● IF IN DOUBT, DO NOT EAT!
Advice on Flowers for Medicinal Purposes
Many plants and flowers are well-known for their medicinal and healing
qualities. However, once again, be very sure you are working with the
correct plant and you understand its specific use.
1. Calendula
These flowers have a tangy, peppery taste and the petals lend a yellow hue
to food. The plant is sometimes called “poor man’s saffron,” says Debbie
Wolfe (2019) in her article entitled The Ten Best Edible Flowers to Grow in
Your Garden.
Calendula flowers have skin-healing properties, continues Wolfe (2019).
Calendula oil can be found in certain ointments used for the treatment of
acne, sun protection, and wound healing.
2. Cosmos
These gorgeous long-blooming, sun-loving flowers can reach a height of
about 60 inches when they mature.
Their delicate shades of purple, lavender, pink, and white will lend peace
and harmony to your garden. When planted close together, cosmos flowers
make a wonderfully, attractive display. Cosmos grow quickly from seed in a
variety of soil that should be well-drained.
They are useful in repelling mosquitoes.
Cosmos Flowers. (n.d.)
3. Echinacea
Known also as cornflower, the roots and seed head of the echinacea herb
have well-known healing qualities that are often used as a remedy for colds.
Besides their medicinal properties, the attractive petals of echinacea can be
used to add interesting splashes of color to a dish.
 Conclusion

hank you for making it to the end. Starting a raised bed garden is a great
T way to accommodate that budding little gardener in your family. It is the
ideal way for kids to learn about nature; they will see the wonder of a
little seedling emerging from the ground, growing tiny leaves and later
develop into a mature plant with fruit. Planting in raised beds will make it
convenient for both you and the young ones to reach every plant in the box
without ending up with muddy feet or knees full of dirt.
Now that you have all the information needed, it is time to get going. Walk
around your available space during the day to find a sunny location. Once
you have decided where you want to place your raised bed, decide on the
size and dimensions. Make a list of everything you will need, from the soil,
compost and other materials, to the frames. Once your bed is up and filled
up with the soil mixture, it is time to turn your attention to the plants. Select
the type of veggies you want to grow according to the guidelines I have
provided. If you want to grow plants from seeds, you will have to do some
prior planning since it will take time for them to develop into seedlings
ready to be planted outside in your box. Otherwise, you can purchase
seedlings to plant directly into your raised beds. Now most of the work is
done and the fun part starts. While you wait for your veggies to grow, a
little attention is needed; water them regularly and keep your eyes peeled
for any pests or weeds. Then wait for the fruit to mature and start
harvesting! Growing vegetables in raised beds makes gardening a pleasure.
With limited time and space, you can grow an abundance of food in a small
area. The benefits are numerous; fewer weeds and pests, better drainage,
better soil, no compacting of the soil, less pain potential for you, the
gardener, to name but a few. Your friends will envy your neat, attractive
garden and harvest of healthy, tasty vegetables. I hope you’ve realized how
easy it is to build a raised garden bed. It doesn’t take very much in the way
of carpentry skills at all. In fact, it’s probably one of the simplest projects
you can take on.
And yet, raised garden beds are amongst the most flexible techniques you
can use when designing your garden. If you wish, you can certainly build
very traditional raised garden beds. But you can also leave tradition behind
and build organic or exotic or natural looking raised garden beds. You can
build them in wood, in plastic, in stone or in many other materials. In fact,
you are only restricted by you access to the materials and by your own
imagination.
Raised garden beds provide the experienced gardener with the ability to
create micro-environments of soil and moisture. On the other hand, they
bring the pleasure of gardening to those with restriction in their ability to
perform traditional gardening.
In short, raised garden beds are the epitome of flexibility allowing a
gardener to leave the restrictions of their soil and environment behind.
I encourage you to try them for yourself.
 MICROGREENS:

How To Grow Nutrient-Packed Greens For Your

Health
(Vegetable Gardening Book 4)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

hey're an emerging form of specialty vegetable people can purchase

T from stores or expand at home in the seeds of vegetables, fruits, fruits,
or even breads. They comprise several wild species.
Researchers view microgreens as a functional food, meaning they can offer
crucial nutrients in a sensible manner. Some folks call them a super food.
People have developed mustard and cress in their own kitchen window
ledges and in classrooms. They're fun to develop, yummy to eat, also
healthy. However, other kinds of sprout and microgreen have lately been
popular as foods.
Microgreens may play a part in equally sweet and tasty dishes.
In addition to their nutritional value they could add taste, texture, and color
to salads and sandwiches. Folks may add them or utilize them as a garnish.
They're appropriate for eating uncooked, meaning they keep their own
vitamin and nutrient material.
Like carrots, microgreens are a youthful vegetable. But sprouts and
microgreens aren't similar.
Sprouts are recently germinated seeds that people harvest as the seed begins
to develop and prior to their leaves grow. Conversely, microgreens develop
out of sprouts, plus they've leaves.
After the cotyledon leaves -- that the embryonic leaves --'ve wholly grown,
and the very first real leaves have surfaced the plant becomes a microgreen.
Folks typically grow sprouts in harvest and water them inside 2--3 times
Microgreens can grow in soil or hydroponically, but they want sunlight.
Folks harvest them --3 months, based on the kind.
Folks can develop microgreens from any vegetable or vegetable. The taste
will rely upon this plant.
Which veggies give the most protein? Learn here.
Potential health benefits
Microgreens might provide several advantages in regards to your diet
program.
Full of nutrients
Many new plant compounds supply vitamins, minerals, minerals, and fiber.
These nutrients will help with:
Preventing a selection of ailments
Treating weight
Fostering both physical and mental wellness and well-being
Microgreens can provide each these advantages and more.
Kale can be obtained as a microgreen in addition to an ordinary vegetable.
Locate out why it's fantastic for you.
Antioxidant content
Lots of plant-based foods are a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals,
minerals, also antioxidants. Vitamins and antioxidants play countless
functions in fundamental physiological processes.
Antioxidants help the body remove unstable waste molecules called free
radicals.
Free radicals result from the natural physiological processes and ecological
stresses, such as contamination. As they develop, they can result in cell
damage. Finally, this damage can promote the growth of diseases, for
example cancer.
The body is able to get rid of some free radicals, but they could still collect.
Antioxidants from meals might help eliminate more of these. Plant based
foods may supply antioxidants.
There's proof to indicate that microgreens possess higher antioxidant
content, meaning they might help stop a variety of ailments. The precise
kinds of antioxidant will count on the plant life.
Microgreens in the brassica loved ones, including broccoli, contain elevated
levels of vitamin e, a powerful antioxidant. Asteraceae microgreens, like
chicory and lettuce, look to be elevated in vitamin a, vitamin, or even
carotenoid antioxidants.
Details about utilizing microgreens to cure or prevent certain diseases are
not available, but scientists have been looking in their potential advantages.
Broccoli and its cousins -- sausage, cabbage, and brussels sprouts -- are all
healthy vegetable choices. Know more about broccoli.
Certain groups
Some investigators have indicated that microgreens could possibly be
acceptable for tailoring to present extra nutrients to specific groups of
individuals.
By way of example, 1 group of scientists generated chicory and lettuce
microgreens using elevated levels of those nutrients which green, leafy
veggies usually include but a reduce potassium content. This nutritional
profile, they explained, can be handy for those who have kidney disease.
Tailored microgreens may also be advantageous for men and women who
follow a vegetarian, vegetarian raw or raw foods diet and for people who
can't access or eat fresh veggies because of problems of accessibility, price,
or wellbeing.
Sustainability
Microgreens are easy to grow in the home in a restricted space. A little
outlay can provide a substantial return concerning mass, assortment, and
nourishment.
As they take just a couple of weeks to develop, it's likely to have a
continuing origin of microgreens. By rotating three plants, as an instance,
individuals could have new microgreens each week. Hydroponically grown
microgreens do not even require dirt.
Pros have indicated that microgreens may even offer fresh and healthy food
for astronauts.
The way microgreens and edible flowers could give rise to a nutritious diet
Cooking healthy does not need to imply that you forfeit taste and pleasure
in your own meals. In reality, integrating microgreens and edible blossoms
in your menu lets you maintain your dishes wholesome, yummy and lively.
The recent buzz concerning microgreens and edible blossoms has spurred
much debate concerning their health advantages. When some microgreen
farmers have promised that microgreens package more taste and
nourishment to each snack, the health advantages of microgreens continue
to be unknown. But what's understood is that microgreens create a healthy
substitute for many different garnishes and sandwiches in excellent cuisine.
Imagine becoming in a position to comprise micro mint lime or micro
tangerine lace because of a zesty and aesthetically attractive garnish in your
own restaurant. Not only will the chosen microgreens create the dish stand
out visually, but the garnishes give exceptional flavors and scents, further
improving the attractiveness of this dish. All these garnishes are not as
inclined to be tossed aside or scraped from this dish, which makes them an
excellent match for the menu popular dishes.
As an executive chef, you comprehend the necessity of maintaining your
menu current and interesting. Adding microgreens into many different
dishes lets you maintain your menu wholesome without sacrificing quality.
Regardless of how health aware that a diner is, you may not have a lot of
greens in a diet plan, and integrating microgreens in your restaurant dishes
permits you to supply a different source of healthy greens. Dishes which
don't contain greens or lettuce could be vibrantly improved with the
inclusion of microgreens. Pastas, sauces, as well as desserts may comprise
the flavors and textures of refreshing microgreens
Experimenting with numerous microgreens and edible blossoms on a few of
your meals is a terrific means to grow their attractiveness. If you discover
orders for a specific dish or aspect decreasing over the months, then look at
integrating microgreens to boost beautiful and flavor add a garden
refreshing component. With a little bit of creative experimentation,
microgreens may add an eye catching and yummy addition pretty much any
great dish.
Microgreen truth
Microgreens (micro greens) are a tiny type of leafy greens generated in the
seeds of vegetables, fruits, fruits or other crops. They vary in size from one
or two inches long, for example, leaves and stem. Microgreens may have
unbelievably intense tastes considering their size, although not as powerful
as adult greens and greens.
Microgreens are employed as a garnish and flavor accent mostly in fine
restaurants. These restaurants put a strong focus on both the imaginative
presentation and taste of the own dishes. Microgreens' delicate, refreshing
look adds dimension and beauty together with a variety of distinct taste
components.
Dubbed among 2008's culinary buzzwords from national public radio,
microgreens are a favorite food fad. Employed by chefs to excite and
improve the dining experience, microgreens exude innovation and taste in
their culinary inventions.
The national restaurant association published its list of high food and drink
trends for 2009. The listing, comprised of poll results by over 1600 chefs,
reveals microgreens in number 5 at the produce group.
History
Microgreens have been created in the USA since roughly the mid 1990's
start in southern California. Initially, there were quite few forms provided.
The fundamental kinds; arugula, basil, beets, ginseng, cilantro and a mix
named rainbow mix. They are presently being increased in most regions of
the nation with a growing amount of types being generated.
A kind of microgreens offered in a technical growth moderate; cellulose
(newspaper) pulp was made in Europe since about 2002.
Microgreens versus sprouts
Microgreens aren't exactly like sprouts. Some posts about microgreens
describe them as being quite the like sprouts. There are numerous critical
differences. Knowing the various manufacturing methods of every may help
clean up any confusion between these.
Sprouts are just germinated seeds. What's eaten includes this seed, root,
stem and light underdeveloped leaves. The FDA attempts to control all
companies that make sprouts as a result of many outbreaks of food
poisoning. Salmonella and Escherichia coli 0157:h7 are the significant
causes of sprout-associated disease outbreaks. Commercial sprout chips
must follow strict FDA strategies for manufacturing which have multiple
lab tests of every batch containing the drained-off water to the existence of
pathogenic germs, to decrease the danger of food borne disease.
Many retail bundles of sprouts really carry an FDA caution that says "the
FDA advises people who want to decrease the danger of foodborne disease
shouldn't eat raw sprouts"
Sprouts are produced entirely in water. The seed is not really implanted. A
higher density of seed has been put inside of sprouting gear or enclosed
containers like glass jars. The seed germinates quickly as a result of high
humidity and moisture levels maintained from the enclosures. Seeds may
also be utilized in luggage which is repeatedly soaked from the plain water.
The procedure happens from the dark or with low lighting. These dark,
moist, and crowded conditions are best for the rapid growth of harmful
pathogenic germs.
After one day of bathing and a couple of days of rinsing just in warm water
(2-6 or twice daily to stop spoilage like mould), the sprouted seeds are
prepared for consumption. That is long before the growth of some leaves.
These sprouted seeds are usually marketed as a tangled mass of quite pale
roots, stalks and foliage buds. Microgreens can't be grown with those
methods.
Microgreens aren't increased in water. The seeds have been planted and
grown in soil or a soil replacement like peat moss, or other fibrous
substances. They ought to be developed in high light conditions with high
humidity and decent air flow. The seed density is just a portion of what's
employed in sprout processing in order that every individual plant has
distance to grow and grow. Most varieties need 7-14 days rising time, some
more. Following the leaves are fully expanded, the microgreens are
prepared for harvest. They're cut over the ground surface and packaged with
no roots. Some microgreens are offered while still climbing in order that
they may be cut from the end user.
If the stem is cut, leaving the origin and it isn't made in water, so it's a
microgreen, maybe not a sprout. Microgreens which are grown from the
brightest light with loads of space and decent ventilation have improved
energy leading to more color and taste.
The conditions that are best for growing microgreens don't promote the rise
of bacteria that are dangerous. These climbing methods wouldn't operate for
the creation of sprouts.
To reduce confusion, it's crucial to avoid using phrases such as “sprouting"
or “sprouts" when writing on or describing microgreens. FDA inspectors
don't always know the differences, possibly placing a microgreen grower at
the place of describing them. There might be confusion when the grower
has clarified microgreens like being in any manner very similar to sprouts.
Writers do everybody a disservice once the interchange the 2 terms. The
FDA will consider enforcement action against any celebration growing
sprouts, which doesn't have adequate preventative controls set up, requiring
extensive esophageal testing and FDA supervision.
 Chapter 1

Microgreens and Health Benefits

M icrogreens can have an extraordinary impact on your health once you

start to include them in your diet; however, we haven’t explained why
and how. We promised you an improvement in health and a whole lot
of nutrients, so we are keeping our promise to you by explaining precisely
what microgreens can offer you. There isn’t only one kind of microgreen
out there; there are multiple, and all of them have different health benefits
as well as different flavors and textures. This is why we have decided to
give you a more general take on the benefits of microgreens, so you can
begin to understand why we are so excited about them. Let’s dive in.
Microgreens are high in Nutrients
We have said this multiple times, so it was about time that we went deep
into it. The truth is that microgreens are fuller and denser with nutrients
compared to fully mature versions of the same plant or vegetable. You may
be wondering; how can some sort of ‘baby’ version of a full-grown
vegetable have more nutrients than the latter? We asked the same thing, but
we promise we are not lying to you.
According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry, researcher Qin Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor at the
University of Maryland, said he was surprised to find that microgreens were
up to 4-6 times more concentrated in nutrients than in the leaves of a mature
plant. He even called the whole situation ‘astonishing’ and claimed that
they had to run the result two or three more times to double-check they
hadn’t gotten it wrong.
The study even claims that these nutrients are essential for skin, eyes and, in
some cases, even fighting cancer, and have many other benefits attached to
them.
There are many different kinds of microgreens and they all vary a little;
however, most varieties have proven to be rich in iron, zinc, magnesium,
potassium, and copper, according to research.
They Contain Polyphenols
Let us change that by explaining why this is important. Studies have shown
that microgreens are also an excellent source for a wide variety of
polyphenols. But what are these polyphenols that we keep mentioning and
why should we care? In short, polyphenols are micro-nutrients that can be
obtained by plant-based foods.
They are full of antioxidant properties and a lot of health benefits. It is
believed that polyphenols can help us treat diabetes, weight management
difficulties, digestion issues, and cardiovascular diseases. They are getting
interesting, aren’t they?
It is said that they can even stop free radicals from building up inside your
organism, which refers to molecules that can cause chronic disease and
damage your cells.
Furthermore, diets with high contents rich in polyphenols have been shown
to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and heart disease. Note
that this is still under research, but the prospects are quite excellent.
Other foods known to be rich in polyphenols are cloves and other
seasonings, dark chocolate and cocoa powder, different types of berries,
sweet cherries, apples, beans, nuts, soy, black and green tea, red onions,
spinach, and more. You know, just in case you are looking to expand your
diet to healthier ingredients and foods beyond microgreens!
Microgreens Can Improve Your Heart Health
What we are trying to explain to you is that the miracle of healthy eating
comes in a small, fresh package called microgreens and that they not only
taste and look amazing, but they will also make sure that your heart is taken
care of. How awesome is that?
There are some very sad statistics out there proving that heart disease is one
of the leading causes of death nowadays. Making positive diet
modifications is one of the first things that a cardiologist will prescribe for
this matter since it is one of the most effective and easiest ways to achieve a
change in your heart condition and prevent coronary heart disease.
Many studies show that eating fresh vegetables in your diet is associated
with lowering risks of heart diseases. These studies have also found that
including microgreens in your dishes could help decrease certain heart
disease risk factors by reducing weight gain, bad LDL cholesterol, and
triglycerides. What does this tell you? By combining a proper diet full of
microgreens, physical activity, and a healthy lifestyle, you will be helping
your heart stay strong and healthy for a longer time.
Besides, doctors love to prescribe a stress-free lifestyle when it comes to
taking care of our health. Needless to say, taking microgreens as a hobby is
a fantastic way to spend hours of your day without a care in the world,
taking care of your little plants and relieving the stress of the day.
It is a great way to keep your mind busy and your heart looking forward to
the day your little seeds are ready for harvest. This is also a great way to not
only keep your heart healthy, but also keeping your mind clean and your
spirit high.
Microgreens Reduce the Risk of Chronic Disease
This just keeps getting better and better. As we mentioned earlier, many
different kinds of vegetables are rich in nutrients and polyphenols, which is
why they present multiple benefits when it comes to our health.
It appears that these components have shown to reduce the risk of
contracting certain types of chronic diseases. High intake of vegetables has
also shown to lower the risk of inflammation, diabetes, and obesity.
Since microgreens are 4-6 times more abundant in nutrients and
polyphenols than their full-grown versions and many other vegetables, it is
safe to say that they can help reduce the risk of these diseases and bring a
very healthy and beneficial dietary option to your table (both figuratively
and literally).
One additional point to microgreens is that they can be grown year-round.
In comparison to other fruits and vegetables, microgreens don’t need you to
sit around and wait for the warm or cold weather to arrive since they can be
grown indoors. This means that you can have all the health benefits from
these beautiful plants every day, all year long. Your diet wouldn’t have to be
incomplete for a season or two like with many other foods; instead, you can
count on them whenever you want them.
There are many more reasons why microgreens are so great, but if these
four haven’t touched your heart and turned you into a complete microgreens
fan as we are, we don’t know what will. Microgreens are simply easy and
convenient, and they are the perfect match for the impatient gardener who
wants to see the results of his work right away.
Microgreens Are a Gift of Nature
This isn’t a claim by scientists and researchers from well-known
universities, but more of a personal opinion. Microgreens not only help you
improve your health, but we believe they are a treasure that should be
shared with the world.
Growing microgreens is an activity with the power to lift your spirits and
fill your heart, and makes people proud of seeing their results in only a
matter of days.
These are powerful things that can make people happy and help them feel
closer to nature and the gifts it has given us all, and to learn how important
it should be to all of us. After you grow your beautiful microgreens, we
encourage you to share your brand-new knowledge and results with the
people you love, making sure to share with them tasty new flavors and the
positivity that grows along with these tiny plants.
Now that we got that out of our chest, we believe we have given you
enough information on what microgreens are, why you should care, and
how can they help you improve your health and life.
 Chapter 2

Detailed Varieties List of Microgreens

S ome of the most popular microgreens are usually produced from seeds
belonging to the following families:
Amaranthaceae Family: amaranth, beet, sugar beet, spinach, quinoa, chard,
goose foot and pig weed
Amaryllidaceae Family: onions, garlic, chives and leeks
Apiaceae Family: celery, cumin, dill, parsley, carrot, parsnip and fennel
Asteraceae Family: Chrysanthemum, chamomile, lettuce, endive, sunflower
and stevia
Brassicaceae Family: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale,
turnip, radish, arugula, radish and watercress
Cucurbitaceae Family: melon, cucumber, pumpkin, squash and gourds
In addition to the microgreens listed above, below is a list of the top ten
microgreens that can help you get started:
Chives Microgreens
They are aesthetically pleasing and flavorful microgreens that are also a
good source of vitamin A and C, potassium, folate, iron, thiamin, riboflavin,
niacin and calcium. These microgreens are especially delicious when used
as a garnish on scrambled eggs, warm bean salads or any other dishes that
go well with onions or garlic.
How to Grow:
First and foremost, visit your local store to purchase chive seeds,
specifically those that are meant for sprouting and micro growing.
Plant 1 – 2 teaspoons of the seeds on a 5 by 5-inch tray and on moist soil.
Cover the tray with another tray or a plate to keep the moisture from
evaporating and to block the sunlight.
Keep the soil moist by frequently watering it as needed. Avoid drenching
the soil in water.
When the seeds have begun to sprout, remove the cover and move them to a
window sill or any other well-lit area.
Harvest the microgreens after 5 – 14 days or when the plant is 1 – 3 inches
tall.
Using a sharp scissors or knife, cut the microgreen just above the soil.
Once harvested, place the microgreens in an aerated container.
Broccoli Microgreens
Broccoli microgreens are some of the easiest and fastest micro plants to
grow. They require very little attention and are usually ready for harvesting
within 6 days of planting! In addition, they are super beautiful, tasty and
bountiful in nutrition, much like the broccoli sprouts.
The health and nutritional benefits of broccoli microgreens are bountiful.
For one, they are rich in sulforaphane, a powerful antioxidant that is
guaranteed to reduce the impact of free radicals in the human body and
therefore protect us from the risk of cancer. They also have twice as much
vitamin C as lemon and spinach, making them an excellent support to the
immune system. Broccoli micros are also very high in vitamin A, a nutrient
that helps to keep our eyes, skin, teeth and bones healthy and strong.
Broccoli microgreens can either be eaten raw, steamed or stir-fried. They
are aesthetically appealing, mainly when used to garnish salads or on top of
sandwich fillings. Drizzling some salad dressing of your choice or low
calorie mayonnaise makes them even more delicious.
How to Grow:
In a tray or container filled with loosened and pre-moistened soil, plant
about 1 -2 teaspoons of the seeds. Plant the seeds by lightly sprinkling them
on top of the soil.
Spread some pre-sifted soil on top of the seeds to give them a little
covering.
Pat the soil gently.
Grab your humidity dome or tray or plate and use it to cover the seeds. If
you are using the humidity dome, make sure the vents are closed to keep the
moisture and heat in.
Keep the covers on for 2 – 3 days or until you begin to see some sprouts.
Once germination occurs, keep the soil moist by watering it gently or
spraying it with some water.
The broccoli microgreens are ready to harvest after one week. This makes
them some of the fastest growing microgreens.
Radish Microgreens
The radish microgreen is a peppery and crunchy tiny plant that tastes more
like the mature radish bulb than the hairy radish greens. Much like broccoli
microgreens, radish microgreens usually grow very fast and are usually
ready for harvesting within 7 days of planting.
These peppery tiny plants usually have a wide range of flavors depending
on the nature of the seedlings used. This makes them perfect for salads, cold
soups, drinks, smoothies, sandwiches and even as a raw garnish. As such,
their unique flavor is guaranteed to provide a kick in any meal.
Furthermore, their green and red coloring is guaranteed to make them a
beautiful addition to any dish.
In addition to their taste, radish microgreens are some of the most nutrient
dense microgreens so much so that they pack more nutrients than the radish
bulbs of the same weight. They are rich in Vitamins A, B, C, E and K, folic
acid, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorous, among
many other minerals.
How to Grow:
Before planting the seeds, soak them in clean water for 5 – 8 hours. This
will make the seeds germinate better.
Next, convert a tray or container with some drainage holes into a seed bed.
This is achieved by pouring some nutrient-rich and moistened soil onto the
tray or container.
Evenly sprinkle the radish seeds over the soil.
Place the container near a bright window or close to some sunlight. This is
important because radishes need plenty of sunlight to produce good crops.
Make sure to check the growth and development of the radishes daily.
When the soil begins to dry, make sure to add some water using a hand
sprayer. You should always avoid pouring too much water into the tray as it
may drench the soil.
Radish microgreens will sprout with one or two days of planting and yield
the crop in less than a week.
When the microgreens are about 2 inches tall, prepare to harvest them. To
harvest your crop, use some sharp scissors or knife to cut the plant just
above the soil.
After harvesting, it is best to consume the microgreens immediately as they
lose their texture and flavor quickly.
Kale Microgreens
Kale microgreens are some of the easiest micros to grow, making them a
perfect starter crop for beginners. In addition, it is tough to mess these crops
up as they perform well both hydroponically and in the soil.
These micros have a mild and sweet flavor, much like the other plants in the
Brassicaceae family. As such, kale microgreens are perfect for use as both
the main ingredient and as a garnish.
Kale microgreens rich in vitamins and minerals such as: Vitamins A, B, C,
E and K, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium and phosphorous.
How to Grow:
First, identify a reputable seed company from whom you will purchase the
seeds.
Next, gather a container where you will grow the microgreens, potting soil,
light and a spray bottle to water the plants.
Fill the container of choice with some soil and use your hands to press it
down. Avoid pressing the soil too much as the roots will have a challenge
digging in.
Using an old spice shaker or your hands spread the seeds on the tray,
making sure to distribute them as evenly as possible.
After planting, lightly spray the seeds with some water.
Cover the container with an extra tray or plate to keep the moisture in and
the sunlight out.
Every day, check on your microgreens to make sure that the seeds are
germinating and to lightly spray them with water.
You should always avoid drenching the seeds in water.
After 3 – 4 days, or when the seeds have germinated, expose the shoots to
the sunlight. This could be achieved by placing them on the windowsill or
using artificial light. About 10 days after planting, the kale microgreens
should be ready for harvesting. Harvesting is done using a really sharp knife
and slicing the plant just above the soil and near the bottom of the stem.
Beet Microgreens
Beet microgreens are slightly more advanced than the kale and radish
microgreens. However, the gorgeous leaves, colorful shoot and crispy
texture is definitely worth all the effort, so much so that in some countries,
beet microgreens are grown commercially for use in salads.
In addition, when it comes to health benefits, nothing beats the beet
microgreens. They contain numerous essential minerals and vitamins that
are important in maintaining healthy and glowing skin, reducing hair loss
and protecting your liver from infections. According to (Kulkarni, 2018),
beet root microgreens are rich in antioxidants that help with the
regeneration of cells and the disintegration of fats.
How to Grow:
To ensure you produce high quality microgreens, you must ensure that you
purchase high quality microgreens. The most common beet root variety is
the Bull’s blood variety which can be grown indoors as microgreens.
It is advisable to soak the beet roots in clean water for 8 – 10 hours before
planting as this will fasten the germination process.
Next, fill a tray or container with high quality potting soil. Using your
hands, press the soil until it is just an inch from the top of the container.
Avoid compacting the soil as this may make it difficult for the roots to
penetrate the soil particles.
Evenly sprinkle the soaked beet root seeds on the soil and pat them down
gently. Then, sprinkle some additional soil on the seeds.
Cover the tray with another tray or container with plenty of holes or vents
to allow for the free circulation of air. This ensures that the soil remains
moist as the seeds germinate.
Generally, the seeds should germinate within 3 – 4 days. Once the shoots
begin to germinate, remove the lid and move the tray to a sunny kitchen
counter or window sill. Alternatively, you can use artificial light that is
designed to stimulate plant growth.
From then on, make sure to check the microgreens on a daily basis. You
should always ensure that the soil is moist and add water where necessary.
Beet microgreens typically take 2 – 3 weeks to grow to a height of about 2
– 5 inches.
To harvest the microgreens, use a sharp knife or sharp scissors to cut them
right above the soil level.
Wash and dry the harvested beet microgreens and use them immediately.
Arugula Microgreens
If you have just started growing microgreens, then the arugula microgreens
are a great place to start. This is because they are fast and easy to grow with
a maturity period of about 10 days. In addition, the seeds can be grown on a
micro-scale on window sills or even in a home garden. Most importantly,
the seeds are relatively cheap compared to other microgreens.
Arugula microgreens are also a popular choice among many chefs and
home cooks too. This is because they have a sharp, zesty and nutty flavor
that is guaranteed to spice up any meal. They are great additions to salads,
sandwiches, pizzas and many other savory dishes.
In addition to their excellent taste, arugula microgreens are also considered
to be the most nutrient dense microgreen in Brassica family. These
vitamins, minerals and Antioxidants help to prevent cancer, maintain good
eye sight, to keep the bones healthy and strong and to boost general
immunity.
 Chapter 3

Step by Step Methods of Growing

O nce you have all of the supplies that you need, it is time to jump in and
look at some of the steps that you can use to help grow these
microgreens and see some good success in the process. Growing
microgreens is a fun and rewarding activity that you can do at home.
Whether you are looking to cut on costs or just want more of these greens in
your diet, you will find that it is a great option to use.
There are actually a few different methods that you can use to help you
grow these microgreens. Most people will choose between a hydroponics
system and soil. The simple steps that we will use to start growing our
microgreens include:
Pick out the microgreens we want to use.
Choose the right medium and tools
Plant out the seeds in an even manner
Add lots of water
Bring them out to get the sun
Cut and eat
Picking Out Your Microgreens
Let’s dive right in. We need to start off this process looking at the best
methods to pick out microgreens. If you are new to this, you may be curious
how to pick the right ones, or even how they taste. A good way to begin
with this is to choose based on which vegetables you usually enjoy. This
means that some options like chickpeas, arugula, kale, sunflower, and
broccoli may be good options to go with.
Those options above are simple to work with and often have lots of the
nutrients that you would like. Once you learn how to grow these, you can
then try something that is a bit more challenging. For example, you may
find that flaxseed and chia are good options. These seeds will form into a
glue-like kind of membrane when you get them wet, which sometimes
make seeding hard to work with.
Then there are a few other microgreens that can be good, but they do take a
bit of time to germinate. This can include options like oregano and lovage.
These will be the microgreens that are like herbs, such as the micro-herb. If
you are concerned about picking something based on how much nutrition is
inside of it. If that is important to you, then you need to go with the
microgreens that have more nutritional values in there.
One option that you may like here are some spicy microgreens. Maybe you
won’t do the whole garden this way, but adding them in can help to make
some changes to your meals, and they often taste awesome as well. Some of
the microgreens that fit into this category and can taste great will include:
- The purple delight basil: This will come with a sweet and spicy flavor, has
some leaves that are purple, and only takes a month to grow.
- Red giant mustard: This one will take a month to grow as well and has red
veins while being spicy as well.
- Lemon basil: This will be unique in that the flavoring is a spicy lemon. It
will grow in a month and has bright green leaves that look great in a salad.
- Ruby streaks mustard: This one is fast to grow and only takes two weeks
to get done. It has a spicy and sweet flavor as well.
If spice is not really your thing, there are a few other options as well. You
could go for something that is more mild and earthy instead. There are a
few options in beet and celery, and some other microgreens, that will work
well with this one. For example, a few of the options that give you this kind
of flavoring in them include:
- Celery microgreens: These will take four weeks to mature and come with
a nice mild flavoring.
- Bull’s blood beet: This is a spinach kind of taste with it and will take a
month to grow.
- Dark purple mizuna: This will taste mildly like mustard and will take two
weeks for you to grow.
- Hong vit radish: This will be a bit like radish if you like that flavoring and
will only take about two weeks to grow.
When you have decided which types you would like to grow, it is easy to
purchase the necessary seeds from your local farmer or a gourmet grocery
store. If you are not near one of these, you can usually find some on
Amazon, and you would be able to grow them well.
Choosing Your Tools and Medium
We talked a bit before about some of the tools, but now it is time to talk
about these a little bit more. You can find some at your local store or on
Amazon. You want to check whether the tray has some holes in it; if yours
does not, then you should punch a few inside. This will help you to work
with draining the extra water and will prevent your seeds from flooding.
Overwatering and soggy soil can cause a few problems, including mold
growing. You want also to make sure that you are working with high-
quality soil with lots of good nutrients. You should find some from your
local home and garden center to make sure that your microgreens have
some good environment, with lots of healthy nutrients, to grow in. Make
sure that you purchase enough of this soil to fill up all of your containers or
trays with.
Another option here is to get a bit of coconut coir to add into the potting
mix. This will help to retain the water and increase airflow. It is optional,
and you can still grow your greens without it, but it is beneficial when you
work with seed propagating. If you use coconut coir, simply fill up all of
your containers with about ¾ potting soil, and then the rest with the coconut
coir.
The light source that you want to use will be important. If you live in a
warmer climate, then you should already have lots of light in your home,
and you can leave the tray with the seeds right next to a sunny window. If
you live in an area that is cooler and you plan to grow the microgreens
inside, then you may need to bring in some artificial lights to help the plants
grow the way that you would like.
You can easily use a shop light with fluorescent bulbs to make this work if
you need to save money. For those with more money to spend on this, you
can also work with some of the full spectrum fluorescent grow lights. These
cost a bit more, but they will help your greens to grow a little bit more as
well.
Planting the Seeds
You can take out the container you would like to use, and then add the soil
inside. Make sure to add the container with about two inches of soil, in a
ratio of three quarters potting soil to the one quarter coconut coir that we
talked about before. You can lightly pat down on the soil to make the
surface flat as possible, but don’t work on compressing this too much.
This will be helpful because there are sometimes extra instructions that you
can work with when it is time to propagate the microgreens. This will tell
you how deep you should plant the seeds and how long it takes these to
mature. If there are some specific tips or instructions for the microgreens
that you want to work with, these will be on the instructions for you to
follow too.
Then it is time to sprinkle the seeds over the top surface of your chosen soil.
You can do about a handful of seeds into your hand and then place the hand,
with the palm up, at a slight angle, to the surface of the soil. A good thing to
aim for here is to spread the seeds out as much as possible.
When you have all of the seeds in place and ready to go, you can then add
in a thin layer of vermiculite or soil. Vermiculite is a mineral that is used to
help with seed propagation.
Now it is time to add in some water. Your seeds will not grow well if you
don’t water them quite a bit. These seeds are just like any other plant and
love water. A mister is a good way to start here so you can get them wet
without drowning the little seeds when you start. You need to mist these
greens at least once a day. If you are unsure about whether they need some
more water, stick your finger into half an inch of the soil. If you feel the soil
is dry there, then you need to water the greens. If this is damp, that is a sign
that the seeds should be happy. If you do this and the soil is marshy or
really wet, then you are watering them too much.
You can consider covering the tray that you use for this to make your own
greenhouse. If you use a propagation tray, you simply need to play another
tray on top of that one. If you use some other type of container, you can
consider a plastic bag with a few holes in it. This helps to make a nice
greenhouse effect while still allowing more air to get in.
During this time, we just need to wait for the seeds to germinate. It will take
your seeds around a week to germinate. A few days after this, you can
remove the cover so the seeds can get some more light. Allow them to grow
for between two to four weeks, depending on the kinds of seeds that you
work with, and then you can harvest them.
 Chapter 4

Tools

Seeds

F irst, you need seeds. You obviously won’t be able to grow anything
without these! So, when you begin the growing process for microgreens,
think of which plants you would like to grow. I recommend trying an
easy one first, for example broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard, chia,
sunflower or buckwheat.
I don’t have experience ordering from a nearby gardening store. I have
found it more convenient to order online. These online companies are
specialized in microgreen seeds, so I just go with them. They are cheaper
when you order in bulk.
Grow Media
Your microgreens don’t need nutrients to grow because all the required
nutrients are coming from the seeds. That’s why it’s a waste of money to
use expensive fertilizer or other mixes that use added fertilizer.
The simplest soil to use is a regular germination mix or a seed starting mix.
This is a good choice for beginners because it is a product that everyone is
familiar with and it is even a product that you may have laying around in
your garden shed or garage. It mainly consists of a mixture of peat moss
and vermiculite/perlite.

Example of a seed starting mix

Basically, you are looking at a growing media that:
● is fluffy
● Retains water
● doesn’t have large particles in it
You could also grow your microgreens in coco coir. You need to break apart
the blocks into finer fluffy material in order to use it.
Coco coir makes a great growing media because it can hold a large amount
of water. The good thing about coco coir is that it’s sustainable while peat
moss is not. Make sure you have a proper drain tray because the water that
is draining trough will be brown.

Coco Coir bricks

A DIY composting mix (soilless mix) is another option. Fellow growers
have reported to me that they are using the following mix:

● 2 parts screened compost

● 2 parts coco coir or peat moss
● 1 part perlite
You can adjust these according to your own experiments and germination
rates.
Once you have made your own mix or have bought commercial seed
germination or potting mix you can test it using the following method:
Lower than 80% germination? Add some moisture-retaining medium like
peat moss, coco coir or vermiculite.
Not draining properly? Too much moisture in the soil, decrease the amount
of moisture-retaining medium.
If you choose to grow your microgreens with hydroponics, you will want to
use bio felt or biostrate for your growing media. This will provide the
perfect atmosphere for your microgreens to grow.

Bio felt, also known as biostrate.

Mainly used in hydroponic setups (no soil)

Another hydroponics setup with Bio felt

Trays or Flats
You will need trays to put your growing media in as well. The best type of
trays to buy for microgreen growing is the 10x20x1 inch trays that have
holes in the bottom. These are a good size for microgreens as the roots do
not have the time to grow very deep. You can put many seeds in a tray of
this size. The holes in the bottom of the tray help with drainage in case you
ever happen to overwater your plants.
This size is the industry standard. If you hear people talking about what
their seed density is, they are referring to the density in a 10x20 flat.

A classic 10x20x1 inch growing flat

Some people prefer 10x20x2 flats which are one inch higher. These flats
help to keep the dirt in and help support the microgreens that are growing
on the sides.
If you are growing microgreens as a hobby you can use the 10x10x1 or
10x10x2. This is half the size of the ‘standard’ flat but still big enough to
get you enough microgreens. You just need to divide the weight of the seeds
by two to get the proper seeding density.
It’s best to order thick trays because the thin ones can break very easily.
Thin ones get flimsy when they are exposed to the sun.
If you can only find trays without holes you can simply drill holes in them
yourself. Stack 5 trays on top of each other and drill a fair number (10+) of
holes for the water to drain out of. Make sure you have some without holes
to act as drip trays or as blackout domes.
If you are running an indoor system, you can use a tray without holes on the
bottom and a growing tray with holes on the top. This is to avoid spilling
any water from overwatering on the floor or on other microgreens below.
This is called a ‘drip tray’.

Drip tray setup

The ‘blocks’ in the diagram can be anything. If you are using the drip tray
method, I recommend using bamboo or rocks as the ‘block’ material.
Growing rack
You don’t necessarily need a rack if you want to grow a few trays, but if
you are running a commercial operation or just want to grow more you, it’s
best to use a rack.
Your local hardware store will sell steel wire racks that are easy to use
while growing microgreens.
Look for a rack that is a little more than one foot in height between each
level.

Steel wire rack from Home Depot

You could also make a DIY rack out of wood or PVC piping.
Seeding/harvesting table
A seeding table would be a great investment to help you with planting and
growing your microgreens.
You can use the same seeding table as a harvesting table too. Make sure you
clean the table between the seeding and harvesting stages.
You don’t need a seeding and harvesting table when you are growing for
your own consumption. It’s just more convenient when you are handling
larger quantities of microgreens.
Lights
You can use natural sunlight in order to grow microgreens, but if you decide
to grow them commercially, you will want to get some artificial lights. The
price for the crop will justify the extra cost that comes with artificial lights.

The most commonly used artificial lights for microgreens are TL tubes and
LEDs. The reason why high-pressure sodium light (HPS) and most others
are not often used is that these lamps produce a lot of heat (high lumens),
which means there needs to be a bigger gap between the crop and the light.
By using TL tubes or LEDs you can place the lights closer to the
microgreens which will make the trays stackable in a rack. This will
increase your yield per square foot which is very useful if you plan on
growing in small spaces.
If you are growing microgreens you need to use a blue spectrum light
instead of red. When growing any kind of plants, blue light is used for
growth while red is used for flowering. The microgreens are harvested
before they can flower so using red lights will be a waste of electricity.
There is one instance where red light might be beneficial to you. The red
spectrum can be used to slow down the growth of your microgreens. This is
useful when your microgreens are ready to harvest but your client needs
them in 3 days. The red light will keep them fresh without letting them
grow past the microgreen stage.
TL Lights
TL lights are the most common source of artificial light used by microgreen
growers. They are a tested and proven method of light for microgreens. If
you use TL light, you need to decide if you are going to use T5, T8, or T12
tubes.

Different TL lights
T5 is the most used light with T8 coming in second. Most of the time, they
are used in a dual configuration and are four feet long. These will be
enough to supply light to 4 trays (10x20x1) of microgreens. You need to
repeat this setup for each level on the rack. Look for 6500K lights which are
labeled as white light.
The only disadvantage of TL lights is when one gets damaged or in the
unlikely event that one explodes. If this happens you will need to throw
away your whole harvest because there will be glass everywhere.

Growing microgreens with TL lights

LED
Some people use LED lights to grow their microgreens, they can be more
expensive if you are buying from a reputable brand. However, with a top of
the line LED light you can adjust the color spectrum. If you want to slow
down growth because there is no customer for that crop, you can change the
light spectrum to red (4000k).
LED lights are very versatile. You can adjust the brightness and color
spectrum.
A good way to spot if your microgreen is getting too much light is if they
produce brown spots on their leaves. When you see this happening it’s a
good idea to add a shade cloth, reduce the light exposure time, place the
lights higher, or move them to a place where they will get less direct light.
Timer
You should have your lights on for about 16 hours a day to promote the
maximum growth of your microgreens. It’s best to connect your lights to a
24-hour timer so you don’t have to worry about turning them on and off
every day. There will be a maximum rating of watts on the timer. Make sure
you don’t go over this rating. Combine all the watts of all your lights and
check if it is under the rated watts stated on the timer.
 Chapter 5

Start Growing

T his part will include the extent of vegetables that can be created as
microgreens. There are significantly more varieties that can be
investigated various roads in regards to, yet these will outfit you with a
phase to loosen up from. Recall that the midpoints given to days to
germination and rely upon growing temperatures running from 65 to 75
degrees F. Use these midpoints as a guide and alter as showed by your
atmosphere. The weight expands that we get to rely upon using standard 20
x 10-inch dull plastic plate.
Do whatever it takes not to be obliged by the yields recorded at this
moment. Various vegetables and herbs make uncommon microgreens. One
reliable rule while picking vegetable varieties is to go without fruiting
vegetables, for instance, squash, tomatoes, etc., and lean towards verdant
harvests, for instance, kale or collards. You will find that a couple of
vegetables are more fit than others. Investigation! Herbs make intriguing
microgreens. You can have a go at everything from chervil to chives. While
herbs will all in all put aside a long exertion to grow and create to evaluate,
they add stimulating flare to the house cultivator's kitchen. Johnny's
Selected Seeds in Maine offers an expansive overview of microgreen
options that can be valuable in pushing your imaginative psyche.
While there are several different methodologies used to create microgreens
(for instance, aeroponics, hydroponics), our experience is with using first-
rate regular planting soil, and our data reflects the usage of that medium, if
you are enthusiastic about using both of various techniques, your heaps and
appearances may change. We are soil darlings and have not contributed to
whatever point or imperativeness getting some answers concerning
hydroponics or aeroponics. Yet, there are a ton of people who have gotten
extraordinary results, and there is abundant information on these
methodologies on the web.
Growing Tips:
1 Amaranth requires consistency. Instability in temperature realizes
moderate or low germination, similarly as a poor improvement after
germination.
2 For the most part, created as a grain in dry atmospheres, amaranth
couldn't care less for consistent soil inundation.
3 You can gather it at the cotyledon sort out or grant it to create and
create real leaves for a substitute surface.
4 Amaranth is a pre-summer yield and favors the glow, keep away from
growing it in the winter months.
5 The towel method works honorably with this little seed.
6 Hold your water under a pH of 7.
Amaranth is lightweight and is generally used only as a sprinkle of
concealing rather than adding to the largeness of a mix.
Washing Tips:
Exactly when assembled young, amaranth can be questionable to wash, it is
so light and little that the leaves may coast through your fingers. We
endorse using a little hand-held strainer to process this yield. If you grant it
to create, a strainer will be pointless.
It might be dull to detach the little beige seed outlines from the red greens.
Use your hand to remove any seed structures from the sides of your
washing vault.
Potential Challenges:
Overwatering and clashing temperatures can incite poor germination and
advancement, similarly as rot. Take extra thought with this reap.
Amaranth despises an organic soil, and a pH above seven will achieve
ruining. Running from splendid red at its cotyledon stage to an increasingly
significant purple while melding its real leaves, amaranth is the route into
our most notable mix. It is amazing at any stage and has a rich, mind-
blowing distinction. Amaranth keeps up its enthusiastic concealing in the
two its stem and cotyledon, making it an intriguing preferred position for
your assortment.
Brief History:
Nearby to the Americas, amaranth was a staple to a segment of the
phenomenal human progressions of Central and South America. Amaranth
was thought of as a "super grain" and was turned in the fields with maize
and beans. Since its underlying improvement, amaranth has seen an
unbelievable reduction in its creation. Despite the way that the clarification
behind the diminishment of this nutritious grain is up to theory, hypotheses
join severely masterminded little seed size or modernization in cultivating.
Aztec legend attributes its rot to an undertaking by the Spanish
conquistadors to murder amaranth, considering its key occupation in
ordinary Aztec retributions. It is felt that it has won so far, generally
because of its greatness. The entire plant features an obvious energetic
maroon concealing not found in various gathers today. While still darken by
a noteworthy piece of the U.S. masses, amaranth has begun growing in
unmistakable quality since the 1980s for its high protein substance and as a
rule clinical focal point.

Harvesting Arugula:
Family Brassicaceae
Genus and species Erica Sativa
Varieties we recommend Standard Arugula,
Astro
Taste Sharp, peppery, spicy
Average days to germinate 2 to 3 days
Average days to harvest (after 5 to 7 days
germination)
Average weight per tray 4 to 6 ounces
Difficulty Easy
Growing Tips:
1 Simple and quick to develop.
2 It can develop in temperatures as low as 40 degrees F. Towel
technique encourages with seeds adhering to leaves.
3 Genuine leaves can be hard to acquire if the pH is more than 7.
Collecting Tips:
1 By and large brisk and simple to reap.
2 The absence of wind current makes this yield helpless to decay. In the
case of spoiling happens, be careful to keep away from these patches when
reaping.
Washing Tips
1 It can be repetitive to wash, particularly whenever secured with soil.
2 Arugula has an adhesive seed, which makes it stick to the base of its
cotyledons. We suggest utilizing the two-arrange washing technique.
3 Utilizing the towel technique likewise helps pull away seed bodies.
Potential Challenges:
1 Arugula's slender stem makes it increasingly able to fall and tangle
when being watered. Water softly and on the off chance that they fall,
tenderly brush them back up.
2 Adhesive seed can make washing tedious.
Our Thoughts:
One of the more typical microgreens, arugula's hot flavor, and lovely heart-
molded leaf make it incredible all alone or as the base of a blend. Arugula's
solid commonplace taste additionally makes it an incredible option to a
bigger plate of mixed greens blends. Its snappy germination and
development make it available for pretty much anybody to develop.
Brief History:
In the same way as other hot, sharp vegetables, arugula was thought to have
aphrodisiac characteristics. Records date early use back to the principal
century. Notwithstanding its peppery leaves, arugula seeds were likewise an
asset for adding their unmistakable flavor to oils. Ordinarily alluded to as
"rocket" or "roquette" in England, it has been adored for its solid flavor and
restorative characteristics. With wellbeing claims going from relieving spots
to going about as a characteristic antiperspirant, arugula positively has more
appeal than only a straightforward serving of mixed greens green. In the
United States, it has gotten progressively well-known to our eyes and taste
buds as it has picked up fame in present-day cooking since the mid-1990s.

Basil:
Family Liliaceae
Genus and species Osmium basilica
Varieties we recommend Dark Opal, Genovese,
Sweet Italian
Taste Potent, aromatic basil
flavor
Average days to germinate 4 to 5 days
Average days to harvest (after 14 to 21 days
germination)
Average weight per tray 2 to 4 ounces
Difficulty Medium to difficult
Growing Tips
1 Requires consistent warm temperatures.
2 Utilizing warm tangle assists with germination when evening
temperatures drop.
Collecting Tips:
1 Basil is a low cultivator. Make certain to slice near the dirt to keep the
full plant flawless.
2 Take as much time as necessary during harvest to abstain from
catching abundant soil with your scissors.
Washing Tips:
1 Abstain from washing except if messy.
2 Basil is a delicate herb. Whenever washed and put away in chilly
temperatures, it will darken.
3 On the off chance that you are utilizing it promptly, a speedy flush
won't influence the leaves.
To expel any soil gathered in the collecting process, lay you reap on cotton
material. Move the greens from the material to another fabric. Additional
earth will, in general, adhere to the fabric rather than your basil. You can
rehash this process a few times, yet make certain to deal with the fragile
basil with care to abstain from wounding the leaves.
Potential Challenges:
1 Basil is an exceptionally sensitive microgreen and wounds effectively,
so it requires additional consideration.
2 Being a late spring crop, it loves a warm climate and won't endure an
extraordinary change in temperature.
3 While putting away, make certain to keep a lot of air in the packs to
shield the basil from wounding and darkening.
Our Thoughts:
Small scale basil is exquisite. Green assortments offer mark basil enhance
in small scale structure. It is a lovely highlight of numerous dishes and can
even be joined into pastries. Purple basil can be utilized all alone or blended
in with green to wow your eyes and your taste buds. When you have
defeated a portion of the difficulties of growing miniaturized scale basil,
you will find that it makes conventional dishes phenomenal and never
baffles in enhance.
Brief History:
Basil, in some structure, new or dried, can be found in many kitchens today.
It is a genuinely flexible herb that has discovered its way into plans from
Italian to Thai cooking. A relative of mint, it is thought to have begun in
Africa and Asia more than 5,000 years prior, in the end advancing toward
the United States by the mid-seventeenth century. Basil's solid flavor has
made it the focal point of various tales and fables. For reasons unknown,
there is by all accounts a weird association among basil and scorpions.
Therapeutically, it was felt that basil could treat a scorpion sting. It was an
additionally normal idea that on the off chance that you left a basil leaf
under a pot, it may transform into a scorpion itself or that basically eating
basil may make scorpions develop in your mind! In Italy, it is thought of as
an image of affection, while in Mexico, it is said that basil will guarantee a
sweetheart's eye doesn't meander. Both the leaf and the seed have been
utilized therapeutically. It has been believed to be a remedy for some
illnesses, from intestinal issues to moles. Indeed, even today, inquire about
has been done on basil's calming and antibacterial impacts. It likewise
contains uncommon parts considered flavonoids that offer assurance at a
cell level. Basil has demonstrated to be an advantage for both your kitchen
organizer and medication cupboard.
 Chapter 6

When to Cover or Not

M ost microgreen growers agree that newly planted seeds should be

covered. This is either done by placing another tray of microgreens
over top of it or using some type of cover to help darken the freshly
planted seeds.
This is what is known as the blackout period. This period is any length of
time where the trays of microgreens are covered in some way to make sure
that no light reaches them. This period helps to mimic what it is like for
seeds when soil is placed over top of them, just like you would do if you
planted them outside. You may be wondering why I don’t just cover my
seeds with soil. There are several reasons for this.
Seeds get sown so tightly that any emerging leaves would “throw” the soil
everywhere once they sprout, which reduces the soil support for your
plants.
All of the soil around the young plants will increase the odds of fungal
growth and disease.
Soil could end up staying on the tightly growing plants, which would cause
a dirty crop.
Once germinated, the cover soil would end up being loose, which would
end up making harvesting dirty and messy.
This is why we can’t cover the seeds in a traditional sense, so we need the
blackout. But the blackout equipment and method that is used for newly
planted microgreens have other purposes as well.
How to Create a Blackout Period
Most planting trays come with a lid. While these may be clear, which we
can deal with, they are a great option for keeping the seeds in contact with
their planting medium. You may also want to use a spare planting tray if it
fits into the top of the tray. You can also use sheet plastic cut down to size
to place on top of the tray.
Since most tray lids are clear, this will allow light to reach the plant, so you
have to do something to fix that. You want to make sure that every part of
the top is covered so that light is unable to reach your plants. You can also
use another planting tray to cover your plants. The main thing is to make
sure that whatever you use greatly reduces the light that reaches the seeds.
It’s Not Just About Keeping Lights Out
The truth is the blackout period is more than simply keeping light away
from the seeds. A lot of people, when they grow more than one microgreen
tray, will stack them on top of one another and then add a weight of some
type to the top. This weight can be anything that you have lying around the
house. It could be a 2.5 or 5-pound weight, a large rock, or a couple of big
books.
Most microgreen seeds like to have this weight on top of them for several
reasons besides the fact that it holds the blackout material onto the trays; the
weight also keeps the seeds in contact with the wet planting medium. The
weight will also make the seedlings anchor their self to the soil. This helps
to create a stronger and better-rooted plant.
Don’t worry about the plants. They are strong and are able to handle the
weight. If you don’t believe me, think about all of the weeds you have seen
growing up through asphalt. Just five pounds of weight is nothing for the
hundreds of plants that you have growing in your tray. In fact, if you leave
it on there long enough, the plants are going to start moving the weight of
the tray.
How Long Is The Blackout?
There isn’t a simple answer to this question. The blackout period for
microgreens should last as long as it is needed for the seeds to germinate,
get a deep root started, and to grow to the point where they are ready for
photosynthesis. There are different things that will affect this period, such
as:
Moisture level
Air and soil temperature
Variety of microgreen
In general, it is a good idea to check the seeds after 48-hours to see how
they are germinating and to figure out what growth stage they are in. There
are some varieties, like kohlrabi, broccoli, mustards, turnips, and radishes
where 48-hours are long enough. Then there are other types, like borage,
celery, and cilantro that need a four to six-day blackout period.
Is A Blackout Necessary?
I understand not wanting to do something just because everybody does, so I
have a little research to present to you to show you that the blackout period
is necessary. Some microgreen growers decided to test the blackout period
by growing some radish microgreens. They created four growing trays with
the radish. The four trays were treated as such:
Covered and weighted
These seeds, once planted, the tray is covered using an upside-down lid and
a weight added so that the tray is in contact with the seeds, and then they
place a tea towel over top of the tray.
Covered but with no weight
These seeds, once planted, are covered with a tray, right-side-up and then
covered with a tea towel.
Covered with a low, transparent cover so that the seeds are exposed to light
This tray is prepared like the tray before but is not covered with a tea towel.
Covered with a high transparent cover and exposed to light
This tray is prepared like the rest but is covered by a high dome transparent
cover in order to expose the seeds to more light.
After planted, all of the trays are left unbothered for 48 hours. This is how
freshly planted microgreens are typically treated. Then, on day two, they
check to make sure that there is enough moisture. For tray one, the seeds
are germinating very well, as to be expected. On tray two, the germination
is okay, but not as good as the first tray. On tray three, the germination is
okay, but the growth is a bit uneven across the tray. Some of them were
growing upwards and some, sideways. On tray four, there is very little
germination and growth.
The next day, it become apart that the cover and weighted plants are doing
better. On tray one, the microgreens have the best germination. On tray two,
they have germinated decently, but they have not anchored their roots very
well and most are grown in the topsoil. On tray three, while they are
greener because they have been exposed to light, they aren’t strongly
rooted. On tray four, the seeds are very far behind the others.
After this day, they are all exposed to light for 14 hours each day and the
trays are bottom watered.
The next day it is evident is the full blackout period with weight is the best
choice because those microgreens grew best. Tray four did not grew well at
all because of the large air space didn’t hold in the moisture that the seeds
needed. Trays two and three grew and germinated about the same, but
because the roots did not anchor well, most of the plants did not get the
moisture that they need and died.
That shows, yes, you need to have the blackout period where they are fully
covered and weighted in order to grow the best microgreens. Don’t forget to
weight them. Making sure they aren’t exposed to light is good, but it’s not
good enough. The weight helps them retain moisture so that the seeds
germinate and it helps the roots to anchor into their growing media. This is
true across all types of microgreens. You will get better microgreens.
 Chapter 7

Getting Their Nutrients

W hether you’re practicing hydroponic gardening or the normal natural

soil gardening, knowing the pH of your growing environment is
paramount to the success of your plants. Below the 5 pH level,
vegetation is acidic and at the same time any reading above 5 is alkaline.
Therefore, gardening requires you to recognize the basics of pH and the
way to maintain them. Microgreens are the powerful baby version of
vegetables or flora you may already know and like.
They are scrumptious and commonly have from 4-6 times the concentration
of vitamins you typically get in the bigger/adult size plant. This means you
get more nutrients in a smaller package deal, like beta carotene, vitamin B,
vitamin C or even amino acids.
However, they're generally milder, when you consider that they're now not
completely grown. Therefore, you need a proper understanding of watering
microgreens, types of water and pH tiers due to the fact it can make a huge
difference in their survival and increase the cost.
Yes! You might be thinking watering is easy; add water day by day and take
a look at the soil, if it’s properly soaked, and that’s it!
Water Quality Guidelines
However, it’s advised that you conduct an easy check to be sure if the faucet
or tap water is as desirable as it looks.
Here is a step to easily take a look:
• Grow a batch of microgreens in a box together with your tap or
faucet water
• Grow another batch in a box but this time with water from some
other source, maybe distilled water or bottled water.
• Observe the 2 plants;
• If the first batch you plant with tap or faucet water has their leaves
curled or faint yellow, then there’s more chlorine in the municipal water.
As a home gardener, you may already have compared the outcomes of
numerous soils, or of varying temperatures, or several cultivars of the same
species of seeds, however it is unlikely you’ve tried different types of water.
Importance of pH Level
Microgreens need to absorb the right quantities of various nutrients from
the mineral water solutions for correct growth. In particular, inexperienced
plants call for pH ranges between 5.5 and 6.5 (a barely acidic variety),
though few exceptions are cabbage (6.5-7.5), onion (6.5-7.0) and pineapple
(5.0-5.5).
Best pH for Watering Microgreens
Basic Understanding of the pH values
0: intense acidity
1.8 - 2.4: lemon juice
2.4 - 3.4: vinegar
3 – 4: orange juice
0.5 - 0.9: vehicle battery acid
5.5 – 7: water exceptional for most greens
6 - 6.5: water nice for microgreens
Impartial 7: distilled water
7.36 - 7.45: a human’s blood
7.1 - 8: many cities faucet glasses of water
8: unpolluted seawater
8.2 - 8.4: baking soda
9 – 10: soap
12.5: chlorine bleach
14: extreme alkalinity
Testing your water is straightforward; you don’t need a doctor to identify
pH. You just need a pH tester strip; it will show you the pH of your water.
Here are some of the best pH testers:
DIGITAL PH METER
HIGH ACCURACY: Tester has a flexible electrode sensor for reliable pH
levels to be read. The comprehensive manual contained will show you how
to obtain the best accuracy and reliability
AUTO CALIBRATION: This pH meter has an automatic temperature
correction feature that almost automatically responds to water temperatures
and water quality to give pH readings.
YOYOMAX SOIL TEST KIT
Cut the guesswork out altogether and make your plants an awful lot happier.
You will know what your plant needs when and why; your plants will be
growing healthier.
3 in 1 design (pH/Moisture/Light Tester) offers you a comprehensive idea
of the soil circumstance of your lawn. With a brief test, you could tell if you
need to regulate the plant food/water and if your plants get enough daylight.
No batteries needed, ready to use out of the box. Plug and use, making
gardening less complicated than ever.
Compact and transportable for indoor/outdoor use, a necessity for
everybody who gardens or has houseplants.
How To Optimize pH Levels Of Water
DE-CHLORINATE
Virtually all water treated vegetation requires chlorine as a disinfectant to
kill bacteria and make water more portable and more secure to drink.
Unfortunately, chlorine is the reason for the defects in the taste and color of
your plant.
Carbon is one of the least complicated tools to take away chlorine from
water to feed your microgreens.
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER
Cold water is not as appropriate for use on microgreens, compared to warm
water.
HARDNESS OF THE WATER
Identifying hard water is pretty easy while gardening at home. It is a whole
lot harder to get lather with soap, and additionally, lime scale will appear
upon the inside of your home equipment. An ideal example is the white
coating from time to time on the inside of your kettle; that’s a signal of hard
water.
While it isn't always proper for your home equipment, it's far more useful
for your plants.
How to Maintain the Level
Paper check kits and liquid pH test kits also are to be had for this reason;
however, a virtual pH meter can produce rapid and more accurate results.
Once you acquire the pH value, the subsequent step should be to pick the
best pH buffer that needs to be delivered to achieve the right result. Two
varieties of buffers can be located:
• pH Down: Used whilst pH level is above 6.5 (for the plants preferring the
pH range 5.5-6.5). The buffer will reduce the pH level
• pH Up: Used whilst pH level is under 5.5 (for the plants demanding the
pH range 5.5-6.5). The buffer will boost the pH level.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUFFER:
When deciding on a pH buffer, you must keep in mind a few critical things,
including:
• By following these steps, you can add to the yield of your garden.
 Chapter 8

Combating Fungus and Pests

I twell,
tends to be exceptionally dispiriting when your microgreens are growing
and then out of nowhere they develop mold on them. Your first idea
will be to dispose of the whole harvest. You don't need to be that intense!
Instead, investigate and find what shape on microgreens resembles, how it
is structured, and how to forestall and cure it. With a little assistance, you
can beat the mold and continue to make the most of your microgreens, all in
the blink of an eye!
What does mold look like on microgreens?
The principal thing to comprehend is that there is a contrast between mold
and root hairs. Each plant has little hairs that structure some portion of the
root. They stick out from the most reduced piece of the plant and help to
expand the surface region, permitting your microgreens to assimilate all the
water they need.
Unmistakable mold on microgreens
Initially, these little hairs can look like mold. However, some key contrasts
will reveal to you if it is your microgreen’s roots or if it is mold:
Mold seems as if it is an excellent bug catching network and root hairs are
fuzzier.
Mold is foul if you touch it; however, the root pretense is not.
Root hairs just exist on the root; mold will grow anyplace on the plant.
Water your microgreens to check whether the root hairs lie level. In
actuality, they will vanish. The mold doesn't do this!
Root hairs
How does the mold form? The formation of mold on microgreens is
equivalent to mold in other conditions. It needs microscopic organisms,
dampness, and moderate moving air. If you change the conditions that your
microgreens are living in, then you can deny the formation of everything.
Will Mold Affect The Microgreens?
If there is mold on your microgreens, they will most likely keep on
growing; however, they won't be safe to eat. You'll have to wash the
microgreens and afterward cook them at a high temperature to guarantee the
mold is gone. Unfortunately, cooking will also destroy the integrity in your
plants, making you wonder why you grow them at all. The mold spores can
also remain in the growing medium and influence the following cluster of
plants!
Step by step instructions to prevent mold on microgreens
There are things you can do to help keep the mold from forming.
Ventilation
The mold doesn't care for moving air because it doesn't allow it to breed
and duplicate. Ventilation stops the mold from growing any farther than it
already has.
Modest fan
It is fundamental to your microgreens to guarantee ventilation at each
progression in the growing procedure. At the point when you're growing
your microgreens, they are commonly secured and at a greater danger of
mold because of negligible wind current. To forestall mold on microgreens,
inherently include a few ventilation spaces to the side of your cover and
afterward place a fan by the plate. This can be turned on for 15-30 minutes
to revive the air around the plants and keeping the mold under control.
Light and temperature
In any case, artificial lights are not generally the best alternative for your
microgreens. You'll most likely place them in roundabout daylight, giving
them enough light without exorbitantly drying them out. If sunlight isn't an
alternative, at that point, use a grow light, or a standard bright light. It will
assist your plants with growing while at the same time fending the mold
off.
Clean pads with hydrogen peroxide or vinegar
Before you beginning growing or in any event, developing your
microgreens, it is critical to clean all of your equipment. You can clean the
plate with a 1500 ml spray bottle; it will require 50 ml of hydrogen
peroxide, 50 ml of white vinegar, and the rest can be tap water. Wash your
plate and other equipment with this mixture before disinfecting the growing
medium and sterilizing the seed. It ought to be noted that you can sterilize
seeds that have been soaked before growing. Place them in a bowl of water
with a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. Leave them to soak for a few hours
and afterwards continue as normal with planting. This will effectively kill
any disease that is present in the seeds and help to guarantee that you don't
experience mold on your microgreens.
Humidity control
Mold prefers dampness. It is essential to its growth. Shockingly, your plants
likewise need water to endure, so having moisture in the growing medium
is fundamental.
Dehumidifier
You can expel dampness when needed without influencing your
microgreens. To do this, you need to put money into the purchase of a
decent dehumidifier. Running it a couple of times each day will dispose of
the dampness and making it difficult for the mold to endure and prosper.
Abstain from crowding seeds
It is additionally important to realize that crowded seeds will create
dampness and less air circulation. This is because the growing microgreens
block air development. However, that will support the growth of mold.
Attempt to spread your seeds far apart so that there is a little room for each
one to grow; your plants will grow better for it.
The Most Effective Method to Cure Mold on Microgreens
Taking the necessary precautions should assist with halting the growth of
mold on your microgreens. However, if these strategies haven't been
effective, you can still settle the issue by focusing on the growing plants.
There are things you can do:
Hydrogen peroxide with water
Grab your watering can and mix water, white vinegar, and hydrogen
peroxide. Pour this over your plants; it will kill any mold growing on them.
Be mindful that your mixture isn’t overtly strong. If it is, you will harm the
leave of your microgreens.
Top Tip: Don't attempt to rub the stems of the plants; they are excessively
sensitive, and you'll harm the root hairs, making it likely that they'll die.
Daylight
Daylight is useful for plants and something that mold doesn't care for. If
you are encountering some sunny days, place you plants in direct daylight;
it will assist with drying out the mold. It can likewise dry out your
microgreens. You'll have to put a water plate under the growing medium
plate. Keep this watered and observe your microgreens; they ought to get
the water they need from the water plate without giving the mold extra
moisture. This will likewise improve the drainage of the soil, diminishing
the danger of mold on your microgreens, and keeping you from having to
managing the issue!
Ideas that work includes throwing away the mildew covered plant or some
portion of the plant. This can keep the mold from spreading. The mold can
be hard to find when it first starts to grow, and you may end up throwing
away plants without winning the war on a mold. Always be on the alert.
The Most Effective Method to Control Fungus Gnats and Damping Off
Organically
Pre-spring and late-winter are when most plant specialists start growing
their seedlings inside and beginning the cultivating season. Growing your
nursery plants from seed is very fulfilling and can permit you to appreciate
novel or treasured species that are not normally found in gardens.
Notwithstanding, fungus gnats, and the disease called damping off, can
hinder even the most prepared plant specialists and genuinely influence the
outcomes of growing seedlings. Yet, before you burn through cash on costly
synthetic concoctions, disposing of fungus gnats is easier and less
expensive than you would anticipate.
Fungus gnats (Sciaridae spp.) are the most widely recognized house plant
pest and are distinguished from fruit flies (Drosophila spp.) due to their
darker color. While fruit flies hang out fundamentally close to produce,
spoiled food and, dirty refrigerators, you'll discover that fungus gnats live in
wet plant soil, in sewer regions, and house plumbing pipes. They're
additionally attracted by CO2 (carbon dioxide), which is the reason they fly
up directly in your face.
Fungus gnat adults’ spindly looking flies with long legs and long, slender
antennas, they are around 1/8-inch long. They look like small mosquitoes
more than they do normal flies. These small, dark bugs appear to be
harmless enough as they bounce all over your plants.
In any case, while the adults seldom cause any issues, the youthful
hatchlings will benefit from the fine root hairs of your plants. This causes
your plants to lose power and create yellow leaves.
Fungus gnats search out damp soil in which to lay their eggs. The eggs are
around 1/100 inch long and are arranged in bunches. Hatchlings are
translucent dark to white larva, about 1/4 inches long, with sparkly pimples.
These creepy crawlies can invade a yield from wet, green growth, to
shrouded regions in your nursery, and from debased gardening soil or by
flying short ways from plant to plant.
The most straightforward approach to forestall fungus gnats is to water your
plants appropriately. Overwatering, which causes your plants to stay soggy
for broadened timeframes, draws in fungus gnats that search out a
consistent stockpile of growths, green growth, and rotting plant matter for
their hatchlings to eat?
Damping-Off
Not exclusively will controlling your watering help forestall fungus gnats, it
will prevent the second most regular issue for indoor planters: damping-off.
There is nothing more disastrous than saying good night to a plate
brimming with healthy, little seedlings and awakening to discover them all
are wrecked and laying dead on the soil, as though felled by small loggers
in the night.
This condition is brought about by a few parasites, for example,
Phytophthora and Pythium. These organisms are frequently conveyed by
fungus gnats, and live at the soil line, where air meets the sticky soil
surface. At the point when your gardening soil is kept ceaselessly wet by
overwatering, and your seedling roots are debilitated by fungus gnat
hatchlings, the damping-off growths can undoubtedly taint your seedlings.
The visible indication is a contracted stem, exactly at or beneath the soil
surface. When seedlings are infected, they will, in general, fall over dead,
and must be replanted. There is no remedy for damping-off; it must be
forestalled.
Preparing blends containing fertilizer or peat greenery appear to be
primarily influenced by fungus gnats and damping off. If the issue is a
reoccurring one for you, consider changing from a peat-based blend to one
that just contains perlite or vermiculite. Since fungus gnats have a speedy
life cycle, it is imperative to lessen their numbers by utilizing a combination
of techniques that control them both as grown-ups and as hatchlings.
Regardless of whether you pick physical controls or additionally natural
controls, there is an assortment of moderate, safe decisions for freeing your
indoor nursery of bothersome fungus gnats and their plant-executing
hatchlings.
Physical Controls
Sand – Controls hatchlings
Adults lay their eggs in the best 1/4 inch of damp soil. If you dress the
highest point of your soil with a 1/4–1/2 inch of sand, it will deplete rapidly
and regularly confound the adults into thinking the soil is dry. You can
utilize beautiful decorator sand and mess around with this!
Vinegar – Controls adults
A decent trap for both fungus gnats, and particularly fruit flies, is to put out
baby food containers filled most of the way with apple juice vinegar; or a
modest mixture with several drops of dish cleanser added to break the
surface strain. When you've filled the containers, screw on the covers, and
stick a few openings into them huge enough for fungus gnats to enter. Place
these containers in zones where you are having issues with either fungus
gnats or fruit flies, and they will jump into the vinegar and suffocate.
 Chapter 9

How to Harvest

M icrogreens can be easy to grow for anyone, both new and experienced.
The procedure for harvesting and putting them away can be sensitive
and complex, depending upon the age of the microgreen. How do you
reap and store microgreens? To gather standard microgreens (10-14 days
old); cut them over the soil line (or over the roots for hydroponic growers).
When putting away, first wash them and keep them in a breathable plastic
compartment in the fridge until prepared for use.
Planters first need to understand the various phases of microgreen growth;
the opportune time to collect will rely upon what is required out of the said
microgreens. Even though these multiple stages of microgreens are
comparable as they all beginning as seeds, each step offers cultivators a one
of a kind microgreen experience, as they have various looks and tastes
when gathered.
Harvesting Microgreens
When and how microgreens are gathered will rely upon which phase of
growth they are collected.
Sprouts
Sprouts can be reaped within a day or two of germination. The entirety of a
shoot can be expended, from its underlying foundations to its initial
growing leaves, so with regards to harvesting, not much is expected to
remove them from their holder. A key stage after sprout expulsion is to de-
frame them. In de-hulling, planters dismiss the seed frames from the sprout;
this is particularly significant for Brassica sprouts, for example, cabbage,
broccoli, radish, mustard and so on. Since the structures are massive and
can hold a great deal of water, playing out this progression will permit the
sprouts to have a longer life.
To de-structure sprouts after gather, follow the beneath steps:
Place the sprouts in a large bowl loaded up with cold water.
Drain the sprouts, making a point to remove excess water. (Note: A salad
spinner is a useful device to use for this step.)
Microgreens
After a good growth time of 10 to 14 days, the microgreens will be prepared
to reap. A visual sign that they are prepared is the point at which the
genuine primary leaves rise (the second arrangement of leaves that show
up), or when they are about 1.5 to 2.5 inches tall. Nursery workers typically
reap both the stems and leaves of microgreens for use in an assortment of
dishes, yet do not the roots. Since they grow below soil, they are not edible
like their above-soil partners.
When harvesting, remember these tips:
The best time to collect microgreens is in the evening time or early
morning.
Compost the soil or potentially discard the cushion. Most microgreens are
unequipped for regrowth once they have been cut over the roots, so it is
recommended to compost the blend for future nursery ventures.
Baby Greens
Baby greens are generally prepared to gather between 21-40 days after
germination, or when they are around four to six inches tall. The harvesting
procedure is marginally different to how one would gather sprouts or
customary microgreens; in that there are two different ways one can reap:
Multiple Harvest – In the wake of harvesting, the plants will, in the long
run, grow new leaves from their base, which can be gathered a second time
after around three months. Some baby green species will grow again for a
third gather in the right conditions. After the growing season has finished,
use the rest of the plant and soil for manure.
As a rule, the plant will not be able to grow again for extra reap periods. It
is recommended that you use the rest of the stems and soil for fertilizer.
After collection, make sure to remove any soil or coarseness from the plants
by flushing them under fresh running water.
Microgreen Growth Stage, Ideal for Harvesting
The sprout, microgreen and green baby stages are, for the most part,
reasonable times to gather the microgreens. When plant specialists choose
to collect will rely upon what they need from the microgreens.
Sprouts are wealthy in essential supplements and compounds and are high
in protein. They are likewise a lot simpler to process compared with the
later microgreen structures. Hence, a few cultivators may want to gather
these microgreens at a young age.
Microgreens have been found to have very high nutrition levels, more so
than their full-grown family members. This is a direct result of when
nursery workers decide to gather their microgreens.
Baby greens are increasingly nutritious as a microgreen in contrast with
their developed partners. They are very delicate and offer an alternate flavor
and texture that some food epicureans incline toward over the developed
counterparts.
Cutting and Cleaning
We lean towards cutting little and often, cutting only the essential leaves.
Work cautiously, being careful not to press or squash the plants as you go,
using exceptionally sharp scissors or blades stops tearing and breaking.
When you've cut the plants, start cleaning by laying a soggy paper towel on
a plate and setting it close to the flushing zone. Give each plant a quick
dunk in cold water. At that point, place them, individually, on the towel.
Plants ought to be spread out and not touching each other. It's essential to
work quickly; you don't want collected greens to remain at room
temperature long.
Step By Step Instructions to Store Microgreens
Sprouts
They keep longer if they are dry and can still breathe. Some other types of
the holder, for example, a Ziploc bag, won't keep sprout crisp; so they might
becoming soggy and unusable. To broaden the life of sprouts, wash them at
regular intervals before stowing them back away; this will shield them from
drying out rapidly. If any of the sprouts are starting to shape, they ought to
promptly be disposed of.
Microgreens
It tends to be hard to store microgreens because they don't hold up very
after a time, particularly in refrigerated conditions so they should be washed
and used straight away where possible. There is a way for plant specialists
to keep up the freshness of microgreens for a couple of days though.
Refrigeration
Microgreens should be washed and afterward put away in a plastic holder in
the cooler. Through this technique, they can last as long as six days, for
better stockpiling outcomes, keep the microgreens in a holder with air
openings. Or daintily wrap any unwashed microgreens in a wet paper towel
to store in a pack. They ought to be set in the crisper cabinet of the fridge in
order to keep them for five to seven days.
Baby Greens
The perfect method to store baby greens for dependable freshness is to store
them in the cooler:
Blanch the greens in small amounts, about four cups of pressed greens per
gallon of bubbling water. The whitening time begins when the water comes
back to a boil; the standard suggested time for whitening is around two
minutes, even though it will vary depending upon the baby green
assortment. (Note: If the baby greens are not appropriately whitened, they
could lose their flavor rapidly while stored away.)
After whitening, cool the greens in a bowl of ice water for a similar
measure of time as the whitening.
Drain the greens altogether until generally dry and pack in cooler safe
holders.
Cover the compartment with ice water. There ought to be about half an inch
of space between the holder top and the water surface.
Make sure to make note of the date when the greens were put away to
monitor their lapse date. An elective method to store baby greens is inside
the fridge in a breathable container if they will be eaten within seven days.
But you’ll receive the most significant nutritional rewards from them when
used right away.
Use
A salad made out of these little plants is a magnificent first course at a
tasting supper, and they can include beautiful coloring and delicate flavors
to the top of a line of creative dishes. Microgreens additionally offer a
simple way to add to essential dishes like egg or potato salad. Use your
creativity and enjoy it.
Microgreens: A Good and a Profitable Business
You are presumably asking yourself if microgreens are a decent and
profitable business. The basic answer is yes! Regardless of whether you are
a handyman, an educator, a rock star, an engineer, a market analyst, a
specialist, an Instagram influencer, or basically from any other background,
microgreens are something that you’ll be able to get your teeth into,
literally! Microgreens are a yield that everybody can grow, even children
can get involved.
In the mid-'80s, microgreens started appearing on culinary specialist's plates
in San Francisco, then it spread into Southern California during the '90s,
and from there, all through the United States. Nowadays, you can see them
all around the globe as they’re one of the biggest growth specialties on
restaurants menus today. You can find them in health food stores, staple
goods and large grocery store chains, and even on farmer’s markets.
They can easily be added to any dish, using a few simultaneously to create
great flavors and put the finishing touch on your food. You are the creator
of your diet and we generally tend to eat with our eyes first. Microgreens to
add a splash of color to a plate to make it much more attractive, meaning
restaurant chains tend to use them most commonly as a garnish. To have the
most 'eye-catching' plate in front you, remember to include your
microgreens. The look of microgreens is also encouraging to children, so
may help you to convince them to eat their greens if this is usually a chore
and will save you lots of time and effort in trying to force them in the
future.
You can grow them throughout the entire year inside as long as you have
enough space that gets regular light. Growing microgreens is also an ideal
start up business idea that can be managed from home; if that’s something
you’re interested in. Read on and I’ll explain the benefits for you and get
you started.
 Chapter 10

Ways to Use Microgreens

Y ou learned how to harvest microgreens properly. However, you are

doing all of it for the purpose of eating well and enriching your diet.
For this, it is important to know how to properly take care of your
plants after you've harvested them and how to use them in your diet
properly. While microgreens are nutrient dense, they are very sensitive to
environmental conditions that can easily deplete them of their precious
nutrients.
First things first, we will briefly discuss storing microgreens after
harvesting to preserve their freshness, flavor, and nutrients. Chances are that
you won't eat the entire batch of your produce after they've matured. This is
why you should only harvest and store the amounts you plan on using right
away. It is usual for people to harvest the entire tray and then refrigerate the
remainder of the plants.
However, this is not the best way to preserve nutrients, since these crops are
highly perishable and will lose nutrients fast after they've been harvested.
To preserve the maximum nutrients, it is important to either eat them fresh
right away or store them properly. Before harvesting microgreens, it is
important to have a precise, sharp tool. Preferably, you will use ceramic
scissors or a ceramic knife. Ceramic is a nontoxic substance that is very
light and gentle and won't chemically react with the nutrients in the greens.
The same can be said for metals. For example, if you use an old, rusty
knife, it can contaminate your herb and reduce its nutritional value.
Additionally, iron can transfer ions into the plant, which can accelerate the
process of oxidation. After this, the plants might brown and lose their flavor
and nourishing properties. It is also important to sterilize your growing
trays after harvest to remove any biofilm or other contaminants that can
appear during the growing phase. Then rinse thoroughly and dry prior to
your next use.
Another important thing to consider is to moisturize and allow air to flow
through the plants. This means that you shouldn't store microgreens in
sealed bags. This will completely deplete them of air, and they will spoil
and degrade quicker in these conditions. Instead, provide them with
sufficient moisture and air flow. While you prepare your supplies for
storing, you should lay out the produce onto a piece of paper towel or keep
them in a container closet. One you store the microgreens, they should be
sheltered from exposure to light, which can further deplete them of
nutrients. If you won't be eating your crops fresh, you should keep them in
shade and protected from direct light. When properly refrigerated,
microgreens will keep their freshness for about a week. However, it is
important to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator to 40 Fahrenheit,
or roughly four degrees Celsius. You should never put microgreens in a
freezer. In fact, some studies found that microgreens that are refrigerated at
around 40 degrees Fahrenheit can last up to 21 days, while a warmer
temperature reduces this time to up to 14 days.
However, this greatly depends on the variety, meaning that some will last
longer than others. Keep in mind that the daily use of a refrigerator and
opening it will briefly change the temperature. To check if your plants are
doing well, keep an eye on how stored plants look. If they start to fade,
become brown, or start to smell strangely, throw them out. This might be a
sign that they’ve either started to rot or have grown moldy.
However, many users consider that microgreens can be well-preserved
using plastic containers as well. While there are a variety of methods you
can use to store microgreens, like plastic bags, plastic containers tend to
prolong their shelf life. Clamshell types seem to produce the best results.
Usually, microgreens will stay fresh up to one week in clamshells. But, it is
possible for this time to expand to two or more weeks depending on
temperature, moisture, and each individual variety. While bags are also
useful for preservation, they come with a risk of developing mold, since it's
a lot easier for moisture to condensate around the plants and create the
environment for microbes to grow. On the other hand, clamshells will
shelter your microgreens from being squashed and provide them with
enough space and air. If you close the clamshells properly and keep the
containers sealed, you will greatly extend the lifespan and freshness of your
plants. On the other hand, glass containers have proven ineffective in
preserving the gentle baby plants.
For this, it is important for the containers to be sterilized. However, they
will still increase condensation, which can affect the quality of your micro
plants. The possibility of condensation also means a fertile ground for mold
and bacteria. In addition, glass containers tend to deplete the plants of taste
and smell while preserving freshness. While these containers can preserve
freshness up to two weeks, it is possible for their quality to start to decline.
Another important thing to consider is to find the right place in your
refrigerator when storing. Not all areas of the fridge have the same
temperature. For example, if you put them on the top near the freezer, the
low temperature can even freeze the plants. It is important to keep them
away from the cooling vent, which is the place where the temperature will
most often fluctuate. Preferably, store them on the lower shelves of your
refrigerator. You should also pay attention to the humidity of your
refrigerator. Pay attention to whether there is condensation and moisture
surrounding your plants, because this can degrade their quality.
On the other hand, the surroundings shouldn't be overly dry either. Last but
not least, you should be mindful of different varieties. The quality of seeds
and conditions they were grown in and the way they were harvested all
affect how long your microgreens will last, how fresh they will stay, and
how rich they are in nutrients.
If stored properly, your microgreens will last between two or three weeks.
However, since this highly depends on each individual crop, the best way to
determine how long you can refrigerate each individual species is to study
the crop itself.
How to Incorporate Microgreens into Your Daily Diet
When it comes to implementing microgreens properly into your diet, you
should consider that finding the right ways to consume them affects the
nutritional benefits that you will receive. The simple fact that these plants
are nutrient dense doesn't guarantee good results unless you consume them
properly.
While all studies confirm that microgreens are essentially nutrient bombs
and calling them super foods is quite justified, benefiting from their high
antioxidant content will require making them a part of your daily diet
diligently and consistently. Doing so will boost your immunity and reduce
risks from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
However, if you don't stay regular when it comes to consuming
microgreens, it is possible that you will miss seeing any particular results.
Daily use is extremely important considering how easy and cheap it is to
grow these plants at home. Here are a couple of ways to introduce
microgreens into your daily diet.
Salads
The first recommendation is to eat microgreens fresh in salads. Microgreens
are healthiest when they are eaten raw. The less you process them, the more
nutrients that are preserved. Their delicate flavors will also remain potent if
you eat them right after harvesting. Cooking microgreens will deplete them
of nutrients, which means that coming up with creative raw recipes is the
right way to go. For example, the sunflower shoot, a small lemony-green
plant, is a perfect addition to every salad.
Wraps and Sandwiches
Next, you can make sandwiches and wraps using the freshly plucked herbs.
You can use them to create intense, sweet, spicy, and overall fabulous
flavors that will pack your meal with nutrients. For this, radish greens are
usually the best condiments as they tend to go well with other fresh
vegetables and meats.
While fresh microgreens will add some spiciness to your sandwiches and
wraps, you should keep these recipes light and diet friendly, focusing on
vegetables and greens instead of bread, meats, and toppings.
Cooked Meals
You can also cook with microgreens. There are many types of microgreens
that retain a lot of nutrients even when cooked. However, keep in mind that
the best recommendation is to pop them into the dish at the very end of
cooking and not allow them to be exposed to high temperatures for longer
than a minute. Since these plants are perfectly safe to eat raw, and cooking
doesn't do anything to intensify the flavor, you can even think about adding
raw microgreens to already finished dishes. They are good to combine with
fried dishes, pastas, and as side dishes.
Juices and Smoothies
Another way to eat microgreens is to use them to create juices and
smoothies. If you aren't a fan of eating raw plants, juices and smoothies are
an easy way to incorporate them into your daily diet. For these purposes,
wheatgrass has proven to be the most popular. If you add microgreens to a
mixture of your favorite leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits in smoothies,
they will add a touch of an individual flavor you enjoy. You can also create
juices from microgreens on their own.
Keep in mind that you will need one part plants to three parts of water to
create a refreshing drink that will contain enough nutrients.
Cooking Guide for Best Nutrient Preservation
One of the questions that are perpetually asked is whether or not
microgreens are truly safe to eat raw. Generally, it is considered that raw
microgreens are perfectly safe for daily use. However, removing the germs
before eating is very important to eliminate the possibility of contracting
fungus, parasites, bacteria, and other harmful microbes.
Cooking microgreens will definitely deplete them of precious enzymes and
water-soluble vitamins. To make your microgreens as safe to eat raw as
possible, it is important to maintain the hygiene of your growth containers
and then rinse them properly before use. If you follow the guidelines for
proper refrigeration, you will reduce the chances of bacteria and mold
growing on your plants. Your plants will last up to a couple of weeks,
preserving their taste and freshness (Mir et al., 2017).
Ideally, you’ll eat microgreens raw. In this state, they contain the greatest
amounts of nutrients, and they also have the most intense taste. However,
you can also cook microgreens, as long as you don’t boil them. If you don’t
want to add fresh microgreens into your meal, you can leave them to steam
briefly. Preferably, this will be a couple of minutes before you take the pot
off the stove. This way, your greens will retain taste and freshness but also
keep the valuable nutrients.
When adding microgreens to your meals, you can use stems and leaves, as
long as you carefully rinse them of any remaining debris and germs.
Whether or not you’ll use the roots depends on the species. You can also
blend your greens prior to adding them into dishes or crush them to release
extra smell and flavor. Don’t forget that you can mix as many varieties as
you want!
 Chapter 11

Some Delicious Recipes

Waldorf Salad
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the candied walnuts
2 cups raw walnut halves
1 egg white
1 tablespoon spice mixture (such as a combination of paprika, cayenne,
ground fennel seed, and ground coriander)
1 cup sugar
For the dressing
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoon minced black winter truffles (optional)
1/4 cup walnut oil
For the salad
1/2 cup celery root, peeled
2 large Granny Smith apples, unpeeled
2 large Gala apples, unpeeled
1/2 cup microgreens or celery leaves, for garnish
12 red grapes, halved lengthwise
Directions:
For the candied walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a nonstick baking sheet with
parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the walnuts and egg white. Add the spice mixture
and sugar and mix until evenly coated. Spread the walnuts into an even
layer on the baking sheet and roast in the oven until browned, about 20
minutes.
For the dressing
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the crème fraîche with the yogurt and
whisk in the lemon juice, white pepper, to taste, and truffles, if desired.
Add in walnut oil, whisking briskly to emulsify. Set aside.
For the salad
Using a mandoline on the fine comb setting or a sharp knife, julienne the
celery root and apples into matchstick-sized strips, being careful to avoid
the seeds in the cores of the apples, transfer to a mixing bowl. Gently fold
the dressing into the apple mixture until well combined.
Divide the salad between chilled serving plates. Garnish with microgreens
or celery leaves. Scatter alternating grape halves and candied walnut halves
on the plates.
Nutrition:
Calories: 243 kcal
Total Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
Cholesterol: 7.6 mg
Sodium: 178 mg
Total Carbs: 16 g
Fiber: 3.1 g
Sugar: 12 g
Protein: 2 g

Microgreen Butter
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
½ portion of Butter
1 hand of microgreens
1/2 Teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Slice the washed microgreens in small pieces with a knife.
Heat the butter on low temperature until its liquid.
Mix the salt with the butter while still melting it. Now take a bowl and mix
the microgreens with the butter. Leave the mix in the fridge until the butter
is cold.
Nutrition:
Calories: 102 kcal Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 2 mg Total Carbs: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g Sugar: 0 g Protein: 0.1 g
Homegrown Microgreens Salad
Preparation Time: 8 minutes
Cooking Time: 0 minute
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
1 cup of microgreens 1 blood orange, peeled and cubed
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of shredded carrot or daikon radish
For the Dressing:
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove chopped garlic (optional) A dash of salt and pepper
Directions:
If your microgreens have some soil on them, give them a light wash and air
dries them in a colander for a few moments. (They are very fragile so need
to be handled with care). Place them in a bowl and add the remaining salad
ingredients. Stir up your vinaigrette in a little jar and pour on top of the
salad.
Nutrition: Calories: 980 kcal Total Fat: 69 g Saturated Fat: 9 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg Sodium: 735 mg Total Carbs: 65 g Fiber: 7 g Sugar: 44
g Protein: 28 g
Grilled Chicken with Watermelon Barbecue Sauce
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
For the salad
1/2 small seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch wheels
1 cup peeled, sliced, and quartered cucumbers
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/2 jalapeño, diced
2-3 tablespoons roasted, salted pepitas
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small bunch microgreens
For the chicken
1 cup diced watermelon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for grilling
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
For the salad
Preheat the grill over medium to medium-high heat.
Put the watermelon wheels on the grill for 2-3 minutes, and then turn 90
degrees to make a crisscross pattern with the char marks and grill for 2-3
minutes longer. Flip and repeat. Remove from the grill, and once cool, cut
the wheels into quarters so it’s easier to cut the rind. Cut the watermelon
into cubes.
In a bowl, combine the watermelon with the cucumbers, red onion,
jalapeño, pepitas, cilantro, and queso fresco, season with salt and pepper, to
taste, and then serve the delicious salad over a bed of microgreens.
For the chicken
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the watermelon for about 5 minutes,
then add the red onion. Let the onion and watermelon cook uncovered for
about 20 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, canola
oil, Dijon mustard, and garlic salt. Cook for 30 more minutes.
Meanwhile, lay the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and
pound/tenderize the chicken using a meat mallet or a large, heavy-bottomed
pan, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Preheat the grill over medium-
high heat.
Brush the chicken on both sides with just enough canola oil to coat. Grill
until just cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce on
top and the salad.
Nutrition:
Calories: 284 kcal
Total Fat: 6.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.9 g Cholesterol: 204 mg
Sodium: 413 mg
Total Carbs: 0 g Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g Protein: 57 g
Baby Greens with Roasted Beets and Potatoes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoon tarragon white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium beets (1 lb. with greens; 14 oz. without greens), stems trimmed to
inches
1 lb. small new potatoes (about 1 inch in diameter) or fingerlings (1 to 1 1/2
inches long), scrubbed well
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 ounce microgreens* such as baby Bibb, red-leaf, and oak-leaf lettuces and
baby arugula, or mesclun (about 10 cups)
4 cup baby spinach (3 oz.)
1/3 cup lovage* leaves, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh chervil and/or dill leaves
1/3 cup fresh tarragon leaves
Directions:
Make vinaigrette:
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add oil in a slow stream,
whisking until emulsified.
Roast beets and potatoes:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Wrap beets individually in foil and roast on a baking sheet in upper third of
oven until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Once beets have roasted for 30 minutes,
toss potatoes with oil and salt in a small baking pan and roast in lower third
of oven, shaking pan occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 25 to 30
minutes. Carefully unwrap beets and cool slightly, then slip off and discard
skins.
Assemble salad:
Cut beets into 1/3-inch dice and put in a large salad bowl. Cut potatoes into
1/3-inch-thick slices and add to beets along with all greens and herbs. Add
vinaigrette and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle blossoms on top and serve
immediately.
Nutrition:
Calories: 174.7 kcal Total Fat: 3.7 g Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1067.9 mg Total Carbs: 32.5 g
Fiber: 3.5 g Sugar: 6.6 g Protein: 3.6 g
 Conclusion

hank you for making it to the end. Due to their proven nutritional
T values, microgreens have so much gained much popularity in the
present day diet trends. However, though not everyone sees it as a very
viable option to maintain a healthy life, sure can overemphasize the fact that
they make a great deal of amazing meal options. You sure by now must
have gotten all you need to grow your own microgreens in the best way
possible for you.
Microgreens can now be grown by everyone and anyone who wants to eat
healthily and keep a healthy diet. So with this guide, you have seen that you
don't necessarily have to buy them. They can be grown on their own, in the
backyard or inside. However, adding microgreens in your weight loss plan
may be simply because of its flexibility and can be used in many special
ways in diets. You can now begin your healthy food plan if you are looking
for fresh, crisp microgreens in the correct color, as long as you know the
different types of microgreen, and how to grow them. Avoid limp, brown,
hypocritical, soft and smooth. You can grow microgreens and harvest them
using sharp scissors, the biggest guarantee for freshness.
Parents and guardians asking their children to help with these micro-greens
on the window will find their children more eager to eat greenery. Cost and
sustainability are a realistic and cost-effective way to put fresh food on the
table.
Microgreens are naturally more concentrated nutrients, which means that
they are more vitamin and mineral sources. Microgreens are similarly low
in energy; around 120 kJ or 29 kcal per 100 g on US data as the full-sized
varieties. There is currently no Australian microgreen study.
But can we make a difference by eating enough of it? For instance, the
micro-red chalk contains 103 mg of vitamin C per 100 g, compared with
full red chalk of 69 mg per 100 g. Nonetheless, the difference in costs
means that for a small pot of micro version you can buy half a standard cod.
People are rising long mouths and cresses on the windows of the kitchen
and in classrooms. It's fun to grow, delicious and safe to eat. However, other
forms have recently become popular with health products as microgreen
and microgreens. In both sweet and savory dishes, microgreens can play a
part. They can add taste, texture and color to salads and sandwiches, as well
as their nutritional value. They can also be applied or garnished with
smoothies.
Microgreen can be an amazing and easy way to feed even for city dwellers
with new, healthy items. They can be a great addition to sweet and savory
meals and provide more nutrients than their typical partners.
Around 75 grams or a cup of leafy vegetables are recommended in the
Australian Healthy Eating Guide and we must eat at least 5 serves of
vegetables a day. Then an enticing microgreen garnish is either likely to
lead to a hole in your pocket, or as so many Australians, you're not going to
eat enough of those 5 servings a day.
Also though the term "vegetable confetti" is rich in nutrients, perhaps it
indicates their limited contribution to overall intakes of vegetables and
Nutrients.
I hope you have learned something.
 VERTICAL GARDENING

The Easiest System for Beginners to Grow

Organic Flowers, Vegetables, Herbs and Fruits
at Home Without Space
(Vegetable Gardening Book 2)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

ertical gardening is a creative, effortless, and highly productive growing

V method in small and large garden spaces that requires up and down
support for a wide variety of plants.
Hundreds of vegetable, fruit and flowers varieties are perfect for growing
on a stand and mounted on the wall, in beds or containers.
Best of all, vertical gardening guarantees better results the day your palette
touches the ground, reducing the amount of space needed in the garden and
the work needed to prepare new beds. Jobs such as clearing, watering,
fertilizing, and controlling pests, and diseases are drastically reduced, while
yields increase, especially with vegetables such as beans and tomatoes. A
polar bean in vinegar will be ten times larger than a pomegranate. In
addition, a vineyard vegetable is capable of continuous yields: the more
choices, the more the plant will form new flowers and new fruits to
lengthen the harvest. A variety of shrubs, on the other hand, will be
shortened from 2 to 3 weeks.
With vertical gardening methods, you will also discover that many plants at
ground level blend beautifully with climbing plants, and so you can
combine different types of plants to create a lush flower, leaf, and
generosity. Also, a vertical gardener is perfect for spaces of any size, from a
garden container and a 1 x 4 foot strip of land to landscaped latex and the
whole side of a building.
If you've been gardening in long horizontal beds for only one growing
season, you've probably said to yourself, "It must be a better way." Well,
you're right, there's a better way. Vertical gardening offers several
advantages over horizontal cultivation.
Smaller beds to prepare and maintain. When growing upright plants, it will
need a bed as large as the root system of these plants, a bed much smaller
than a traditional bed. When planted horizontally, you tend to have narrow
rows of plants and broad swords of soil between them. These are the big
strips that absorb a great deal of water, send many weeds, and consume the
nutrients your plants need. With vertical gardening, they just prepare small
spots or strips of fertile soil, enough to give the plants a nutritious base from
which to mount supports. Composting goes further when you reduce bed
space, so you don't have to buy, produce, or use so much compost to change
your flooring every season. And if you think about watering with a shower
or using a drip irrigation system, you will find that watering your small land
is very easy, and your drop hose can run.
I am in favor of unobtrusive beds, because I have seen the results that others
have achieved, in addition to my own successes. You can easily create a bed
without digging into homemade compost or on bare ground, or on a log
path to kill weeds or shallow grass, and level the new bed with a rake.
Extending compostable layers to the top of your backyard barrier can create
a nutrient-rich plant bed (the method called in-situ compost or leaf litter).
To compost in situ, I make sure that my journal layer was at least 15 pages
thick and that the edges overlapped like the scales of a fish. This excludes
light from the ground below, killing the grass and weeds. On top of that, I
usually put a 6-inch layer of chopped grass, a 6-inch sheet of chopped
leaves (use a grinder to crush them), then a layer of kitchen debris (which
often includes scraps) of banana, bark) of egg), fish bones and potato skin).
This pill is intended with a ½-inch layer of wood ash. Other useful
ingredients for compost include rotten animal manure (such as cows and
horses), sawdust, shredded logs, pine needles, and hay. Keep the sides of
this compost bed in place with planks, landscape fixtures or even stones or
bricks.
Make yourself brackets and trellis. However, vertical gardening depends on
various supports and trellises, making your own simple. I make some of my
own trellis with bamboo rods that I grow myself, or with willow seedlings.
It's simple to take willow sticks or sticks and space them with one foot to
make seats, and use thinner, more flexible sticks attached horizontally to
make sturdy and beautiful trellises. Of course, trellis is already available in
garden centers, hardware stores, and even large discount stores. Metal
solids are suitable for heavier vines, such as melon and winter squash. You
will also discover the Skyscraper garden trellis, a pole, and net holder that I
specifically designed for vertical cultivation of vegetables and flowers. The
Skyscraper garden trellis can be stand-alone or wall-mounted and can be
grouped into raised beds to create an efficient, highly productive, and
attractive gardening space.
Vertical containers and containers for tiny spaces. If you don't have (or
much) space in the garden, for example, just a concrete patio or balcony, or
if you can't easily change the floor or build a raised bed, then consider using
tower vases or other containers that help you. It grows in a column. Tower
jars are commercial containers that stick to each other and allow you to
grow a variety of non-vineyard plants (such as lettuce, peppers, and
strawberries) vertically. Alternatively, to build a vertical garden in a limited
space, you can easily add trellises and supports into containers or "grow"
just behind the containers. And if you need to be genuinely creative with
garden space, consider mounting containers on a fence or wall at different
heights to create a vertical visual garden.
New varieties of plants to explain.
The choice of climbing plants can be surprising. Among the vegetables, try
growing spinach by climbing (they are heat-resistant and taste even better
than the cold-season spinach combination), snowflakes adorn the trellis
with edible pods and the fabulous zucchini trombone that produce a
vineyard loaded with 10 feet of high fruit. All this is growing, not outside.
The cucumbers for the vineyard, the melons in a serving and even the sweet
potato vineyards are capable of growing, rather than lying on the ground
and consuming more space that cannot be easily maintained during the
season. And if you've already grown vegetable spaghetti (also known as
squash spaghetti) in a traditional garden, try growing it on a trellis: if it's
allowed to grow it on the ground, vegetable spaghetti is an aggressive vine
that will choke everything in its path. But when growing on trellises, it
shoots in the sky with tendrils that take trellises or garden fillets, producing
up to about ten fruits on a vine.
It is said that French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir had such a
refined taste for good food (his wife, Aline, has earned the reputation of
being one of the best chefs in France) that could make the difference
between green beans. Those beans grown on poles and those grown on
dwarf plants and shrubs. Because for him the beans grown vertically had a
superior flavor. I agree with him, on the basis of my own experience!
Naturally, the king of vegetables, the tomato, benefits from vertical
cultivation, particularly varieties classified as indeterminate in seed catalogs
and plant labels (with vines up to 20 feet or more).. When you look at
record tomato crops, all the winning plants have grown vertically, some
more than 25 feet tall, producing hundreds of fruits from early summer to
late autumn.
One of the most significant benefits of vertical gardening is that you can
grow many different fruits against a wall or along a wire or rail line. Of
course, fruit vineyards like grapes and rustic kiwifruit are ideal, as well as
berry crops with long, flexible dogs, such as walls and raspberries. Even
fruit trees with strong, resistant trunks have flexible lateral branches that
can be trained to cultivate long distances against a wall or fence. Keep in
mind that many fruit trees are sold in standard sizes, semi-dwarf and dwarf,
in reference to the mature height of the tree. For a trellis in a garden, semi-
dwarfs and dwarfs are best suited, as they produce fruits of average size,
regardless of the dwarf's degree.
Flowering vines tend to bloom and provide cut flower bracelets. Sweet
apples, nasturtiums, and morning glory will produce colorful curtains
planted in a short row to climb the garden nets (attached to a sunny wall or
suspended between the posts like independent latex). Grow all three for an
incredible kaleidoscope of colors. Then explore dozens of other flower
options and cascading vineyards that move to create a garden full of
interesting "living walls,” dividers and leaf curtains.
Less pests, diseases, and problems to deal with. When you start gardening
vertically, you will notice a big difference in the health of your plants.
Harvesting vines and flowers and fruit trees from the ground, pests and
diseases are not so destructive. Mature fruits and vegetables are kept clean,
show less deformation, are less susceptible to rotation, and do not need to
be washed in time to remove garden soil. With plants on the ground, you
can easily detect potential insect infestations before they have a chance to
reach the plague rates. It is often enough to expel insects from the vines
with a powerful jet of water and rub the stems with a cloth to destroy the
eggs of dormant insects.
Increase production in a small space. By focusing on growing in columns
instead of out in rows, it reduces the amount of land needed for plant
growth while encouraging denser growth. Most trellises and supports can
accommodate plants that grow on both sides. When developing groceries
against a wall support system, you need to project the trellis or garden net
from the wall to about 6 inches, to allow the plants to produce yields on the
screen. In front of the stand. It also improves air circulation and discourages
mold and other fungal diseases.
A variety of sweat at one pole (such as climbing the "Blue Lake") can reach
6 feet or more from a single square meter of firm space; Compare with a
row 2 feet wide, 6 feet long with the beans (a total of 12 square feet), and
find that climbing rage produces higher yields than the bush. This is
because the beam of the "Blue Lake" may produce an eighth tower of beans
that does not flow after 2 or 3 weeks like a rocket; The Pole continues to
support all season.
 Chapter 1
Why You Should Have a Vertical Garden

ou may have your own reasons for considering vertical gardening

Y structures. As long as you have a solid reason then goes with it! You
can also share it with others on Pinterest and other social media sites.
Here are some of the most common reasons why people consider vertical
gardening.
Limited Space
A lack of space for a horizontal garden can be frustrating. If you try to grow
your items too close together they don’t have the space they need to grow to
their full potential. Vertical gardening allows you to take it in another
direction and that can make all the difference
You may not have money to move to a larger place right now. Yet not
having a yard and not having a garden can make you feel like you live in a
box. Vertical gardening can be a way for you to deal with your current
circumstances and not be upset.
For some people, they have a large home and are considering selling it.
Their children are gone, maybe their spouse is too. So they are all alone and
it doesn’t make sense to have so much empty space. Yet they hold on to the
home due to the garden area.
Yet once they learn about vertical gardening and they can do it just about
anywhere, they are willing to relocate. They are ready to move into a
smaller home or into an assisted living facility where they can still take part
in such gardening activities that bring them so much joy.
Limited Time
You may be saying you just don’t have the time to tend to a large horizontal
garden any more. There could be an abundance of weeds or problems with
pests that have forced you to throw in the towel. Before you give up
gardening completely, consider the vertical option. You can get great results
with less time spent on the upkeep of the gardening.
It isn’t going to take you much time for the upkeep of your vertical garden.
The most significant amount of time is early on. This is when you are
picking the location and conducting research on what you will plant. The
actual building of the structure takes time but it is also going to be quite a
bit of fun. Planting isn’t as time consuming as you may think. The benefits
of growing your own flowers, plants, and herbs though far outweigh the
amount of time you spend with the gardening process. If you stay on top of
weeding, that doesn’t take up too much time either. You will find you look
forward to working in your garden as things progress.
Instead of spending time watching TV or surfing the internet, you will
allocate your time in new directions. So don’t be too worried about how you
will fit it into your schedule. Ask your family to help you too. A vertical
garden can be a family project. It can result in plenty of bonding and
smiles!
Limited Mobility
Due to age, health concerns, and other factors, some individuals face
limited mobility. This doesn’t have to mean you can’t enjoy a garden
though. For example, you may have knee or back problems so bending is
tough. That could prevent you from horizontal gardening tasks.
Yet with vertical gardening, you can do the work standing up. You don’t
have to be on your knees for planting. You don’t have to bend as much so
the back isn’t going be hurting as you perform the tasks.
Reduce Stress
Many studies indicate gardening is a wonderful way to reduce stress
naturally. It can be a hobby that helps you to unwind and to relax. Such an
outlet can also be a time when you think and your mind is able to be
creative without any interruptions or having to stay between the lines so to
speak.
Inviting Atmosphere
Creating a lovey and inviting atmosphere around your place to call home is
very important. You want it to be something you look forward to seeing and
where you can relax. You also want other people who come to visit you to
feel welcome. One way to make your dwelling more inviting is to create a
vertical garden that will make the atmosphere balanced and calm.
Cut Down on Costs
Depending on what you grow in your vertical garden, it may be a way for
you to cut down on your regular expenses. For example, if you grow fruits
or vegetables then you don’t have to purchase those items at the grocery
store. If you grow more than you consume, you can sell or trade the extra
for something else you need with a friend or neighbor.
If you grow your own herbs, you won’t need to buy them for cooking either.
This can save you money as well as enhance the flavor of the dishes you
create. There are also herbs you can grow which are considered natural
home remedies. They can be used rather than buying various types of
medications.
Recycle/Upcycle
For now, we will touch on it being a great reason to consider vertical
gardening. Rather than throwing out items you no longer need they can be
part of your garden design. You can also use items that won’t otherwise be
tossed into the trash.
Hide Something
Is there an ugly wall to your apartment building? You may not feel it is up
to you to cover it up but think about how much better it will be. I have seen
outside walls that were covered with graffiti made pretty again with the use
of vertical gardening concepts.
 Chapter 2
Choosing a Site and Preparing the Soil

he first step to growing is to choose your gardening site. What kind of

T spaces do you have to work with?
Depending on the type of building you live in and the available space
around it, you might be able to grow a lot or a little. You can find space
inside of your home and outside. The types of plants you want to grow
should also be taken into consideration – some plants grow better outdoors
while others flourish inside where they can be nurtured.
Using Your Balcony or Patio for Urban Gardening
If you have a balcony, patio or even a deck outside your home, you can use
the outside perimeter (or even the middle space, depending on how often
you use it as a sitting space) to build your urban garden. You can use
containers to plant your vegetation and hang them on shelves on the walls
or place them on the floor in neat rows. To make watering them more
accessible, you can place the containers on top of tables. Some even build a
shelf or pole over the railing so that they can hang additional plants.
You can also use your balcony to set up a vertical garden or vertical
aeroponics system to grow 20-30 food plants or more in a small space.
Planting on the Rooftop
If allowed, you can use the roof space of your building to grow a garden.
Make sure to ask the building’s superintendent before pursuing this so that
you won’t get into trouble!
You can designate a certain amount of square footage to your urban garden.
It would be great if you could even use the entire rooftop. Try to get other
tenants in the building to join you and enjoy the benefits of the garden. This
will even make the work more comfortable since you will have others
pitching in to help you.
If your landlord is hesitant about a rooftop garden or says no altogether, you
can put together a formal presentation to show how much money will be
saved by having a rooftop garden that reduces heating/cooling bills and
remediates excess runoff, along with making the roof last longer!
Using Your Yard
If you live in a suburb or happen to be one of the few lucky urban dwellers
with a yard, of course you can use that space to grow an incredible garden
full of fresh food! How big is your yard? If you don’t have the
measurements, I recommend just taking some quick measurements with
measuring tape to get an idea of the area you have to work with.
Also be careful in your planning that you plan enough area for sitting and
lounging as well as gardening. I recommend leaving at least a small patch
of grass if you can so that you can enjoy the soft grass on your feet and get
grounded in the Earth without getting muddy in the soil.
Team Up with Others to Buy a Plot of Land
If you have no balcony, yard or suitable rooftop, you can buy your own plot
of land either by yourself or team up with others in your community!
There’s unused space throughout every major city, so see if you can find a
plot of land that is just rotting away unused. You’ve likely seen projects
being done in metro areas where a plot of land is cleaned up and
transformed into a beautiful plush garden. It’s incredible how easy it can be
and when everyone is enthusiastic about making it happen, the garden
seems to sprout gracefully from all the love. It’s also a great project to
involve kids in. In order to make this happen, you should either find a plot
or go to the City Clerk to find out who owns the property and how you can
possibly rent it or purchase it (if you’re lucky, it’ll be owned by the city). If
you can gather enough people, everyone can chip in to pay off the debt.
It’s important to note how heavy your plants will become and how much
weight the structure is able to handle so that your vegetation will have
enough support as it grows. The structures you use should be anchored into
the ground, so that it’s not easy to tip over by passersby and your growing
plants.
This is especially important when growing heavier vining plants like
melons, pumpkins and squash. These plants absolutely thrive in vertical
gardens and you would be surprised how big and fast they will grow. All of
these plants love “climbing” with their vines and lots of sunlight and I’ve
seen 40 pound pumpkins growing from a vertical garden – so make sure
you’ve got enough support for when the big fruits come!
Trellises
One structural option for your vertical garden is a trellis. These are small
enough to fit in almost any space and can hold different types of plants. You
can make it yourself or purchase it from a store.
Trellises can also be attached to a wall in your garden or staked into the
earth for better support and the design prevents mold from spreading
disease throughout your plants. Trellises have a beautiful design and can be
combined with other forms of garden structures. Plants that grow well on
trellises and tripods are those that have tendrils, such as pole beans.

This trellis is supporting several bean plants and is one of the simplest
vertical gardens you can create.
If you decide to plant massive plants on your trellises, make sure that the
trellis you use is made of either wood or metal. Lighter plants can be used
on metal trellises as well. Try arranging your plants in a pyramid shape. To
keep your trellis in place, you can stake it to the ground using poles or
stakes made of wood or iron.
Wire Fences and Poles
These types of plants may need a bit of help creeping up vertically. You can
simply tie up the vines along the poles and wires and they will do the rest.

If you already have a fence set up, you can plant crops next to it that will
grow upwards using the support of the fence. You can also just build your
own using some simple chicken wire or other type of fencing material.
Arches
Another magnificent structure that fits nicely in gardens is arches. These
can be used for plants that are heavier, such as vining plants like grapes.
Arches can also be used for plants that climb or hanging baskets of plants.
Your vertical garden can look like a typical garden with beautiful garden
furniture and arches, making anyone want to lounge out in the yard on a
warm day and enjoy the spectacular view.

Pockets
The pockets should be 15 inches by 24 inches, which can support up to 20
pounds of dirt. Pockets can be used for planting small perennials and edible
plants.
Pocket bags can also support a small vertical garden – in this case with lots
of fresh greens!
Trays
Trays are rectangular in shape and are divided into 30-degree angle
individual cells for planting. There are holes at the bottom that allow air and
water to seep through. To make your tray look unique, you can make or buy
a frame of your choice to go around it.
Trays for vertical gardening like the ones pictured above can be mounted on
a wall which is often how small green walls are made at home. Just make
sure your wall or siding of your house can support the weight!
Hanging Pots
The design of pot hangers are made so that they are easy to install and
nearly invisible. They have hangers that can hold up to 100 pounds. The
hangers can be screwed into a wall. The pots are held onto the structure
with the help of clamps.
Hanging pots can make for gorgeous flower arrangements.
Walls
If you have walls in your garden or plan to build some, you will find that
you can have individual plants grow along it. All some vining plants need is
a rough surface to attach to. You don’t want to use wood, painted or mortar
surfaces because plants can cause damage to these types of structures. Brick
walls are usually alright, but Ivy vines can cause damage to the bricks so be
warned!
Wall vertical gardens can be extremely elaborate like in this picture or much
more straightforward – it’s up to you.
Make sure to place your vining plants in an area where you don’t mind
them spreading. Some plants end up growing vertically too far, reaching the
gutters of homes and eventually pulling them down with their weight.
Morning Glories are notorious for doing this.
Some of the plants you grow may have to be tied to their structure, such as
with tomatoes, otherwise they will spread across the ground – defeating the
purpose of vertical gardening.
When you grow plants on the walls outside of your home, it can help
prevent your home from getting damaged by acid rain and other pollution,
and it helps to keep the soil around the home from flooding because the
vertical garden will soak up extra rain water. It creates a great year-round
eco-system that absorbs pollutants and natural gas – naturally!
 Chapter 3

Arbors, Arches, Pergolas, and Trellises

T rellises are a quick and simple solution for a vertical garden structure.
The terms trellis and lattice are used most of the time interchangeably,
and this is quite accurate. Let me explain the subtle difference. The
lattice or latticework actually describes a type of model found in some
pylons. It is usually made of thin wood or metal, which creates a decorative
diamond or cross pattern.
It becomes a trellis when the trellis (framed or unframed) is used as a
support for plants. Browse any garden center, nursery, lumber yard or
hardware store for rectangular, square and fan-shaped trusses, as well as the
traditional diamond motif. Of course, some pylons do not have a pattern at
all.
The trellis is often painted white or blue in color. Many wooden trusses are
left unsealed and can be sealed or painted by the gardener. Wood can also
be left untreated, especially if it is made of redwood, cedar, or teak, as these
woods slowly deteriorate.
As for climbing materials, don't stop at prefabricated lattices. Almost
anything that can be resized can be used as a trellis. Other smart structures
that can be used as pylons are stairs, old gates, fences, and gates. Pruned
willow and dogwood branches can also work.
Argo and Arches
A pergola (or arch) is a plant stand that passes over something like a path or
gateway. We will not discuss these large and substantial structures, but
rather their cousin in the arbor or arch.
You will recognize that gazebos have an arched, half-dome, or flat top.
Designs can range from country houses, contemporary, elegant, or
Victorian. You will find that many have trusses inside the frame. They stand
6 1/2 '- up to 9' tall in the center of the top. The gate entrances and the start
of a garden path require practically one. The gazebos can be used as
entrances to the various "rooms" of the garden or to create a welcoming and
secluded place for lovers of munching on hanging fruit.
A portable gazebo can be placed in the center of a garden bed or with one
end on a raised bed and the other on a nearby bed, highlighting and
decorating the walkway in the center. If you want to use one at the entrance
to the garden, you can place two planters at each end, giving you a new
vertical space in an instant.
Plant cucumbers, grapes, small melons, beans, peas, squash, mini squash,
indeterminate tomatoes and almost any vegetable or fruit-based on your
pergola or arch. Remember planting annual climbing flowers like
Nasturtium, Black-eyed Creeper, Hyacinth, Morning Glory or Creeper
together with vegetables adds a little more beauty to this structure.
Obelisks
These practical and often beautiful structures are separate pyramid-shaped
towers. Obelisks are placed on top of a climbing plant, or young plants are
planted next to each leg for easy access. Their style of construction ranges
from simple structures to garden works of art, and they are often used for
ornamental climbers as well as for vegetables.
An obelisk is why you'll think before it's utterly perfect to have an orchard
in the courtyard. Plant a courtyard garden every day of the week, but an
obelisk makes it almost mandatory.
We know that fruits and vegetables climb in various ways, making them the
ideal place for the name of the group of "natural" vertical vegetables. But
what about the other tasty foods we want to grow vertically? Don't you get
a big horticultural group name like the others? They certainly do; We call
them the "vertical problem" group, and this includes carrots, lettuce, onions,
chives, garlic, chard, cabbage, potatoes, strawberries and herbs. And don't
forget the shrub varieties of climbing plants, such as beans (as opposed to
pole types).
Vertical gardening isn't just about sowing growing vegetables, but also
about choosing plants that grow in containers and anything else we can get
our hands-on. But first the main things. If you don't have the time or under
construction of any kind, the market is their oyster.
Surfing the Internet, in your garden center and in local magazines, you will
find even more creative products as this market grows every day. I thought
I'd give you a starting point by sharing some of my favorites with you.
Flower pots are the first containers I turn to when I consider a patio or
garden on the bridge. There are also options; You will find terracotta,
plastic, wood, glazed stoneware, metal, cement, stone and fiberglass.
Stackable pots
Flower pots and other stackable containers are the perfect way to lift non-
climbers into the air. Akro-Mils Stack-A-Pot Stack planters are multi-level
pots made of UV-protected plastic so they can be kept outdoors all year
round. This stackable cookware system combines in layers and is easily
dismantled for storage during the low season.
Stackable pots are available in a mini size (14 qt.) And a larger size (30 qt.).
It is perfect for crops such as herbs, lettuce and strawberries.
Wooly Pocket Wallys

One of the most recent (and best) recent plantation follies are the pocket
containers. Woolly Pockets is built to last, using 100% recycled plastic
bottles. Wallys has a moisture barrier (in some styles it is military) and the
exterior has a breathable felt that allows moisture to evaporate. Inside the
pocket, there is a "tongue," which absorbs the water and the roots of the
plants and evenly keeps the soil moist.
They are no more difficult to hang than an image and are supplied with the
hardware to connect them to masonry, drywall or drywall. You can get a
surprising amount of dirt in those pockets! The Wally is available in black,
brown, blue, light brown and green and vary in size. The smaller one
measures 8 "× 13" and costs $ 18, while a single original measures 15 "×
24". Subsequently, the Wallys are built as linked bags. The three-pocket
Wally costs $ 100 and the five-pocket Wally $ 150. There is also a place in
the more extended versions for drip irrigation lines. Non-climbing
vegetables and herbs are perfect for Wallys.
EarthBoxes
At first glance, this popular product looks just like a standard rectangular
planter. But in reality, it is a rather impressive little growth system in its
own right. One of the most interesting features is that on the bottom of the
system, there is a tank that keeps the soil evenly moist as long as there is
water inside. A long hose runs from the bottom to the top of the box to
irrigate directly into the tank. Before planting the box, there is a cover that
is placed on the soil bed, which also helps retain moisture. Then cut the
holes in the deck and add your plant starts.
I found that there were very few concerns about keeping the plants in the
box watered. I filled the tank once a week, even on the dog's summer days.
When plants start to fill and produce fruit, you may need to give them a
little more to drink, but not as much as traditional vases or containers. My
vegetable plants have gone crazy here, EarthBox is a safe artist.
EarthBox has accessories that you can add, such as wheels (which I love),
but my favorite accessories are the system of pegs and nets and the white
trellis; everyone will turn the EarthBox into a vertical garden pot that is
perfect for climbing vegetables. The base unit is priced at $ 33.
Mobilegro Portable Garden Cart
Here is a new product on the market that will not only pack your vertical
space with crops but will also surprise all your friends and neighbors. This
extra-large vertical planter is made of powder-coated steel and offers
functionality and beauty on wheels! Another interesting feature is the built-
in irrigation system that allows you to customize the settings of each tank.
Mobilegro is available with customized panel designs, colors and finishes.
The containers have a depth of 11.5 ''.
Planters and Hanging Baskets
Hanging flower pots are one of the best ways to make good use of vertical
properties. There are also infinite ways to do it. The gutter under the roof of
your house is an excellent place to hang pots and flower baskets. You can
also buy metal "arms" that are attached to the exterior wall of a house or
near the courtyard as hangers.
Hanging baskets often end up under the eaves of the house or on the porch,
where there can be a lot of shade. If your baskets end up on the shady side
of the porch, choose vegetables that work well in less sunshine, such as
lettuce, spinach, rocket, radishes, oregano, parsley, coriander, chives,
chives, lemon balm, mint and shrub, peas and beans.
If you don't like the idea of attaching something to the house, you can use
iron bars called shepherd's hooks that are curved at one end. These are
independent since the lower part of the hook is pushed towards the soil.
Any vegetables that can be grown in a medium pot or container can be
grown in a pot or hanging basket. Lettuce, peas, beans, strawberries,
aubergines, herbs, peppers and cherry tomatoes are suitable for hanging
pans.
Hanging baskets are available in some wonderfully unique and attractive
styles. My favorites are those made with a metal wire skeleton frame and
then coated with a coconut material. The material acts as a barrier between
the wire and the plants keeps the soil inside and helps retain moisture
(depending on the type of coating). If you look around, you will find much
more than the traditional bowl shape, such as the conical and oblong one.
Pay attention to the type of coating you want if you choose a basket hook.
Some liners will be thick and should only be planted on top of the basket. I
like the thinner material that allows me to put the scissors and push the
small plant somewhere in the basket. I like to plant in this way because the
result is a "ball" of suspended plants; It looks lovely done on all lettuces.
Another variation on the same theme is the hanging plastic flower pots with
integrated planting holes. Along with traditional pot styles, there are also
rectangular ones. Another effective way to exploit hanging baskets or vases
is to place two or three of them in an "overlapping" form, one below the
other. An excellent example is the roof garden for gutters.
Upside-Down Planters

Now we come to the infamous back planters. What started out as an

excellent idea quickly became daunting. The initial product of this type
used a bag too small for most standard tomato varieties, although it could
have been successful with a variety of cherry tomatoes. What do I mean by
too small?
Well, large tomatoes love to take root in the soil a little deeper than what's
in the bag, and during the hot summer months, it is difficult to maintain a
right amount of moisture there. For some reason, it also disturbs me to see
the plant struggle and turn upward to reach the sun. I'd like to be clear: I'm
not saying you can't grow something in this bag, but when it comes to
tomatoes, I don't know why they should choose this particular product. You
can do much better.
 Chapter 4
Planters and Supports

emember that vertical gardening allows you to save a lot of space and to
R make use of very tiny spaces, which is why your 4 x 4 area is perfect for
this method of gardening.
With very little space and effort, you can have more plants and produce
than you have possibly anticipated, but you do have to offer your plants
some form of support.
That support comes in the form of structure to assist their vertical growth.
A well planned structural support system is a crucial component to the
success of any vertical garden, so it is essential for you to have at the very
least an introductory knowledge of the options that are available to you.

We say ‘options’ rather than hard core facts because the more experienced
you become in working with your garden, the more creative you will get
with your ideas, and with the ways in which you can see to improve your
garden’s efficiency with the material that you have on hand.
Regardless of the many resources that you might read concerning how to
use vertical supports for your variety of plants, you will see many
consistencies, but also many more variations in the way that proficient
backyard and professional gardeners make use of their structural supports.
That is certainly another of the valid attractions of vertical gardening – you
can use almost anything to help support it.
Types of Vertical Structural Supports
While there are undoubtedly particular supports that have stood the test of
time, you are not limited to using only those as long as your own ideas meet
the basic needs of the plants. Obviously, whichever material you use must
first and foremost be very well secured.
This makes sense if for no other reason than to prevent the collapse of your
outdoor plants during high grade wind and storms. The way in which you
secure them will depend on the structure you are using.
Following are some of the most common and highly rated types of vertical
supports for plants in vertical gardens;
Posts and Poles
Trellis
Fence
Netting
Teepees
Wire Cages
PVC Pipe
A-frames
Of course, you are not restricted to using any of the above supports as
stand-alone options. For the best results, use your imagination and combine
your materials where you feel it is warranted.
The structures for your vegetable plants, for instance, can be as complicated
or as simple as you make it. You can purchase everything you need from
your local nursery or garden outlet, or you can make use of items that you
already have lying around your home.
If you are stuck for ideas, here are some simple suggestions to get you
started.
Any sturdy, solid and straight stick or stake can be used as a post or pole.
Try using an old umbrella frame as a teepee.
Use the wire from an old fence for your cages.
Stems or pruning from hedges or trees can support smaller plants, like peas.
Rip up old rags or cut into pantyhose to use as tie stakes.
As long as you can give the necessary plants the support they need within
the space that you have allocated to them, then you are limited only by your
resourcefulness in your use of structural materials.
It is obviously in your best interests to investigate further the options given
to you here for providing support to your plants, and to practice using those
that best fit your needs. Always keep your space in mind, although most
types can be accommodated to be as large or small as you require.
With that said, of the standard support types listed above, following are
those that you are likely to come across most regularly, depending of course
on the plants that you are growing.
Posts and Poles
You can train your vining crops to posts and poles. Indeed, quite possibly
the most practical of structures for your plants growth, posts and poles can
be used for supporting almost everything that comes to mind.
Wire Cages
Use your wire cage structure to support your climbing tomato plant. You
will want to ensure that you can reach through the spaces to harvest the
tomato. Cages should be secured by stakes so that they don’t lean. If you
purchase a cage from a nursery, ensure that it is big enough to support the
growing tomatoes.
A-Frame
These can be made to meet any height, and to fit into any space. They are
crafted typically from bamboo or wood. Hinges at the top will give it
portability for moving between seasons.
These structures act as a practical support for climbers, and for utilizing the
middle lower space between frames for plants that appreciate shade during
the warm summer months. This can include spinach and leaf lettuce as
examples.
Trellis
Many of the supporting structures you will use can be considered variations
of the trellis in some form. The trellis is a sturdy frame that has crisscrossed
slats within, and is typically made from wood, plastic or metal. It is ideal
for climbing plants, and can be secured against a wall or erected as a free-
standing vertical support in its own right.
Additional Benefits of Supporting Plants
There are added benefits to creating the structures that support your vertical
garden plants. These include;
Creation of greater space so that you can grow more crops (think scaling)
Structured support makes vegetables and fruits much easier to harvest
Plants are less impacted by pests and rot
Your garden simply looks more organized and appealing.
None of the structures used to support plants should be secured entirely flat
against a wall. It is important to leave enough space between so that vining
plants can weave through their support, and so that air can circulate
between the surfaces.
 Chapter 5

Containers and Hanging Planters

I nkidsthishelp
journey, the best thing is to use your imagination or simply let your
you. We all know that they are far more creative than us adults.
The first thing to consider is utility, but let’s admit that beauty and color
add a bit of spice to our lives.
If you go online, you may already find a lot of beautiful, attractive, and
innovative ideas for creating a unique and relaxing corner into our home.
From there on, we must do our best to create something original and mind
blowing.
When we live in an apartment, we have to deal with limited spaces and
other obstacles, but they’re truly not that hard to overcome. Some important
things to consider are light, the appropriate containers, and the watering
system that we will use and, of course, design. Plants bring oxygen and a
feeling of bliss to our lives. That’s why, in the past few years, naturally
designed walls have become a “must have” product. So, why not do it with
vegetables and fruits, which may add a more beneficial touch to our lives,
since it will give us the nourishment that we need.
But let’s talk about the benefits of a vertical garden. Well, first of all, it
helps you save your precious space. The vegetables and fruits are easier to
harvest, seeing the thorough organization of your space. A vertical garden
benefits the best airing, which is an important contributor to healthier plants
and crops. These plants don’t have direct contact with the soil of the garden,
which will better protect them from soil diseases and pests.
Regarding the light, there’s not much to do. You should find the most sunlit
spot, like on your balcony (depends on the orientation of your flat), the
most sunlit wall inside your home, or simply hang your plants on the
kitchen ceiling.
For containers, we have limitless options, starting from those special ones
that we can buy in stores to our things discarded into our attics. Don’t forget
to choose only objects that allow water draining. If not, you may easily drill
the ones you find, such as buckets, terra cotta pots, mason jars, old ladders,
shoe organizers, PVC pipes, plastic bottle tops to old drawers, paint cans,
clay pots, wood pallets, and conduit piping. Anything that comes to mind is
good to use, as long as it has enough space for the plants that we want to
grow. Pallets, shelves, old ladders, and drawers are maybe the ideal
supports to use. Think that the towering system allows each and every
scaled plant to obtain the right amount of water and the needed quantity of
light. Hanging terra cotta or clay pots may also be the best solution for lack
of space.
In my opinion, the best three ways of organizing your urban garden are:
Feet on the ground
You may use a double staircase, or self-made cedar shelf support, an old
narrow wardrobe with drawers, or anything else that may come to mind, or
simply buy something already done that you find in furniture stores. The
important thing is to make sure that your support is stable enough. For more
safety, please anchor it to your wall or ceiling, especially if it’s a high one.
Using trellises is also a good way to support your tall plants.
Tiered gardens are an efficient method of urban gardening. It doesn’t need
much space, so it’s a good vertical garden idea for your balcony. By
layering your garden, you will obtain more space for your plants with less
effort possible. Raising plants on top of each other gives you the possibility
to obtain more crops in minimal spaces. The containers to use should have
different sizing, giving each plant its own space. It’s very easy to do; you
may simply use wooden cases. Set them one above the other, starting from
large too small. If you don’t find the materials to make it, don’t worry; there
are special tiered garden containers in stores.
Gutter gardens are also an economical method for vertically growing plants.
They are a very efficient method for those who live in apartments. It’s
almost cost-free, since we can use all recycling materials and they do not
require much effort in preparing them or maintaining them, since they will
never break or crack. For more safety, we should secure them, tying them
with stainless steel cables and stainless steel screws. We may use our
imagination in obtaining different sizes, depending on the plants that we
want to grow and our available space, and also obtaining a most colorful,
original support for our urban vertical garden. They must be well fixed to
the ground, due to the fact that we may grow a variety of plants in it.
Pallet gardens are a very original and non-traditional idea for vertical
gardening. It’s a very economical method and a very easy DIY method. The
first thing we need is a wooden pallet. You may find it in stores or you may
actually try to ask some local businesses if they are willing to give you one
for free. Once you get one, make sure that is safe enough for you to use.
Place it on the ground, take off some slats in order to create enough space
for your plants, and add landscape fabric (it’s better to use two or three
layers of it) on the backside of your pallet. Secure it to the wood using a
staple gun and proceed to create pockets on the inside. Use thick layers of
landscape fabric in order to obtain as many as possible and secure it with
the staple gun, making sure that the soil will not drop.
Trellis gardens will help you get traditional. It’s all about using wooden
structures to support your plants. There are plenty of these structures
available in specialized stores, but you may easily get creative by
reinventing this method. It’s a method used worldwide to grow vegetables,
fruits and flowers and a classic one, considering the fact that Native
Americans, for example, were using corn to support the beans. In some
countries, this is still a natural, cost-free, and productive method to obtain
more crops while using less ground.
PVC pipe gardens are also a very efficient method of urban vertical
gardening, considering the economic factors, the eccentricity, and the spicy
effect on our cluttered apartment. It does not require much effort to build
such a support for our vegetables, fruits or flowers. It’s for the best to create
a steady support, taking in account that our safety and that of our children
comes first. There are plenty of useful ideas regarding securing these
structures. One certain beneficial aspect is the fact that we may use dripping
irrigation system on it. And, above all, it offers a lot of extra space. It is the
perfect method for growing berries and bushy plants while utilizing the
smallest areas available.
Tower shaped supports also give an original touch to our homes. It’s a not
that difficult of a DIY method to build up an interesting and eye-catching
support for growing our favorite plants. They are suitable for any garden or
small balcony.
Once you have your vertical support well anchored in the most sunlit
location of your apartment or balcony, you should start thinking about the
plants you want to grow. If you have shady areas, then you must consider
growing lettuce, cabbage, and greens. If you are blessed with plenty of sun,
your selection of plants is wider. You may grow tomatoes, peppers, beans,
potatoes, radishes, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and even carrots.
Stuck to the wall

When it comes to decorating walls with plants, there is no limit to the

imagination. There are special metal plates that can be fixed on your walls
or your doors if you like, allowing you to place any kind container or pot
there, in whatever size or color you see fit. You can design your wall with
any shape that you want. You can create a huge green painting, or a heart-
shaped panel, or simply using your kitchen containers. Let your creativity
go wild!
Pocket-shaped pots are becoming a creative, non-traditional method of
designing our homes. You may buy them in stores or you may simply use
your imagination in choosing recycling materials with different sizes and
colors, adding beauty to your space and serving as an efficient technique to
grow vegetables or fruits.
You can give your house a modern touch by using metal supports that you
can easily find in any store, or a traditional touch, by using clay pots or
recycled cans painted in different colors. You may certainly be original by
using wooden pallet supports, recycled PVC pipes, painted plastic bottles,
and so on.
Gutter, pallet, trellis, and PVC pipe gardens that were mentioned above (for
ground supports) are surely some of the best methods in designing our walls
while actually obtaining crops and a lot of gratification in harvesting the
best variety of fruits and vegetables. The things to consider are the best
supporting methods (safety comes first) and the best location, and the light
factor.

Once your location and support are chosen, you should choose the right
plants to grow, always taking into account the lighting and the available
space between one shelf or another, and between the containers that you
chose.
The inconvenience of this method is the impossibility of using the dripping
irrigation system. This results in a bit of extra work when you have to water
your plants.

Hanging from the ceiling

This is certainly a newcomer in the plant-growing world! The best choice is

to use the most original and stylish Boskke Sky Planters. They are available
in small and large sizes. It’s made of stoneware ceramic or recycled plastic
and this unique irrigation system offers the ultimate solution for us to make
the most of our limited space. It provides water to your plants for up to two
weeks. And the special locking disc won’t allow the soil or water to drop on
our floor. So make space for upside down gardening!
Another advantage is hanging them on the ceiling, hence not adding to the
clutter and giving more free space to breathe. The sun factor is not that hard
to overcome, since you can place your supports as near as possible to the
windows. In addition, the ceiling area is the warmest of the entire house and
is also the area with most natural light available. That will offer benefits to
your plants.
The most suitable plants to grow in these supports are small ones, such as
herbs, salads or spinach in the kitchen (one of my favorites are also
strawberries), flowers in the living room, and on the balcony, a small
variety of taller plants, like cherry tomatoes, beans, peppers and radishes.

The hanging method may also be efficient with other small containers, such
as, clay pots, baskets, buckets, bottle tops, or anything else that may come
to mind. In these cases, we have to grow our plants in the traditional way,
but nothing should discourage our inventive mind. With proper fixing to the
ceiling, there should be no problem at all, except for the irrigation system. It
may add a bit of extra work.
Having a backyard offers us unlimited options for growing your plants. It
goes from tower structures to tired gardens and any original idea that you
come up with. All the methods described above are suitable. Everything
from vegetables, flowers, annual and perennials can be grown at home. You
can use smaller varieties of traditional big plants and you could use slings,
ties, trellises, and other supports (bought or self-made) in order to achieve
your unconventional garden.
 Chapter 6

Prepping To Sow/ Getting Started

F orfactmaking your vertical garden, you should be very well aware of the
that a proper wall is required for making a perfect vertical garden.
So, when you are getting started with it, firstly you should choose the
right wall on which you are going to work for making your garden. You can
choose any wall of your home where there is an access to direct sunlight.
Basically, the extent to which you may choose to have the right wall
depends upon its length along with the amount of sunlight it received
during the whole day. If you are going to plant those plants which require
some specific conditions to grow, then you should choose that wall where
all the necessary conditions and requirements of their growth will be
fulfilled.
Making of frame
If you do not know much about making the frame then does not worry at
all. Basically, the vertical garden has got the basic structure which is
entirely made up of three layers of fabric, sheet of plastic and the upper
frame. Just before hanging the frame, you are required to build the whole
setup first, so that installing the frame can become easier for you.
Building the frame is another task which is going to be done by you. But,
when you are choosing the material for making a frame, you should not go
for a metallic one, as it will prove to be additionally expensive without any
doubt. Wood should also not be your choice for building the frame as for it,
you will require a continuous treatment off and on so that it can be
protected from moisture around.
Attaching the plastic sheet
The plastic sheet will be directly attached to the frame and will act as a
backing for the layer of fabric along with helping to prevent the water from
falling off the frame. The material which can be used here is the PVC, but
in case you are opting for a wooden wall, a way of ventilation is required to
be present at the back end.

Attaching the fabric

Now, after going through the steps which have been mentioned above, you
are required to make attachment of fabric to the already installed frame.
This is exactly that place where the growth of your plants will take place.
Along with that, it will help in holding the water for the plants. For this
purpose, you can simply make utilization of padding of carpet but this is not
the only option. You can opt for any other fabric material as well which can
help in retaining the water without letting it rotten.
Here, at least, two layers of fabric are required. Then make them attached to
the already installed frame by taking help of screws and staples made up of
stainless-steel. This will be done in exactly the way as you opted for
making the canvas stretched across the pre-installed frame. Go for attaching
it in a way that it cannot become detached and also, the way in which it will
look pretty.
The irrigation system
An irrigation system is definitely required if you want your plants to grow
on a surface that is vertical. This will help in providing moisture to the
plants you have grown. For this purpose, the use of poly tubing along with
the fittings can be the best option. If you do not know from where to get it
then do not worry as it will be easily available from any of the irrigation
suppliers near you.
Irrigation drippers and standard sized valve can be another option to be
used for irrigating your plants. For this, a propagation timer should be used
along with the dripper so that you can set up the irrigation time from
minutes to even seconds.
In order to avoid rusting, you should make the frame attached to the wall by
making use of a stainless steel tool. If you desire to have your frame
removed, then using hooks can prove to be fine and otherwise, you can also
look for using brackets which are screwed into the wall along with the
frame.
Selecting the right plants
After setting up the frame along with plastic sheets and other equipment
completely, now you are completely ready to choose the right plants to add
in your vertical garden. Along with many other things, you are required to
look for the access of sun, humidity level, wind, cold and the shade at the
place where you are going to grow your plants. You are required to be very
selective in having the right plants as the growth of plants really depends
upon the factors which have been mentioned above.
Potassium and phosphorus are two very important and effective fertilizers
which are used for making the soil of any place more cultivated. So before
you are going for plantation, in addition to wood ash you must also add a
bit of potassium and phosphorus so that the soil of the top most layers
becomes more and more cultivated.
For winters, you can opt for the plants like ferns, iberis, and hostas etc. For
summers, the best plants which you can choose to grow may include
weigela and blueberries etc. In addition to this, you should also follow this
tip that those plants which are native can grow better in the vertical garden
as compared to the other ones.
Inserting the plants
The outer layer of fabric is the place where you are going to insert your
desired plants. First, make a cut in the horizontal direction in the material
with the help of a razor. Then, try to get the maximum amount of soil from
the roots of the plants and then insert that into the cut you have made
earlier. By making use of a staple gun, at least, five staples made up of
stainless steel are required to be inserted there so that you can attach the
backing of plastic with the cloth around the root ball in a semicircle form.

Now you have to make a small hole in the top layer which you made, after
making the hole, just put the seed into it and cover it up. Now you are done
with working on your very first vertical garden. All you should do is now
keep watering the garden regularly so that the seeds you have planted must
get enough nutrition and care that eventually they may become a healthy
plant one day and give you out the highest output in the form of vegetables
and flowers.
And that’s done. Now after inserting the plants, all you are required to do is
to choose the right design using which you are going to set up the whole
vertical garden. For getting some ideas, here are some of the pictures which
will greatly help you for sure.
 Chapter 7

How to Care For Your Plants

O nce you have got your vertical vegetable garden under way—whether it
be outside or indoors—you will need to maintain it as best as possible.
In order to do so you will need to attend to the following factors:
Location. As has been noted, the reason that so many gardeners opt for a
vertical garden is because they have limited outdoor space. Nonetheless,
you may notice that your herb palette is not receiving adequate sunshine
over a course of several weeks. The advantage of having a garden in this
lightweight, portable form is that you can shift its orientation and placement
in your outdoor space. Maybe you will need to shift your palette several
feet to the right, and face it Eastward. Regardless, be open to shifting
portable trellises, palettes and baskets depending on the sunlight they
receive. In terms of a vegetable wall, you can shift the frame vertically: up
or down, to have your plants receive more sufficient doses of sunlight.
Primping and Pruning. The particular conditions of your outdoor space will
dictate the type of landscaping that your vertical vegetable or herb garden
will require. The following are but a few all-purpose tips:
Remove dead leaves and flowers. These deadened parts of your vegetables
will come to inhibit the healthy parts of your plants from thriving. Take a
careful look at your vertical garden daily, and remove deadened bits as you
see fit.
Grow your vegetables in your desired direction. If you are growing
tomatoes, pumpkins or any other type of trailing vegetable you will want to
grow these vegetables upwards: placing them at the bottom of your trellis
like structure. Be sure that you are diligent about securing the vines of your
vegetables to your trellises as they grow.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You will want to water most of your vegetables
daily: especially during the scorching summer months. But be careful when
doing so. Do not use water that is too cold. More often than not, this will
shock the system of your vegetables and inhibit their growth. In addition, be
sure that you add vegetable nutrients in with your water. These nutrients can
be purchased at your local gardening shop. Too many gardeners overlook
using plant food, and do not therefore reap the rich and substantial
vegetables that they might otherwise enjoy.
Make gradual repairs. The more diligent you are about making gradual
improvements to your garden, the more longevity it will achieve. For
example, perhaps you will notice the fabric lining on your herb palette
beginning to pucker. Grab your staple gun and reattach this fabric without
delay. You can also take another layer of fabric and layer it behind your
palette for additional support. Or maybe you notice one of your pop bottles
—used in your indoor vertical garden—beginning to crack. This is a
common occurrence when pop bottles are used as planters, as the plastic
often responds negatively to cold temperatures. If your planter begins to
crack, you will want to either transplant your vegetable into a new bottle or
place your cracking planter within one of a more substantial size. Doing so
will prevent a messy accident before it occurs, and saves you from having
to plant this particular vegetable from scratch.
Once your garden is read, the initial enthusiasm for vertical gardening goes
down. However, be rest assured that you job has just begun. Maintaining
your garden is more important and needs more of your attention than setting
it up. You need to keep checking whether your plant are getting enough
sunlight, whether the media is moist enough and whether you have used
adequate fertilizers. In case you have a hydroponic system you need to
check if your plants are getting sufficient nutrients. You need to also check
for diseases, bug invasions and in response to these spray pesticides that
will keep them away. Vines like pumpkins and gourds must be constantly
tied to the frame and the fruits must be wrapped in a rag or a cloth to
support them as they are heavy.
Besides these basic activities of watering and using fertilizers, your vertical
garden needs other maintenance like weeding, pruning and even
replacement of plants in case you realize that a particular plant is not doing
well in that environment. Since you garden is heavy with the structure,
potting mix, the containers and the plants, you need to constantly check on
the basic framework to make sure that it is sturdy enough to handle this
entire load.
There are certain things that you need to keep in mind to maintain your
garden effectively –
Water Management – This is one of the main factors to be considered for
the long term success of your garden. You should be on a constant look out
for dehydration of the media. It is advisable to apply a rewetting agent like
ethoxide that will help addressing this problem. Application of this agent
should be done at least once a month. The area you stay in determines how
much watering should be done. A dehydrated plant naturally needs more
water. But over-watering also should be avoided as it will adversely affect
the plant.
Soil – Good quality soil is critical in nourishing the vertical garden. No
matter how many efforts you put it, if the quality of soil is compromised,
the garden will not thrive. A good quality soil is –
Well aerated as level of oxygen to the roots is critical. Clay is not a good
choice as it holds on to water leading to excess water
Free from pebbles and stones
Devoid of too much sand
Rich in manure. This manure provides nutrition for healthy growth
Pests and insects management – Any garden is an attractive place for pests
and insects. You must take measures to manage them proactively or as soon
as you see sign of damage they can cause. For various insects and mites,
soap solution works best. Fungal infections should be managed by the
various anti-fungal agents available. A mixture of lemon and water proves
to be an effective insecticide. You can spray it regularly to curb insects.
Nutrients – Regular nutrition to plants is a must for their health or it will
show on the overall success of your garden. Fertilizers should be sprayed
regularly. Calcium nitrate solution can be applied to the plants once a
month.
Some plants grow at a faster rate while others grow slowly and gradually.
Accordingly set your routine to trim and prune them so that they look neat.
Depending on the plants you choose to grow you should have a rough idea
on how big they will grow and the size of the fruits they will bear or they
will overcrowd and wither away.
Maintaining even a small vertical garden can be a real task. But if you keep
the above factors in mind you will be able to managing your garden will be
an easy and enjoyable effort.
When it comes to care and maintenance, vertical garden has a great deal of
similarities with conventional or raised bed gardening. Your plants will
require an optimum level of sunlight in order to produce fruits and
vegetables. However, you will also need to consider the shadow your
vertical garden structure will cast on any surrounding plants, which could
impact any other areas of your garden.
Vertical gardens do have a tendency to be more prone to drying out, due to
the increased air circulation around the plants. While a higher level of air
circulation does reduce the risk of disease, fungus and rotting of fruit, it also
allows the soil to dry out far quicker, especially on hotter more sunny days.
This means that you will need to feed and water your plants more
frequently to prevent the soil from becoming too dry.
To reduce the need for frequent watering, you could consider using mulch
around the base of your plants. This will help the soil to retain moisture and
nutrients throughout the hotter part of the day. However, you should be
aware that if you are growing your vertical on a wall, there is a possibility
that additional heat will be reflected back on to the plants.
The actual feeding schedule for your vertical garden will depend greatly on
the types of plants you are growing. As a general rule vegetable plants are
considered to be heavy feeders. Although you may have enriched the soil
when planting, this is not likely to be sufficient for continued growth
throughout the season. Supplemental feeding is usually needed to
encourage a higher yield of fruit. You should add organic matter such as
compost into the soil at least once during the growth season but you can
also use plant foods which will provide a slow release of nutrients to feed
the plants continually. If you are using a water soluble feed, water the
vertical garden fully before using the feed.
If your geographical region suffers a drought or dry spell, this will not
necessarily compromise your vegetable growth. Of course, you will not
want to waste water, but if the soil becomes very dry you are actually better
to soak small areas once a week, rather than surface water each day. Surface
watering of very dry soil encourages the growth of surface roots, which are
more susceptible to drought. If water is limited during the dry spell,
concentrate on watering the vegetables which will gain the most benefit.
Leafy greens and fast growing salad vegetables will need approximately a
quart of water per square foot each week. This promotes fast growth of
crisp and sweet vegetables. When your vegetables are nearing harvest, they
will require two and a half quarts of water per square foot each week.
Restricting water to less than this amount may lessen the yield of your crop.
Root vegetables and brassica vegetables such as cauliflower can survive
well on a good soaking a few weeks before you harvest to boost the crop.
If you are unsure about any aspect of caring for your vertical garden
vegetable plants, you should refer to the care directions provided with your
seeds or plants. Each plant will have more specific requirements which
encourages maximum yield.
 Chapter 8

Compost - The Only Fertilizer You Need

T here is a need for compost in any garden, traditional, vertical or any

other different type of it. It’s a natural fertilizer; hence it’s the most
efficient way of recycling most of our natural resources and waste
products to obtain a chemical-free nutrient-rich soil. It is available in
specialized stores but it’s also a very easy DIY method of doing our best in
keeping a green environment.
The reasons to use it are quite a few. For example:
-keeping a green environment not only for us but for the entire world and
especially for our children,
-it helps us save some money, by not buying all those chemicals, which
sometimes harm our soils, depriving it of its natural nutrient properties,
-it attracts the good types of bacteria that will help our plants to grow
stronger,
-it has a long-lasting healthy effect on our soil, giving our plants the
opportunity to a scaled intake of nutrients, all according to their needs
-it gives you a healthier life since your plants use only natural nutrients that
allow them to beautifully grow while fortifying them to have the most
beneficent effects and ensuring you a longer life.
The most important question is: what is compost? It’s decomposed organic
matter which allows us to use various waste products, such as leaves, grass,
ashes from wood, discarded weeds, sawdust, food scraps(eggshells, coffee
ground, peels of vegetables and fruits), animal manure and bedding
materials, straws and even paper or thin cardboard.
It provides the perfect growing medium for our plants giving them the
appropriate support and nutrient properties. There are four main elements
needed for composting: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water. With the
appropriate mixture of these elements, micro-organisms can start doing
their job in decomposing the organic matter. The most common types of
bacteria engaged in the composting process are:
-bacteria, mainly mesophilic or thermophilic
-actinobacteria -necessary for paper waste decomposing
-Fungi-molds and yeast-for breaking down wood materials
-protozoa
-Rotifers -they help control the population of protozoans and bacteria
Finally, we find earthworms, with the important role of re-creating aeration
and drainage tunnels in our compost.
There are many techniques for making compost. Some are industrial-scale
ones, and some are household-level ones. I will focus on the last since we
don’t need great amounts of compost and we may get some satisfaction in
doing our small action for keeping a healthy planet.
So let’s start the DIY compost process, or “the stinky project” -as my kids
like to call it. I will try my best to give you the right and most useful advice.
Once it is ready for use compost should not have a bad smell though, so
don’t worry much about it.
The first thing to consider is location.
I recommend vermicomposting for small apartments. Also, in these cases,
you may very well rely on all sorts of compost products that you may easily
find in every specialized store. It is also a way of saving us some time and a
bit of extra work.
In our backyard, we must choose the perfect spot. It should be a remote
place since we don’t use it daily and since it certainly takes a lot of time.
We should consider three essential elements though: suitable water draining
and humidity level, a good airing and of course the right choice of waste
materials to use.
Keep in mind that the waste to use should be equally distributed. We talk
about:
-dry materials, like dry grass, ashes from wood, sawdust, some cardboard
waste, straws, and dry leaves
-green or moist materials like food scraps, freshly cut grass, peels of fruits
and vegetables, eggshells and fresh manure.
The waste materials to avoid are meat, fish, bones and other fat products,
dairy products, citrus peels, ashes from coals, weed roots and seeds,
walnuts, leaves, and rhubarb.
Once we have the perfect mixture, we should place it directly on the
ground. It’s a golden rule that not anyone is likely to share with you. To
create compost you must allow warms to get into your waste bedding. So
when you find the perfect location you will only need to secure the place,
by using small brick or timber walls, or a big barrel or simply a round or
square railing. If you have none of these materials available, in stores you
may find special compost containers -silos placed on wooden pallets.
The ultimate cost-free method is just letting the waste layer on the ground
since nature has always the best answer and best remedy for just about
everything. Where I live now is the most used method. All farmers have
great trust in nature, rain and all other natural elements that cooperate for
better growing plants. Sometimes they merely trust in God’s will. I don’t
know much about that, but I surely have faith in Mother Nature.
How to make the best compost?
The vermicomposting method
It’s the easiest and the cheapest method of obtaining compost, by using
various species of worms to create a mixture of decomposed food waste,
vegetable, and bedding materials.
It is the most efficient method of obtaining compost for urban gardeners and
apartment dwellers, since you may place your worm bin under the sink.
This type of compost contains nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus (the
three most essential nutrients for plant growth), micronutrients and minerals
that make it the best organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.
The things we need are special containers that we find in specialized stores
or wooden box (better to avoid metal containers), bedding material
(newspapers, peat, and cardboard), discarded vegetables, fruits or other
food waste and, of course, earthworms (red wigglers and red worms are the
best choices). The worms are easy to find online or in specialized stores.
Your local supplier should give the best advice. Keep in mind that it takes
about a pound of worms to process a half-pound of food a day. Prepare the
bedding, add water to dampen it and cover the bin. If you’re in a moist
environment you may go along, but if you live in a dry environment you
must add water that will allow you keeping your worms alive. It’s always
for the best if you may place the container in a warm, not that sunny spot,
but as I already mentioned before, even under the sink, or in a cabinet or
basement may work well. Add worms into your container and let them
adjust to the new environment for two or three days, then you may proceed
with feeding your worms with fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, tea
leaves, bread, pasta grains, and moist grass. You must avoid salty or spicy
foods, meat, dairy products, and oils.
Stir the mixture after every three hours if you have the time.
Vermicomposting is ready when it contains no more scraps of food or
bedding. The easiest way of harvesting it is heaping the compost into a pile
and waiting for the worms to get on the lower level, and then keep on
brushing it until your worms create a small ball.
Compost heap method
The only difference between the first method and this one is worms. Now
you don’t need them. And it certainly is a much longer process.
First, we need a sunny spot. The bedding should be made of wood
materials, like branches, which will favor the airing and water draining. We
will place our waste, always keeping the balance between the dry and the
green materials, therefore we put an 8 inches layer of green material first,
and then an 8 inches layer of dry material on top of it and so on. If you live
by the sea, you may also add some 4 inches layers of algae (but is not a
must-do thing).
On your heap of compost (at least 40 inches high) you should add at least
10 liters of water, along with nettle solution. For maintaining the heat we
should cover our heap with leaves, straws or dry grass.
The nettle solution helps decomposing but as I mentioned before it doesn’t
have the greatest smell. We must occasionally stir our heap, to allow all our
waste material to reach decomposing. The microorganisms that our waste
materials contain do their job, by increasing the temperature, hence
sterilizing the compost. Then the temperature decreases. This stage takes at
least two months.
The second stage takes from two to six months. Now we must stir our
compost once in two months, always keeping it well moist, but not soaked.
If you want less work to do you may let nature take its course. Keep in
mind that it will take a bit longer, but the result is always the same.
Trench Compost method
It is a method to compost kitchen and garden waste, that enriches your soil
by using the most invisible and sanitary techniques.
It requires almost no work at all and the less time possible. You only have
to dig a trench or any other shape hole, approximately 12 inches deep in
your backyard. Add four to six inches of waste material, including kitchen
scraps, spent garden plants, weeds, small pruning and bury all of it with
soil. There is no following step since you don’t have to worry about
maintaining airing or moisture level and you don’t have to stir it.
The reasons to use this method are:
-the plants get healthier because of the very nutrient properties of this
compost and they also grow more resistant due to their “struggle” to reach
the nutrient elements buried deep beneath them
-it is an invisible method since is buried deep
-it does not produce odors, efficiently removing the bad smell of any
kitchen waste
-it is the perfect method of avoiding the rules of some municipalities in
what concerns home composting
 Chapter 9
How to Control Pests and Disease in Your Garden

he following are common pests and diseases you may run into while
T gardening, the key to a healthy garden is knowing how to identify and
treat common pests and diseases, so take note to ensure you are able to
identify these should they (unfortunately) find their way into your garden.
Aphids
Aphids are small white critters that congregate on stems and nodes; they
suck the life out of plants. To eliminate Aphids a strong spray from your
garden hose will dislodge them. Ladybugs can also rid Aphids.
Black vine weevils
During late spring and early summer, these weevils are harmless pupae
resting in your gardens soil.
Root nematodes
Plants affected with root nematodes develop severely distorted growth.
Remove the plants out and discard them before they spread.
Making sure that your vertical plants are healthy is the easiest way to ward
off pests, diseases, and weeds from your garden.
Planting your vegetables, fruits, herbs, or ornamental vines in smaller
groups instead of planting one type of plant in one place makes it less likely
for any pests to be attracted to your vertical garden.
You could also consider inter-planting marigolds with your other plants
since they are effective in repelling pests.
You might want to attract beneficial insects to your vertical garden by
planting fennel, dill, and mint.
Make sure you are not overcrowding your vertical plants. This will help
promote good air circulation and prevent your garden from getting damp,
which only encourages fungi and other organisms to grow and cause
disease.
See to it that any problems you encounter with your plants are quickly
addressed. For example, if you suspect any leaf or fruit being diseased,
make sure to remove and destroy it immediately.
Any diseased plants you remove from your vertical garden can be added to
your compost pile. Make sure to loosen the soil with the aid of a spade to
expose any leftover pupae, larvae, or eggs of pests. You should also remove
any weeds in and around your garden as they tend to harbor disease-causing
pests.
It helps always to keep yourself clean, especially when handling the plants
in your vertical garden. You can easily spread disease with your hands,
clothes, and shoes. This is the reason you need to wash up and change
clothes prior to tending your garden, particularly if you just handled
diseased plants.
Make sure that your containers and planters are thoroughly cleaned out
before you use them again; you can quickly disinfect them with a bleach
solution (10%).
Any hidden weed seeds under the soil surface can crop up to the surface
after you do some serious digging in your vertical garden. It helps to dig
only if you absolutely have to, as weed seeds are likely to erupt anytime
you do.
During dry weather, you can simply slice off your garden weeds and then
allow any remaining bits to shrivel up.
Crawling pests are usually a major problem for a lot of hobby growers but I
have found that my container grown vegetables have very few pests and
this is one very big bonus. This being so I realized that a vertical garden
may also have the benefit of less than the usual amount of crawling pests
and I have found this to be the case.
But given that statement, don’t take it for granted that you won’t get
crawling pests, especially snails.
Depending on where you are going to keep your plants and what other
plants you, or even your neighbors will have around, do keep checking the
plants for pests anyway.
Caterpillars, bugs and slugs are the worst. You can use sprays and powders
to control them if you do end up with a huge problem, but as I say, growing
off the ground does reduce this problem immensely. You can usually just
pick off the few that you do get. These pests can quickly chew through a
nice bunch of leaves in a very short time so continually do a good check,
looking under the leaves as well and if you see holes in your leaves keep
checking until you find the culprit or culprits!
Often prevention is the better method and if you are not at the picking stage
I would suggest using some form of spray or powder deterrent for your
vegetable and fruiting plants. Look for an organic product as there are
plenty about.
Companion planting also helps with a pest problem. I grow miniature
marigolds near my tomatoes as they are known to be a strong pest deterrent.
Basil, borage and garlic are also other plants that deter pests and could be
planted in the frame as long as you don’t over plant and reduce the nutrients
that the plants will receive.
If you carefully plan the layout of your vertical garden then you can use
companion plants in amongst your fruit and vegetables and get the benefit
of both flowers and herbs along with your main produce.
Unfortunately gardens attract diseases and these need to be controlled as
early as possible so that they do not take over the whole garden.
Different climates seem to have different problems with diseases and this is
often due to the humidity in the air. Humid (wet and moist air) weather is
ideal for that problematic disease, mold. Mold is usually a gray to black
color and once on the plant the only way to get rid of it is breaking off the
affected leaf and discarding it in the rubbish bin.
The best way to keep your plants free of disease is to treat them from the
get go.
Sometimes the placement of the frame will make the difference also. If a
breeze is around the plants during the day then you will most likely find
less of a problem as the leaves will dry, not allowing the spores to land and
grow.
When you have decided what you are going to grow get the necessary
disease prevention products from your local nursery and take steps early in
the growing phase.
 Chapter 10

Watering

A vertical garden is unlike your stereotypical garden patch. This garden

grows on walls, and while that means a popping display of functional
art for you it also means that you will need to find new answers to old
challenges. You may not be too surprised to learn that the old-fashioned
watering can isn’t going to work very well for a vertical garden, but the
plants still need to be watered. So how do you go about keeping your plants
hydrated when gravity is working against you? It takes a bit of effort and a
good deal of planning but watering your vertical garden can actually be
easier than remembering to hose the veggies out back once you have
everything set up and running.
Use Materials to your Advantage
Plants like to grow, and this usually means that they are going to try their
best to climb upwards. By using the right materials when you are building
your vertical garden you can make the task of watering much easier. One
way to do this is through the use of felt. A lot of vertical gardens are
popping up around the world on the side of buildings and covering the
width of walls across inner cities. These gardens are not held together with
crates of woods with soil, but instead are surviving purely off of water and
nutrients that are being fed to them through the water. Felt is an absorbent
material that holds its shape well and remains sturdy when pressure and
liquid are applied. These factors make it the ideal go to textile for vertical
gardening.
When you are building the frame for your vertical garden, attach long
sheets of felt to the metal or wood that you are using to make the structure.
When you are picking out felt, don’t go for the arts and crafts variety from
the hobby store. Instead, you will need to find corrosion resistant felt. Since
your felt is so strong, the roots of the plants can hold onto it without ripping
the fabric. A lot of people are tempted to use lighter fabrics or paper with
seedlings already in it but this is not a good idea. It is important to have a
foundation that will remain firm as the garden flourishes.
The felt makes watering the garden easy. At the top of your structure, attach
a PVC pipe with holes in it. Staple the felt to the PVC pipe so that the felt
will absorb the water that comes out of the holes. Then, attach a hose to the
PVC pipe. The high capillarity of the felt makes the water distribute evenly
throughout the structure. Since there is no soil, it is a good idea to add
nutrients to your water supply so that the plants thrive. The types of
nutrients you will need differ depending on the types of plants you are
growing, so check with your local nursery to find out particulars on that.
The most important thing is that the plants are being watered regularly.
If your garden developed spontaneously on its own in the wild, then water
would reach it from above. By hooking up your watering system at the top
of the vertical garden you can simulate the natural flow of water to the
plants. The felt will do all of the work ensuring that all the plants are getting
the right amount of water, so hook up an automatic schedule with the water
supply and let the system do what it is meant to accomplish.
If you don’t have a hose that you can use, or if you are unable to adjust the
nutrient levels while using a hose then you may benefit from a different
type of irrigation system. There are a number of watering systems available
that feature timers with automated drips. Think of how your coffee pot is
programmed to be brewing when you wake up, these watering systems are
providing nutrients and water to your plants on the same principles. These
types of irrigation systems require the same support as a hose based
watering system, but instead of a hose you can add water to a tub that is
placed above the garden, and the water will gradually be emptied and
supplied to your plants.
Water Well, Water Often
Vertical gardens require a lot of water. One of the reasons that they have
gotten this reputation is that the structure of the garden means that you will
have a lot of plants in a confined space. However, you cannot water based
on the square footage alone. You need to consider how many plants you
have, the ambient temperature that they are exposed to, and what types of
plants you are growing.
Just like you, your plants will need water every day. By setting up an
automatic watering system you can avoid the hassle of having to water
remember to do this task on a regular basis. You will need to determine how
much water is necessary by feeling the felt underneath the plants. Check the
moisture levels on the plants on both sides, in the middle and on the bottom
of the garden to make sure that the water is distributing evenly.
If the watering system that you set up is not creating an even flow of water
for your plants, then you can try spot watering dry plants in the garden by
using a watering can. Be careful not to spill too much water, especially if
you are inside. Find a watering can with a long spout and apply the water
close to the roots for the best effect. If you are outside a quick treatment
with the garden hose can often help.
What are the Maintenance Requirements of a Vertical Garden?
The benefits of vertical gardening are numerous. A vertical vegetable
garden can make fresh, even organic fruits and vegetables available to
nearly everyone in any type of space. Having the garden upright makes it
easier to manage because less stooping down is necessary. Vertical
gardening is extremely popular among those in urban settings.
Choosing a vertical garden style will influence type of care needed. The
location of the garden should be carefully considered during planning. Your
choice of growing medium and plants also has an impact on the way you
will care for your garden. The watering system should also be thoroughly
thought out ahead of time.
You can get a great deal of enjoyment out of tending to your vertical
garden. Giving your plants the consistency in their environment they need
to flourish will mean that they produce lots of flowers, fruit or vegetables.
The basic components of care for any garden are the provision for a
growing medium, water, light nutrients and care. With a vertical garden, the
plants also need to be trained to grow in an upward direction.
If you have located your vertical garden in a place where it can get many
hours of sunlight, one part of your maintenance task is complete. If you are
growing indoors or in a place where there is not a great deal of natural
sunlight, it will be your responsibility to ensure that the plants receive
sufficient light from an artificial source. Grow lights can be purchased at
most building supply retail stores, hardware stores and even at some
hardware stores.
Your choice of plants will also make a difference in maintenance
requirements. If you are using large containers at the bottom of a frame with
netting, for instance, you will be able to grow plants with larger root
systems. If you choose to grow plants in smaller planters, troughs, in
pockets or in cubby holes, you may need to choose plants with light or
shallow roots.
The root system will need space to grow and air to help keep it healthy. The
healthier the roots are, the more the plants will produce. The soil, mat or
hydroponic growing medium should provide for air circulation and also
support the plants. Ensuring the growing medium is correct is an important
part of garden maintenance.
Once you have a good growing medium, you will need to turn your
attention to the water needs of the garden. Traditional watering with a
watering can is not usually an option and a hose may not be the best either,
especially if you are gardening indoors. Because watering with a hose or
watering can wets the leaves, they might be more susceptible to diseases.
Instead, watering systems will need to be considered and put into place in
the planning and building phases of your project.
There are several similar choices for watering your vertical garden. Most of
the time, the water is going to enter from the top, trickle down through the
whole garden and run out the bottom. This flow of water is an important
consideration when choosing plants as well. Since the top will dry out more
quickly and usually will get the most light, the plants at the top should be
hardy enough to withstand these conditions. Plants at the bottom will get
more shade and more moisture, so should be suited to this. Watering can go
on continually with a little simple machinery. By adding a pump and hose
system, water can be pumped through pipes to the top and collected at the
bottom. It can flow down through the growing medium at a steady rate
through soaker hoses or piping. If the system is hydroponic, more water
will be needed. Watering with a recyclable system also means using less
water overall than a traditional garden would need. At times, though some
sort of debris may clog the watering system and need to be cleaned out. Just
as the plants in your vertical garden need water, they will also need
nutrients. Nutrients will need to be appropriate for the particular type of
flowers, fruits, vegetables or herbs that you are growing. You should find
out during the planning phase of your project just what will be needed.
Nutrients can come in many forms, dry powders, crystals and liquid
solutions. These can be added to the water at the correct times and will take
care of your plants need for nourishment.
A final consideration for maintenance will be the care of the plants
themselves. Even with the best upkeep, things can go wrong. This may be
in the form of a few leaves becoming diseased or turning brown. It could
also mean that an entire plant dies. These dead leaves and plants must be
clipped or removed and replaced. Sometimes, in order to get the most of
your vertical vegetable garden or flower garden, it will be necessary to clip
off some of the budding flowers. This should be done if there are many
flowers clustered close together. Clipping some of them will allow one or a
few of them to produce larger, stronger flowers or vegetables.
When you provide your garden with a good growing system and maintain it
properly, you will be very satisfied with the results. In addition to producing
healthy plants and edibles, your garden will provide you with a great
looking, pleasurable and relatively easy hobby.
 Chapter 11

Vegetables for Vertical Gardens

N ow comes another fun part…selecting vegetables to grow in your

vertical garden! You might think you have limited choices, but in
reality, you have many choices of plants that will produce a great crop
of organic vegetables when grown vertically. In fact, most vegetables can
be grown using vertical methods though some will need more help than
others in order to do so properly.
That being said, some plants are better suited than others are when it comes
to maximum yield from vertical gardening. If you know the right vegetables
to plant in a vertical garden, you will soon be eating organic vegetables
produced through science and your own hard work.
Plants that grow well vertically are generally classified into two groups –
climbing plants and non-climbing ones.

Climbing plants are those that shoot out vines or stems for support as they
produce growing vegetables. These types of plants are most suited for
vertical gardening as they either climb vertically naturally as they grow, or
they can be trained to do so by tying them to support structures with a bit of
gardening twine or clips.
A plant that grows as a climbing vine is a lot of fun to watch because it
grows shoots that grab onto whatever support is nearby and wrap around
quickly to provide plant stabilization. These shoots grow fast within hours,
and you can almost see them growing right before your eyes! Climbing
plants will be the mainstay of your vertical gardening endeavors because
they are naturally designed to grow vertically and produce best when doing
so.
Non-climbing plants are ones that don’t generally grow upwards as they
thrive. Instead, they develop fairly shallow roots that keep them growing
close to the ground in a compact area. These types of plants usually don’t
need any kind of support structure to grow, and they can fill the areas
between the stems of your climbing plants and thereby increase the amount
of edibles you can grow in your vertical garden.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are non-climbers, and lettuce and spinach are some of the
most popular non-climbing plants to grow organically with vertical
gardening methods. They are considered to be “filler” plants meaning they
can grow between the stalks and vines of other growing vegetables and
utilize space that would otherwise go unused. Greens are also a popular
choice in organic gardening because they are a favorite dietary food group
that is often consumed on a daily basis by a majority of the population.
Leafy greens are particularly good options for growing organically because
commercial growing farms use a lot of pesticides, etc. when growing them,
and the chemical residue can remain after harvest and even after washing.
Most nutritionists recommend purchasing organic lettuce and spinach, as
they are vegetables worth paying the extra costs associated with purchasing
organic in order to avoid chemical contaminants.

However, you can avoid ingesting those chemicals and avoid paying for
organic greens just by growing your own in a vertical garden. Some of the
best varieties of lettuce to grow include iceberg, romaine, butter head, loose
leaf, and Batavian. If you are new to gardening adventures, Batavian is a
great lettuce to start with because it is quite easy to grow successfully.
Leafy greens usually tolerate heat well and can handle growing in areas that
experience a fair amount of shade in their chosen growing location.
Lettuce in particular is also a great decorative addition to a vertical garden
because of the variety of colors and textures the different types have to
offer. You have your choice from pretty purple or red colors of some types
of romaine lettuce to a wide range of green and purple tones in other types.
Growing organic lettuce in your vertical garden design allows you to be
quite artistic while also enjoying all the benefits of growing your own
organic vegetables.
Radishes
Radishes are root vegetables meaning the edible portion grows beneath the
soil. Other root vegetables include potatoes and carrots, but most root
vegetables do not grow well with vertical gardening methods because they
require plenty of room and soil. Root vegetables don’t grow vertically so
obviously not an overall great idea to include in your organic vertical
garden plans. However, radishes (and tiny potatoes) are the exception to this
because they are small vegetables that grow in very little soil. In addition,
they are fast growers and can be a part of your diet on a regular basis
throughout the growing season.
Strawberries
Strawberries are non-climbing plants that are an excellent inclusion within a
vertical garden setting. If growing pots are hung upside down and vertically
high, strawberry vines will grow downwards and produce a great amount of
organic strawberries in a little bit of space. Similar to leafy greens,
strawberries have a shallow root system enabling them to grow well in
containers and along the ground and/or walls of a vertical garden area.
Because they are relatively light in weight when mature, they don’t need a
lot of support during the growing process. Strawberries are another option
that can be continually grown and re-grown as they are harvested for eating
purposes.
Herbs
If you are new to gardening, growing a vertical herb garden is a great place
to start trying out your green thumb skills. Many different types of herbs are
ideal for growing in organic vertical gardens. They are non-climbers that
grow well in compact spaces for the most part, and their pretty foliage
makes them both a decorative and a beneficial fit for your organic eating
agenda.
Some of the herbs most suited for vertical growing include chives, mint,
basil, thyme, parsley, and oregano. These are also some of the most popular
herbs used for cooking, so it is a very helpful they grow well vertically.
Most herbs have a shallow root system which keeps them from overtaking
the gardening area. However, some herbs tend to sprawl or climb several
feet during the growing season. A couple of the worst offenders for that
particular problem are dill and fennel, so you want to avoid including those
in your general gardening area. It is best to check the label of the seeds you
want to grow in your herb garden because it should say how much space a
particular herb needs in order to thrive without taking over another plant’s
growing space. Herbs like fennel, lemon verbena, and dill would be best
grown away from other plants in order to enjoy all of the organic produce
you’re growing.
Pole Beans
Pole beans such as green beans and wax beans are climbing plants that
prefer to climb high and thrive in a vertical garden setting. Unlike bush
beans that spread out low and horizontally, pole beans climb up their
support between 5-10 feet in the air. Realistically, pole beans will produce
more than double the amount of bush beans that have the same exact soil
space allocation. While they do need support for their upwardly growing
shoots, beans are fairly lightweight so simple support structures do just fine.
Pole beans are some of the most popular vegetables grown vertically
because their yield is so high from such a small amount of space.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the most familiar plant for vertical gardening efforts as well
as the most popular. They are fast-growing climbing plants that are capable
of producing an amazing amount of tomatoes from one plant in a small
space as long as the growing vines are supported properly. Indeterminate
varieties of tomatoes can grow as high as 20 feet tall which makes them an
obviously great choice for a vertical garden. Tomato plants become quite
heavy in the growing process and require very strong support structures
such as a heavy-gauge metal wire cage. If you prefer to grow smaller plants
or have a vertically limited growing space, determinate tomatoes usually
grow up to around 4 feet in height which also helps decrease their growing
weight.
Tomatoes in general are very strong, healthy growers that are easily
cultivated. Because they are used in so many different ways for dietary
pleasure and cooking, focusing your gardening efforts on growing organic
tomatoes can be a wise decision for new gardeners or those with limited
time and energy for such pursuits.
Peppers
Peppers are another very popular inclusion in organic vertical gardening for
many reasons. Peppers are naturally climbing plants that need sturdy
support when growing vertically. They grow well in containers or in the
ground so are more adaptable for whatever space you have to dedicate for
your vertical gardening purposes.
Peppers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and tastes, and because
the skin of these vegetables is ingested, growing them organically without
chemical pesticides or fertilizers is best for your health. You can grow red,
purple, orange, yellow, and/or the traditional green peppers, so they make
great decorative accents to your growing area. You can choose to grow
spicy or hot peppers or sweet peppers or all different kinds of peppers in
your organic vertical garden, so they have unlimited potential for greatly
enhancing the flavor and health of your food choices.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a great addition to your organic vertical garden. Because
they are a naturally climbing vine, cucumbers excel in vertical growth as
long as they have proper structural support while doing so. They are easily
trained to climb up any given structure because their stabilizing shoots
attach to stable objects quickly as they grow.
Bush or small pickling varieties of cucumbers produce best in a vertical
setup mainly because the weight of larger cucumbers will cause them to
drop before they are ripe enough to harvest. Cucumber vines, leaves, and
blossoms are aesthetically pleasing to the eye thus decorative in any setting.
They look beautiful (and get great support!) growing up wrought iron gates,
entries, and fences.
All-in-all, you really have a wide variety of tasty vegetables that can be
successfully grown in an organic vertical gardening system as long as they
have the support needed to hold their weight as they grow. Some vegetables
may not seem possible to grow vertically, but with some minor
modifications and trial-and-error efforts, most vegetables and fruits can be
grown in a vertical garden.
 Chapter 12

Fruits for Vertical Gardens

Y ou can grow many types of fruits and vegetables through vertical

gardening. For heavier produce, you need deep container, which can
accommodate the plant and the vertical support.
Check your garden conditions and understand which plants are well suited
based on the climate and the plant variety. Remember, the plant should
climb vertically, and not remain as a bush. Daily watering is needed if you
grow vertical vegetables and fruits in a container.
Here are a few vegetable and fruit ideas that can grow vertically:
Ingredients and materials that you need
Support frames and containers
Fruit and vegetables seeds and seedlings
Compost-rich soil
Vertical support structures
Perlite or peat moss
Straps of fabric or cloth twines
Pruning shears or small knife
Garden gloves
Tomatoes
Succulent, bright red tomatoes are one of the favorite vegetables of many.
You can add them to your salad, you can cook with them and they provide
great tangy flavor. There are mainly two types of tomatoes: determinate and
indeterminate. Indeterminate tomatoes are vining tomatoes that continue to
grow and determinate tomatoes are broad and bushy plants.
Purchasing: purchase the tomato plant from a nursery. Check for the various
varieties available and choose your container according to the variety. You
need a 2 gallon or 10-liter container for beefsteak tomatoes and a 1.5 gallon
or 6-liter container for vining cherry or bush type tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes develop and ripen easily, so choosing them is not a bad
idea. They are perfect for hanging baskets or pots and provide a much better
crop.
When planting your tomato plants, make sure that the roots of the plants get
a good supply of air. For proper aeration, add 10-20% perlite to the potting
mix. On the sides of the container, make a lot of small holes so the roots can
breathe.
Support your tomato plants with stakes or strings so they can grow
vertically. Secure the stem of the tomato with strips of cloth and keep the
cloth loose to avoid damaging the stem.
Water the soil daily and keep the soil completely moist.
You can dilute tomato feeds and apply them on the plant roots.
Regularly prune tomato trees to keep the plant controllable.
Cucumber
The vine varieties of cucumbers are a naturally climbing plant and ideal for
vertical garden.
Use big containers to plant cucumbers and keep them in a place where they
can support themselves when grown. Use a durable structure like a trellis or
a cage to support the weight of the vines when fully grown. Often
cucumbers take some time to fasten themselves to the vertical structure of
the garden. As soon as they get trained, they can grow vertically by
themselves.
The soil needed to be fertilized adequately for healthy and quick growth.
For cucumbers, abundant sunlight is a must, so plant them in a sunny
environment.
To avoid bitter tasting cucumbers, you need to water the plants daily.
Depending on the outside temperature, you may need to water the plants at
least twice daily. Mulching around the cucumber plants help keep the soil
moisture.
The cucumbers are easy to harvest, grow fast and good for vertical
gardening.
Pole beans are a climbing plant and grow virtually any structure including
other plants.
Use large containers to plant pole beans and place them close to a sturdy
support structure. Installing poles nearby will help. Proper sunlight is
essential.
The soil pH level is important, so check to make sure it is 6.5. If needed,
add relevant fertilizer to correct the soil balance. Make sure the soil is loose,
crumbly and without any weeds.
Water daily to ensure proper growth.
Add a layer of mulch to retain moisture.
With a string of cloth, tie the pole bean stalks to fences or stakes. This will
support the plants and help them grow vertically.
Harvest the beans that are firm and strong; careful not to pull the stalks or
branches.
Peas
Peas are easy to grow because they don’t attract pests and don’t need a lot
of nutrients. Peas are natural climbers and can easily twirl and twist and
scramble their way up vertically.
Inject your peas with bacteria Rhizobium before planting them. Rhizobium
is used to provide nitrogen to the roots.
Peas need a well-drained soil and full sun. Space the plants for proper air
circulation. You also need good soil and a deep container for growth.
For peas, you don’t need wide support structure; the tendrils of the peas
should be able to wrap around the stick or pole easily. Otherwise, they will
not be able to grow.
Your support structure has to be tall because the pea plants grow very tall.
Tall support structure can yield you a huge volume of peas.
With cloths, tie the pea stalks loosely to the frame at regular intervals so
that there is enough room for the stem growth to continue.
The plant will stop producing if you let the seeds ripen, so when you start
harvesting, pick all the pods that are ready at once.
Pumpkins
Using trellises, pumpkins can grow vertically. The vertical growth helps the
gardeners grow more with fewer diseases.
You need deep containers, fill it with potting mix and add fertilizers to it.
Local nurseries are the best choice for you to buy seeds.
Plant the seeds and spread a layer of mulch to retain the moisture. Water the
soil so the entire depth of soil is wet.
When the vines are a few inches tall, they need help to grow up the
trellises/fences. Tie the vines to the supporting trellises or to the fence. As
the fruits start to grow bigger, make a sling under each fruit with the help of
stockings or nylon netting. Place the fruit in the middle and tie both the
ends to the sling to the frame tightly and securely. This will support the
heavy and plump pumpkins. As the fruits grow bigger, adjust the sling
accordingly.
Harvest the fruit when it is hard to the touch and the skin turns solid orange.
Place the fruit in the sun for a week to cure it. Store the fruit in warm and
dry place until you are ready to use it.
Strawberries
As a grower, growing strawberries is quite rewarding. Use multi-tiered
vertical strawberry planter pots readily available in the stores. When you
take a bite from your vertically grown strawberry, you will know it was
worth the trouble.
Fill the multi-tier planter pots with quality potting mix and necessary
fertilizers.
These specific pots use the trickle-down method of irrigation; meaning you
have to pour water at the top and the water then flows/trickle down into
each pot. At the bottom, there would be a bottom tray to collect the excess
water.
Chose the strawberry type that you want to grow. Strawberries have shallow
roots. So you can plant them basically anything that contains the correct
soil, provides sunlight and water.
Adequate amount of sunlight is needed for strawberries. So plant them in an
area that gets enough sunshine.
Until the plant produces flowers, you need to use organic control release
fertilizer once every month.
Once the plants start to produce flowers, increase the frequency of
fertilizers to once in every 10 days until you start harvesting.
During the growing season, check the strawberry plants daily to understand
the need for water.
Blackberries
While usually people prefer the sweetness of strawberries or blueberries,
you will love the tartness of a well-ripened blackberry. Use a tiered system
for growing blackberries vertically. There are several ways to grow them,
you can stack pots on top of each other and grow blackberries in them or
use a vertical rack which has several levels.
Choose the right type of blackberry for your vertical garden. For example,
trailing variety is highly suited for growing in the tiered pots. Mix the
potting soil and organic compost and plant the plant in the pots. Drill
drainage holes if there are none in the pots.
Similar to other plants, the blackberries also need direct sunlight most of the
day. Place the plants so they get enough sunlight.
Water the blackberry plants according to their needs; give them at least 1
inch of water each week.
Remember, the plants don’t produce a lot of fruit for the first year, but be
patient, because they will give you produce during the next year. Pruning is
required. After the second harvest, prune away the dead and dying canes.
Raspberries
Using trellises, you can also grow raspberry vertically. Planting raspberry
vertically on a trellis gives you several advantages. This technique makes
maintenance and harvesting easy and produces higher quality fruit.
Choose a large pot or a container that has a great potting mix and the
appropriate fertilizer to plant raspberry canes.
Sunshine is important for the plant so place the plant in a sunny area.
Keep the soil moist by watering regularly. Add good organic water solvent
fertilizer to the soil every month.
When they are tall enough, guide the canes to grow near the trellises. Attach
the canes in bundles of twos to the long poles or trellises that you can fix at
the sides. Provide support for the raspberries by tie a string like a bow with
a double knot to adjust accordingly.
As the canes grow, adjust the knot to avoid affecting their growth or
cramping the canes.
 Conclusion

hank you for making it to the end. You will be well on your way to
T discovering and mastering the world of vertical gardening. Vertical
gardening can be the ideal solution to providing green areas in small
spaces, plus it can begin to add an element of sustainable living to wherever
you are. The idea isn’t new, from the hanging gardens of Babylon to the
wall gardens of Mexico, hanging plants and tiered planters to maximize
growing space have always been in use. What are new are the approach, the
appreciation of style and versatility, as well as an understanding of how
important it is to modern life to have growing plants in your living space.
While there are many ideas for plants and planters, all of them came from
gardeners being willing to imagine their growing spaces creatively and to
experiment. The key to successful vertical gardening is to be willing to try,
and willing to make mistakes. It will take a growing season before you
learn the ins and outs of the climate you are working with. The interior of a
house will tend to be drier and warmer than the exterior. The exterior may
be more affected by elements of altitude and light than the interior. The
important thing to remember is that gardening is a life-long hobby. You
don’t ever really master it, you simply master the ability to make changes
and recover from mistakes or unforeseeable incidents.
Gardens do more than add color and points of interest to a space. They can
be powerful elements of your interior and exterior design, but gardens also
begin to introduce fresh foods into your diet. Vertical gardening often
combines the colors of vegetables and consumable plants with a specific
idea of providing a more economical, and renewable, source of variety for
your diet.
Sky farms are a great way to save space when trying to garden still, whether
you're on a rolling acreage or stuck in the middle of the city. This is the
biggest advantage of vertical gardening; it can be done virtually anywhere.
Vertical gardening produces completely organic plants in less space than
most gardens take, and it works with a lot of different plants. If you do this
right, your plants will thrive, and you'll have a great new hobby!
Interestingly, your plants will even be healthier than horizontally grown
plants, as they do not touch each other as much during the growing process
(which normally transfers diseases and germs).
So you've got the space, you've got the time, and you've got the knowledge
about what plants work well together. Great! After reading all of the
information in this guide, you are well equipped to begin your own vertical
garden.
No matter if you have very limited space; you can still make your own
vertical garden and make it work for you. It really doesn’t have to be very
big, just a small structure, a few pots or other containers and you are good
to go. Let your imagination run wild!
If you are fairly new to gardening, my suggestion would be to start with a
few herbs as they are generally fairly forgiving. That doesn’t mean that you
cannot look after them! They will need some care and attention.
I hope you have learned something!
 CONTAINER GARDENING

A PraCtical Guide for Beginners to Plant

OrganiC Vegetables and Ornamental Plants in
Pots, Tubs and Other Containers, Indoor and
OutdOor (Vegetable Gardening Book 3)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

any homes and office areas can be limited in terms of space. Even so, a
M container garden can make any room seem brighter and more colorful.
Container gardening allows you to enjoy growing plants in places
where you thought it might be impossible otherwise. Containers placed in
corners, suspended from the ceiling, window boxes placed on railings, or
even small pots placed on a shelf or bookcase are just a few options for
these types of gardens and arrangements.
Besides, if you find you cannot grow a garden outside of your home
because of the poor soil, if you are living in a limited space without access
to an outdoor garden, or you only have a small deck, you can still enjoy the
simple pleasures that container gardening offers.
The increasing popularity of container gardens in different parts of the
world has taught many people the benefits of cultivating these masterpieces.
You might see plants growing in containers on balconies or rooftops, in
office spaces, restaurants, and more. People enjoy the fact that they can
create special gardens--regardless of the location or the space available to
them. Additionally, individuals find they can grow special plants that
require extra attention to detail concerning soil and water—plants they
could not manage if they were part of a large garden.
Individual plants can take on an entirely new look when displayed in a
container that highlights their unique shape, size, color, and texture.
Container gardening offers instant color to a room any time of day, and
beautiful displays of plants can often change the entire look of a space. This
is just one reason why container gardening has become one of the favorite
options incorporated by interior designers when dealing with spaces.
Even if you find that you have enough room in your garden outside for
planting, container gardens allow you to tailor your decorations around
seasonal changes. For example, if you live in a climate that experiences all
four seasons, the winter may deem it necessary to move your containers
inside where your plants can be protected. The portability of gardens in
containers gives you the option of enjoying your foliage year round-- even
in an area where the weather changes dramatically.
Container gardening offers the option of you being able to own a garden. It
gives you the flexibility to reorder or move your plants around whenever
and wherever you like. You also have the freedom to choose the plants you
want to grow, whether they are flowers, vegetables, herbs, or combinations.
You can even grow tropical plants during the winter months if you keep the
plants inside your home. Then, when the summertime comes, you can either
transplant your plants outside or simply move the containers outdoors.
Creating a container garden allows those who live in the city to enjoy eating
fresh salads with the lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs they have grown. High-
rise patios and porches can be made even more beautiful with the addition
of container gardens displaying their arrays of brilliant colors found in
flowering plants.
I hope you are beginning to realize how versatile container gardening can
be and some of what can be achieved by it.
What Are Some Advantages of Container Gardening?

Container gardening has many options. From round to rectangular, to tall or

short, there are many choices for starting your beautiful garden—even if it’s
only an area of one foot by four feet.
Think for a moment and ask yourself, “Have I ever tried container
gardening before?” The answer is probably yes but you may never have
thought of your efforts as container gardening. Did you ever bring home a
small plant you started in a paper cup while you were in school? Did a
friend ever give you an extra tomato plant they did not have room for in
their garden? If so, then you have had some experience with container
gardens already. Every year millions of people head to their local nursery or
home-supply store and stock up on flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs to
plant at home so they can enjoy the efforts of their labor weeks and months
later.
Container gardening has numerous advantages that make them a great
option—whether you are just beginning or are someone who has been
cultivating this way for a long time.
1. If you are a beginner, this is a great way to start growing your own plants
~ almost every experienced gardener will tell you that they have had plants
die. This is just part of the process. However, the beautiful thing about
container gardening is it is manageable, allowing you to keep up with what
you are growing. Even if you have a busy schedule, most find they can
grow beautiful gardens at home in their containers successfully.
2. The spread of diseases to other plants is less likely to occur ~ Plants can
get diseases too, but they are less likely to infect other plants when they are
contained in individual pots as opposed to a garden in the ground. It will
also be a lot easier for you to treat your plants if they become infested
because you can remove the container from the others until the plant either
dies or you nurse it back to health.
3. Maintenance of your container garden will result in less pain for your
back ~ you can easily adjust the height of the containers so it is most
comfortable for you, unlike natural plants in the ground. Placing containers
on tabletops, concrete blocks, or suspending them from railings lets you
decide what height best meets your physical needs.
4. Portability is one of the most significant advantages of container
gardening ~ with container gardens, you can transfer your plants outdoors
or bring them indoors whenever you like. For instance, when the climate in
your area is about to experience a freeze, you can bring your plants inside—
that is, if your containers are not too heavy to be moved. If you relocate to a
new home or city, containers offer you the opportunity to take your plants
along with you.
5. Containers come in many different shapes, sizes, colors and materials ~
Choose containers that best fit your design needs for inside or outside your
house. Besides, containers can be changed and used to create unique looks
and atmospheres. Whether you are looking for a formal and manicured
look, a homey and cottagey style, or flowering plants that create a sense of
relaxation, this type of gardening offers many options for you to try.
6. Container gardening is economical ~ It is not necessary, especially for
beginners, to invest in expensive containers and tools. You can use most
anything as long as you realize two essential elements have to be met:
- First, you want to pick a container that can allow for proper drainage.
- Secondly, do your best to make sure that your plants will look great in
the containers you choose. Using pictures from the plant’s packaging, try to
visualize how the plant’s shape, flowers, and leaf formations will look in
the container once they have matured.
If you are just starting, you can use some containers that you may already
possess. Just make sure your container can efficiently get rid of any excess
water your plant does not need through drain holes in the bottom. Let your
imagination kick in here by visualizing using an old pot with some holes in
the bottom, a watering can repainted, or a large empty water bottle cut in
half.
7. Feeding your plants in containers is a lot easier than feeding plants that
live outside ~ compared to the size of extensive gardens in the ground, the
containers you will be using are relatively small. This means fertilizing and
feeding your plants is rather easy and does not require as much product or
time. You will find that you will be able to distribute the plant food rather
quickly as your containers retain the food you administer.
8. You can extend the growing season of your plants ~ Since you will have
more control over the environment your plants live in, you can extend the
growing season of them. Even if you don’t bring your containers inside, you
can keep the soil warm for a more extended period by insulating and
wrapping your pots or containers by wrapping them with towels or thick
blankets.
9. Container gardens allow you to showcase beautiful plants ~ as your
plants grow and the flowers bloom, containers make it possible to show
them off by moving them to places where they can be enjoyed by you and
others.
10. Container gardening offers unlimited possibilities ~ you can grow
almost any kind of plant in a prepared container containing suitable plants.
While we all make some mistakes in this area, through trial and error, your
efforts are often greatly rewarded with great tasting food and beautiful
arrays of flowering plants.
I thought it would be helpful to share a few disadvantages of container
gardening. Because they offer so many possibilities and options, the
disadvantages are minimal.
1. Plants that are grown inside containers tend to dry out quicker than
those planted in the ground. Because of this, it is best to water your plants
early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun has gone down.
This dramatically reduces the rate of evaporation of the water for your
plants and helps to minimize any damage that can occur to them during the
middle parts of the day.
2. Because of the container’s limitations in size and their confinement,
they are unable to siphon needed water through their root systems from the
ground. As a result, watering may need to occur more frequently. Also, this
may result in essential nutrients draining from your soil, so you may find it
necessary to fertilize your plants more often to replace these nutrients.
3. This one is obvious, but deserves a quick mention. Container gardens
are limited to the size of the space you have available. However, if you live
in an apartment complex and have no yard, container gardens suddenly
become a very viable option and an advantage over not being able to grow
anything at all.
 Chapter 1
Gardening Materials

ne of the thrills of container gardening is choosing the right kind of

O container for your plants. You have absolute freedom in injecting your
creativity and personality in the containers you choose. You can choose
just about anything. You just have to make sure that whatever you choose
can hold soil and has a drainage system.
Choosing the right kind of container is one of the most essential steps in
growing a successful container garden. The right kind of container will
ensure that your plant will receive sufficient nutrients. In addition to this, it
will also add personality to your garden. Choosing the right kind of
container will allow you to be creative and artistic with your container
garden. However, keep in mind that you need to match the shape of your
pots to the kind of plants you want to grow. Specific plants have specific
needs, and you have to take that into account as you choose your containers.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing the right kind of
container for your garden. Anything made from clay, metal, wood, or
plastic are suitable. You can choose similar kinds of containers so that your
garden will have a theme and they will all look great together.
You don’t need to buy your containers. You can look around your house for
something that you can use. You may also construct your containers if you
think you have the skill! Choosing or making containers is one of the most
creative elements of this hobby.
However, choosing containers is not all about aesthetic. You need to take
into account the things that your plants need. You have to keep in mind that
generally-speaking, it is more stressful for plants to be in containers than to
be on the ground. So you have to pay attention to the kind of containers you
choose to ensure that your plants will get the nutrients and care they need.
Here are some tips that could help you in choosing the containers.
Why is it more stressful for plants to be in containers?
Containers are not the natural habitat of plants. Therefore, it is
understandable why plants in containers have different needs from plants
planted directly on the ground. However, do not be discouraged. Despite the
differences, there are still certain plants that live well in containers. You just
have to be mindful of the different needs and demands of container
gardening.
No matter what container you use, they need more water than plants on the
ground because containers dry out more quickly. You have to be attentive
and consistent in providing it with water. Smaller pots require more
watering. You have to exceed the general gardening rule of 1 inch of water
a week. Make sure to know the needs of your plants when it comes to
watering. You don’t want to drown the roots of your pots either! Potted
plants are also more sensitive to changes in the temperature so you have to
take that in mind. You might need to make several adjustments in caring for
your plant as the temperature of the environment changes.
Also, plan out the spacing of your potted plants to ensure that they won’t
compete for nutrients, crowding plants together could stress them out. It is
also important to fertilize your potted plants because they do not receive
natural nutrients from the earth.
There is no “right” container for a garden but there is a “right” container for
every species of plant. What are the things that you should consider when
choosing containers for your garden? Here are some tips!
Your containers should be big enough to support your plants when they are
fully grown
You have to determine the size of your plants when you buy your
containers. Most plants need six to eight inches of space for adequate
rooting. Keep in mind that these plants will grow. So you have to make sure
that the pots you choose are suitable for the plants you want. If you are
going to make your containers yourself, make sure that you choose the right
size and material for the pots.
Some experts recommend that generally speaking, plants survive better in
big pots. Big pots also need less frequent watering because the soil is able
to hold in more water. For beginners, big pots are ideal because it allows for
a more significant margin of error in fertilizing and watering.
Try to plan what plants you are actually going to grow. This will allow you
to take into account the needs of the plants as you choose your pots. You
will be able to choose pots that are more appropriate if you already know
what plants you want.
Your containers should be able to hold soil without spilling
Your pots should be able to hold soil efficiently, but at the same time, it
should have holes for the drainage of water. It is essential that it can hold
soil effectively because the soil holds the nutrients and water for the plants.
Something that doesn’t hold in soil well could be potentially damaging for
your plants. It is possible that your plants might not get proper nutrients if
soil is spilling out of your pots. In addition to this, soil spillage is messy
(especially if you want your plants in an indoor area)!
Your container should have an efficient drainage system
It is important to emphasize that proper drainage is necessary for plants,
especially at the early stages of their growth. If your pot does not have
enough drainage, your soil might get too wet, and this problem might
actually cause your plant to die. This is because too much water causes the
root to rot. In effect, the plant is not able to get the nutrients it needs when
there is too much water. Unless you are a really attentive gardener who
knows the needs of your plants perfectly, you need pots to help keep the
drainage of your container garden efficient.
Too much water will drown the roots of your plants. Therefore, it is
essential for you to ensure that your pots have an efficient drainage system.
This will allow the roots to absorb water and at the same time get rid of
whatever is in excess.
It is useful to add gravel, stones, or pot shards to increase drainage below
the soil and if you’re going to buy pots, make sure that they have enough
holes. You can add holes only by drilling or punching them at the bottom of
your container, or you can make your life a whole lot easier by making your
own containers with sufficient holes.
Avoid using pots with products that may be harmful or toxic to animals or
people
It is nice to stay natural when choosing your materials for container
gardening. Toxic chemicals are harmful for you in the long run. This is
especially true if you want to plant vegetables or herbs in your pots. It is
better to choose safe materials that will not endanger you or your family. If
you can, check the materials used to manufacture your container. Make sure
that all chemicals included are safe and non-toxic. Avoid wood treated with
creosote or pentachlorophenol (Penta) wood preservatives because these are
harmful for plants and they are potentially harmful for people as well.
Be mindful of the location of your garden
The location of your garden affects how you choose your pot. The kind of
container you use should be appropriate for the kind of environment that
your plant is in. Choose the container color accordingly. You can paint
containers to create a cooler surface. This will more easily reflect heat.
When you are going to put your pots in full sun, avoid dark colors, mainly
black.
Also, keep in mind that terracotta pots wick away water from plants. You
might have to adjust your watering schedule if you want to use terracotta
pots. Lastly, you should pay attention to the detail and design of pots in
high-visibility areas. Naturally, you’d want your pots to be beautiful and
attractive if there are a lot of people who will see your pots.
Consider mobility
There might come a time when you’d want to move your plant to a different
location. Have the foresight to plan ahead. This means that you should try
to make your pots as mobile as possible. Choose containers made from
lighter materials that could be carried around.
You must also try to control the weight factor of your plants, if you plan to
move them. You may opt for the new fiberglass or Styrofoam planters.
They are not only lightweight, they are decorative as well.
Use window boxes
Plants in boxes will add a quaint charm to any space. If you want a rustic
look for your home, container gardening in your window boxes is perfect
for you! If you know how to work around the house, you can even construct
your own window-box pot. You can ask for help from most gardening or
hardware stores. Some even offer classes on how to make them. Make sure
to measure the width and length of your window sill before looking around
for options.
Different kinds of window sills are made from different kinds of materials.
You can choose from wood, plastic (including recycled), terracotta,
fiberglass, and many more. You should avoid using metal because they tend
to retain too much heat in direct sun.
Make sure that your window box is efficiently attached to your sill to avoid
damage. Also, check if you have an efficient draining system so that you
won’t drown the roots of the plants.
You can use whimsical pots if you wish!
The pots you choose will reflect your personality and bring style to your
garden. You don’t have to be conventional when choosing your pots. You
can be whimsical and adventurous if you wish. Think of odd objects you
can use. The more unusual the items you choose, the more enjoyable your
garden will be. Have fun with your pots. This is where your creativity and
artistry will come in.
 Chapter 2

Deciding What to Grow

I tdifferent
is crucial to choose your plants carefully. Different vegetables need
things. And some vegetables have many different varieties.
These varieties are bred to be grown different ways. Some plants will
grow very big. They will need lots of space. Other ones are bred to be
small. They may be bred just for growing in pots. These will do better in a
container garden. Certain plants need lots of sun. Others do just fine with a
bit of shade. Some plants need to be watered a lot. Other plants are fine if
they are watered every once in a while. You will have to think about all of
these things when you are deciding what to plant.
The majority of vegetables need lots of sun. This means eight to twelve
hours of full sun a day. Vegetables that need this kind of sun include
tomatoes, peppers, peas, squash, and cucumbers. Some vegetables do just
fine without full sun, though. Some vegetables that are fine to grow without
full sun are radishes, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, certain kinds of beans, and
many greens like lettuce or kale. You can find out how much sun a
vegetable needs a couple of different ways. Usually, the plant's light needs
are printed right on the package. Or you can talk to the people at the garden
store. They will usually know all about the needs of different plants.
Certain types of tomatoes and other plants are bred just for growing in pots.
These are often called dwarf or patio varieties. Planting vegetables that are
meant for container gardening will help ensure your success. It will also
help make your job easier. Often patio varieties do not need stakes or cages.
They will not be as bushy or large as other kinds of veggies. As with
sunlight, seed packets will tell you how big you can expect each plant to
grow. And you can ask at your local garden center.
Many cities have Master Gardener programs. These programs are a good
place to find garden experts. They will be happy to answer your questions
about which veggies to choose for your container garden.
It is also very important to be sure to plant things that you like to eat! I
remember helping a family plant an organic container garden on their
balcony. I carefully asked them what they wanted to plant, and they told
me. Three months later when I visited I noticed that none of the beets had
been harvested. When I asked them about it they said that they didn't like
beets! I didn't ask why they decided to grow them, but I was curious!
Growing vegetables can be a lot of work, so you have to make sure it's
worth it. Do not plant vegetables that you or your family will not use!
It is important to engage kids in choosing what to plant. If kids can make
decisions about what goes in the garden, they will feel better about taking
care of it. This means they will be more willing to keep watering and
weeding all summer long. A great way to engage kids is to have them plant
a pizza garden! Ask them what their favorite veggies are on a pizza. You
can plant tomatoes to make tomato sauce. You can plant spinach, onions,
and peppers if they like those toppings.
You can also grow herbs to make your own Italian seasoning mix. For this
you will need to grow basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. These herbs are
quite hardy. They do very well in pots. And at the end of the season, you
can bring them indoors. To make your Italian seasoning, cut off a few sprigs
of each. Then hang the sprigs upside-down in your kitchen to dry. Once
they are dry, crush them up and mix them together. This is best done with a
mortar and pestle. Presto, you have made your own Italian seasoning! You
can also use fresh herbs in your pizza sauce. Herbs are great to plant with
kids. They look, feel, smell, and taste different. These are all fun things to
explore with kids.
Many of the vegetables you will plant for a pizza garden grow well
together. Basil and tomatoes actually help each other grow. The pizza
garden is a great teaching tool for this and other points. Kids will learn
about where their pizza comes from. This will help teach them about
cooking as well as gardening. You can talk to them about how much work
goes into making food. This will help to teach them the real value of a good
pizza!
Finally, we recommend the following links for more information on master
gardeners. This link is for gardeners in North America. And this link is for
gardeners in the United Kingdom.
How to Plant: Overview
There are two ways to begin planting the garden. You can buy seedlings
from a catalog or nursery. Or you can buy seeds. Seeds are then either
started indoors before the last frost and transplanted, or sown directly into
the soil. We will discuss precisely how each method works. Here, let's begin
by finding out why you should choose one method or the other.
Some plants do better if they are planted as seedlings. Others do just fine if
you plant them as seeds. Often the vegetable seed packet will tell you which
method is best for that particular plant. You can also ask for advice from the
people working at your garden center.
For most plants that produce a true fruit, it is better to start them indoors.
True fruits are those plants that first produce flowers. The fruit then grows
from the flower. The seeds of the plant are contained inside the fruit. For
example, a tomato plant produces small yellow flowers. The flowers are
pollinated by the wind. Pollination means the process by which pollen
travels from one flower to another. Some flowers, like tomatoes, are
pollinated by the wind. Other flowers need the help of bees or birds to do
this. Once the flowers have been pollinated, they can grow fruit - in this
case tomato. There are quite a few plants that we think of as vegetables but
that are actually true fruits. These include peppers, squash, corn, and
eggplant. These plants will all grow better if you start them indoors before
planting them outside.
There are a few benefits to starting seeds indoors. But stated briefly, starting
seeds indoors protects them while they are young. Very young plants can be
in danger from pests and weather. It also allows you to select the best and
strongest ones to plant in your garden.
Many other vegetables will do just fine if planted from seed. These are
often vegetables that have very large seeds. They also tend to grow very
quickly. Peas, beans, and greens can be planted from seed. Vegetables that
grow mostly underground can also be planted from seed. These include
carrots, beets, and turnips.
There is no hard and fast rule for which vegetables should be started from
seed and which should be planted as seeds in the soil. There are benefits
and drawbacks to each method. The method you choose will depend on a
few different things. Ask advice from master gardeners as well. I like to
start most of my plants indoors for a few reasons. But this might not be
right for you. At the end of the day, it is up to you to use what you know to
make your decision
Since you will be container gardening, you also have a third option.
Depending on the size of your containers, you can start them indoors. Then,
when the plants are ready and the weather is warm, you can move them
outside. This can be hard to do if you are using very large containers. But if
you are using medium-sized pots, think about doing it. In this way, you can
get the benefit of starting your plants indoors. This protects them from the
weather and lets you start them earlier. It also keeps the plants safe from
any stress they might suffer. The act of transplanting plants can cause them
a lot of stress. So making sure you do not have to transplant they can
benefit them in the long run.
Just like with watering and soil choice, you can experiment to find out what
method works best. For the same kind of plant, start a few indoors, plant a
few more as seeds. Then, observe the plants for differences. Does one
method result in more yields? Does another method produce vegetables
sooner? Gardening is all about trial and error to find out what the best way
to do it is for you. Different methods work better or worse depending on
your area and what you are growing. The first year or two, you should try a
few different things. That way you can find out which techniques work best.
As you gain experience, you will become a better gardener. Someday other
gardeners may be asking you for advice!
Kids Activities around Seeds
Learning about seeds is a great way to begin to understand the natural
world. There are a few really great activities that show kids how plants
grow from seeds. These are simple to do. They provide a wealth of
information to kids. This lesson does not only show kids how seeds become
plants. It also opens up broader questions about how life works in general.
Talk to kids about how a seed becomes a plant. They may already have
some ideas of their own. After they share their ideas, do some of these
activities with them to find out more.
Inside A Seed
For this activity you will just need Lima beans, a magnifying glass, and
water. Did you know that beans are actually seeds that you can eat? Beans
are pretty big seeds. Because they are so big compared to other seeds, they
are a good place to start your exploration.
Soak the beans in the water overnight, until they are soft. Then show your
kids how to open them carefully. You can open a softened Lima bean with
just your fingernails. Press your thumbnail against the inside edge of the
seed. That is, the concave (curved-in) edge. If the seed has been soaked
enough, you should be able to force it open.
What do you see? The outer layer is called the seed coat. It protects the
baby plant while it is growing inside the seed. Most of what you see inside
the seed coat is actually food. It is what the baby plant uses to grow before
it is big enough to make its own food. Look closer using the magnifying
glass. If you are very lucky, you might even see the baby plant inside the
seed! Draw a picture of what you see, and label the different parts.
Starting a Seed
For this activity you will need Lima beans, paper towels, a plastic sandwich
bag, and water. In this activity we are going to germinate the Lima beans.
Germination is the process by which the baby plant comes out of the seed
and starts to grow. This activity will teach kids about the first steps in a
plant's life.
 Chapter 3
Best Organic Vegetables for Every Pot

Tomatoes
omatoes tend to be one of the vegetables people grow in containers
T when they first start gardening. Here are a few important things to know
about tomatoes:
1. If you decide to grow them, plant them in a large container that is at least
fourteen inches in diameter. Additionally, when larger pots are used, tomato
plants often respond by getting bigger and producing more fruit.
2. When buying soil for your containers, make sure they are labeled
appropriately for larger pots. These will contain ingredients like perlite,
composted pine bark, peat moss, rice hulls, coconut pieces, and peanut
shells to give your soil some bulk. Avoid mixtures that are high in peat
moss because these will cause compression of your soil, thus causing the
plant’s root mass to be reduced.
3. You will need a vertical support system, like a small trellis. This should
be installed around your tomato plant soon after planting so you do not
damage your plant as it grows.
4. Never overwater your tomatoes and be sure to keep the soil moist instead
of wet. You could use self-watering containers to make sure that the plant
gets the water it needs.
5. You will want to feed your plants with a slow-release fertilizer and
provide it with at least six to eight hours of sunlight every day. It is best to
plant tomatoes in the late spring as this lessens their chances of being
damaged from frosts.
6. Harvesting tomatoes when they are red means they have reached
maturity and are ready to be enjoyed.
Peppers
If you decide to grow peppers, which are also quite popular, strive to find
varieties that are labeled, “intended for containers” or “compact.” This
means these varieties tend not to grow as big as regular varieties meant for
in-ground gardens. Here are some helpful facts to know about peppers:
1. Peppers don’t require too much space to grow. You can grow them in
containers starting at nine inches in diameter and about nine inches deep.
2. You will want to buy soil that is labeled for larger containers because this
includes bulk materials like pine bark, peanut shells and other hulls which
will help keep the soil from becoming too dense. Also, make sure the soil
remains moist, even when its surface becomes dried out.
3. be sure to supply trellis support for your peppers so when they become
tall, they will not become damaged by falling over.
4. You can feed it with fertilizer once every week and cover the soil with
mulch so it will retain moisture.
5. Sunlight exposure should be direct in the morning and filtered all day
long as the afternoon sun can actually burn the crop.
6. Peppers are usually grown during early spring.
7. The peppers are ready to pick when their color and size have reached
maturity.
Beans
Beans are another vegetable easily grown in containers. Beans are tasty,
easy to grow, and they freeze well, too. Here are a few recommendations if
you decide to grow your own:
1. You will need a container about twelve inches wide. If you are growing
bush beans, the container depth should be six to seven inches, whereas pole
beans require a depth closer to eight or nine inches.
2. With several varieties, you will need to provide a trellis for the plant to
grow up on to support the weight of the plant.
3. Consider using pasteurized soil (soil that has been baked in the oven),
mix it with compost, and add mulch to help retain the soil’s moisture.
4. Make sure you place your containers in a warm or brightly lit location
but avoid direct sunlight.
5. You may need to water the beans frequently to keep the soil moist, too.
6. You can plant your seedlings in the spring once the soil has warmed up.
7. When the pods are fully elongated and are crisp and firm, it is time to
harvest them. When they reach maturity, be sure to harvest them every day.
Frequent harvesting will encourage more beans to be produced from your
plant.
Squash/Zucchini
Squash and zucchini fall into the cucurbit category of plants (as do
cucumbers). These may not be vegetables you think of right away for
growing, but they are not difficult to do and are delicious straight from the
garden—raw or cooked. Here are several guidelines to be aware of:
1. Cucurbit plants can be grown in any container that is twelve inches in
diameter. Two plants are easily grown side by side in a fourteen-inch-
diameter container.
2. Choose a good quality potting soil and mix it with organic matter before
planting your seedlings.
3. Make sure your plants get at least eight hours of sunlight per day and be
sure to water them often. Do more watering if your container is made of
clay rather than plastic because this type of container can cause the soil to
dry out faster.
4. Begin to fertilize your plants with a timed-release formula after the first
real leaves begin to appear.
5. Plant your seedlings in early to mid-summer. This variety of plants are
actually very easy to start from seeds, taking about three to four weeks
before it is time to transplant into containers. However, many like me just
plant the seeds directly into the containers.
6. Depending upon the varieties you choose, cucurbits begin to ripen after
45 days. Consider starting new plants four to six weeks after your initial
planting to keep produce fresh throughout the summer.
7. Winter squashes will be ready to harvest about 100 days after planting. If
you planted summer squashes, you can pick them when the fruits become
about eight inches long and three inches in diameter.
Cucumbers
Because cucumbers are in the cucurbit family, much of what I stated above
applies here as well.
1. You need to use a large container that has a diameter of at least 12 inches.
2. Cucumbers need loose soil that reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit and has
good drainage.
3. They also need organic fertilizer to sustain their nutritional needs.
4. Cucumbers are plants that need eight hours of direct exposure to sunlight.
5. Harvest your cucumbers when they are about seven to nine inches long.
Lettuces
Lettuces fall into four different categories: Loose Leaf, Romaine (also
known as Cos), Butter heads, and Crisp head. While each has their own
characteristics, there are some similarities between them:
1. It is best to plant lettuce seeds directly into a six- to twelve-inch-diameter
container that you want them to grow in. They do not transplant well. They
only take about one week to germinate and make sure your plants are eight
to ten inches apart.
2. Lettuces tend to grow best in cooler temperatures.
3. Use a standard soil mix formulated to provide nutrients and one that will
hold moisture. You can mix the soil with compost to make it even healthier.
4. These vegetables grow very successfully in containers, enabling you to
keep pests, snails and slugs under control.
5. Do not place these vegetables in direct sunlight. Instead, place them in a
shady place for best results.
6. Lettuces need to be harvested within a week of when they are ready or
the leaves will begin to bolt. When this happens, a flower stalk will appear,
will go to seed, and the leaves become bitter tasting. Therefore, plant only
the amount you plan to use.
7. The plant itself grows quickly, especially when soil conditions are
healthy.
8. Be sure your containers drain well but also make sure the soil remains
moist.
9. Lettuce plants require little to no fertilizer, if you are using good soil.
10. Lettuces will be ready to harvest anywhere from eight to fourteen
weeks.
11. The best method for enjoying lettuce throughout the growing season is
to plan to sow a few lettuce seeds every two weeks. Then, when you harvest
the lettuce, be sure to put up the whole plant. This will discourage diseases
in the ground and rotting.
Potatoes
Potatoes come in so many beautiful colors like blue, yellow, purple, and
read as well as various shapes. Growing potatoes in containers is slightly
different from other vegetables but they can grow quite successfully. In fact,
growing them in containers actually minimizes problems with contaminates
in the soil and susceptibility to pests. Here are some overall guidelines:
1. Use a deep container to grow your potatoes in because they need depth in
order to mature. Consider using one that is fourteen to sixteen inches deep
and has good drainage.
2. While potatoes are available at many gardening and nursery centers, it is
also possible to grow potatoes using potatoes bought from the grocery store.
However, make sure they are organically grown because some potatoes
have been chemically treated so they won’t produce “eyes”—a necessary
element for growing them. In addition, consider ones that have signs of
sprouting.
3. For the soil, use potting soil with multipurpose compost and an organic
fertilizer.
4. Potato pieces with eyes are placed on top of a few inches of soil, then
covered with about six inches of soil. As the plant grows upward, additional
soil is added—about a shovel full every two weeks.
5. These plants need moist soil, so be sure the soil does not dry out.
6. Place the potatoes in an area where it is partially shaded and partially
exposed to sunlight. They require about six to eight hours of sunlight each
day. Direct sunlight for long periods of the day is not good for these plants.
Eggplant
Eggplant is a vegetable that grows very well, especially if you purchase
ones that are labeled “compact” for containers. There are several other
guidelines you will want to know about before growing these:
1. Each plant needs to be planted in containers twelve to fourteen inches in
diameter to thrive and up to three plants can be planted in the same
container if you use a pot that is at least twenty inches in diameter.
2. Use a mixture of potting soil and sand to ensure that the plant gets the
nutrients and moisture it needs.
3. You should plan to feed your plant on a weekly basis with a soluble
fertilizer.
4. Some varieties will need a short support system. Two to three ringed
supports used for tomatoes work well. Be sure to install them right after
planting so you don’t damage your plant trying to put them in after the plant
has grown significantly.
5. Make sure to allow your plant to get eight hours of direct sunlight and
keep the soil moist at all times.
6. For most temporal climates, eggplant should not be planted until early
April because these plants need a warmer growing environment.
 Chapter 4

Maintenance Tactics

A sgardening
you gaze out your backyard and take pride in the small-space
you've built, you've marveled how it all came together for
you. And you have every right to be pleased not only with your garden,
but with yourself as well.
You've spent too much time and effort working your garden to lose your
plants to either an inadequate water supply or over-watering. If you're
looking for a near sure-fire method of watering your garden, then you need
to examine a system called drip irrigation. Regardless of the size of your
plot – or your containers for that matter – your plants needs are best met by
this system. It's really simple in theory, which makes it that much more
amazing.
The drip or micro-irrigation method, as it's often called, uses a series of
piping which carries water at a slow rate and low pressure to a hose which
has a series of holes from which your plants actually obtain their water
needs. In this way, water is applied more steadily and dependably than if
you're using a garden hose.
Not only that, this method may be the most efficient way to water your
garden. According to the Colorado State University extension service, it's
actually 90 percent efficient. This compares to the 50 to 70 percent
efficiency associated with traditional sprinkler systems. It's so efficient, in
fact, that during periods of drought, government officials usually exempt
them from imposed water-use restrictions.
Of course, the drip system is really only as good as its settings. If it's set to
run too fast, it, of course, can waste as much water as other methods.
Why Drip Systems Work
This method in a low-volume setting, retains the ideal balance of water and
air in the soil. The sprinkler approach, by contrast, allows a larger amount
of fluctuation in the soil-moisture level, which may hamper the growth of
your plants.
At one time, this ingenious method was used solely by commercial farmers.
Today, the system is much more accessible – and affordable – for home
gardening. Don't think that because you're only tending a small plant or
container plants that it wouldn't be beneficial to you – and what you're
growing, because it really can make a big difference.
You can use the system with either an electric plug or through a battery
operated controller. And when you place a timer on it, you don't even need
to be present when it runs. This means it just might be the perfect method
of watering for those with a busy lifestyle.
Drip, Drip, Drip: How It Works
Designing a system to satisfy your own specific gardening needs is easy,
especially if you keep these few facts in mind. First, you'll need to know
where to place what's called the emitters of the system. These are nothing
more than the holes in the hose which actually release the water to the
plants. These should be installed at the proper level to reach the roots of the
plants thoroughly.
If you're watering seedlings, for example, ensure the emitters are placed so
the root balls receive the benefit of the watering. When your system, by
contrast, is used to water trees and shrubs, the emitters need to be placed at
a distance from the trunk of the trees and the shrubs.
As you probably already know, the roots of trees travel a distance from their
trunks. By watering out from the actual tree, you stand a better chance that
the tree is receiving its optimum amount of water. You'll also need to use a
greater number of emitters when you water larger plants like trees.
Drip Irrigation for Container Plants
You may be wondering if this marvelous system can be applied to your
container plants as well. The answer to your concern is a resounding yes!
Plants grown in containers, in fact, are actually "prime candidates" for the
drip irrigation technique. Let's face it; if you have quite a few containers, as
many of us do, watering each and every one by hand with a watering can is
time consuming. Even the best of us, as well-meaning as we are, have times
when we forget to water them. And their health may very suffer as a result.
But if you have a garden plot additionally, you really need to connect these
to a separate operating system. Container plants actually require more
attention than your plot. They require frequent watering, but for shorter
time periods. At most, the system needs to be on them for no more than
two to five minutes at one time.
Just about every container you can think of needs several emitters. This is
because the water moves downward instead of spreading outwards like it
does in your garden. You'll want to keep these holes about six inches apart.

Another way to achieve this is to attach small bubblers which spread the
water throughout the soil. When you go to buy your supplies to make your
own you may want to give serious consideration to what are called mini-
inline emitters. You will want to choose emitter lines that are no larger than
a quarter of an inch.
Don't get frustrated as you install and set up your system. You will have to
experiment with the exact number as well as the size of emitters for your
gardening layout. This is especially essential if you have containers of
varying sizes (and who among us doesn't?). If you don't find the perfect
match right away, don't give up.
A good way to "test drive" your newly installed system is to use it on all of
your containers to determine which of them runs out of water first. Once
you do this, you'll either have to reduce the flow in some and perhaps
increase it in others. Performing this test also enables you to set the run
time for your system as well.
Other Methods of Watering
Of course, the drip irrigation isn't the only method of watering your plants.
You may choose to walk around your yard and house and water each
container individually. Many of us do. This act also helps you exam your
plants daily to ensure their health.
When you do water in this fashion keeps a few guidelines in mind. You'll
want to water the plants until water seeps to the bottom of the pot. Then
you let any excessive liquid run out through the drainage holes.
You may think you need to let the soil dry thoroughly between watering's.
Resist this temptation. If you allow it to dry, you may find the plants
dropping their flowers and even their fruit. On the other hand you don't
want to over-water them either (I know I'm beginning to sound like I'm
retelling the Goldilocks and Three Bears story here!). Over-watering
slowly kills them. Receiving too much water actually prevents the root
system from receiving sufficient oxygen resulting in root rot.
Self-Watering Containers: Who Knew?
Yes! You did read that correctly. A pot that in effect waters itself, the
container possesses no drainage holes on the bottom. Instead, an overflow
hole is located on the side of the pot. On the bottom of the pot is perforated
material. The pot sits directly above the water source which provides a
continuous source of water. The roots actually grow through this soil and
reach down into the water.
The water wicks up from the source and seeps into the soil itself. This
"self-watering" container is a great method of water conservation as well
Not only that, but this also ensures your plant receives an abundance of
nutrients. And perhaps the best benefit of all – at least from a gardener's
viewpoint – is you don't need to worry about your plants on a daily basis.
While you can buy a commercial version of this system, you can also make
your own facsimile of a self-watering mechanism using only your existing
pots and a few saucers or plates. Place the containers on the saucers or
plates. Pour water onto the plates. In this way, your plant pulls the water up
through the drainage holes and into the root system.
An effective way to minimize loss of is to add mulch to the top of the soil.
This is in the form of compost, straw, shredded back or even pine needles.
Nearly Weed-Free Gardening
Weeds are not only unsightly, but they also rob your plants of much-needed
nutrient. But weeds are also an unavoidable fact of life. You'll never be
able to eliminate weeds even for the small-space completely you're using.
The best you can do is to control them. To that end, there is an easy way to
make the "weed-control patrol" easier and less intense.
First, you start "clean" each growing season. Save all the newspapers and
cardboard you can throughout the winter. When spring arrives, you then
cover your garden beds with it. You'll want to layer these materials so
they're about an inch and a half thick.
By doing this you're effectively outsmarting the weeds. Keeping the seeds
warm triggers germination. The seeds, though, aren't receiving any sunlight
so they die relatively quickly.
Don't remove the covering when you start planting. Simply create a hole
through this layer of material which by now should be mostly decomposed.
To ensure that no seeds of unwanted plants are spread throughout the
spring, you'll want to take an extra precautionary measure. Place yet another
layer of newspapers around your growing plants. Regardless of how you're
controlling your weeds, you still need to check your garden daily to ensure
they aren't overtaking your plot. Many gardeners choose either the early
morning hours or the early evening to weed. But, if you want to increase
the odds those unwanted guests don't return, you should weed during the
heat of the day. This stresses them out. Unfortunately, this is the time it
may very well stress you out as well! It's also best to weed after a good rain
or a thorough watering session. The wet soil is looser and the weeds are
easier to pull.
 Chapter 5
Plant for Year-round Container

Flowers:
hrubs and bushes are the best for most any container garden, but you can
S find a blooming variety. These flowers are often found to be fragrant and
colorful at the tips and blossoms, but mostly there is a green color to
container gardening.
“Golden Sword” Yucca- This is a wonderful way to keep plant that will last
all year long. It doesn’t even die during the winter months, and it also
compliments many other plants. This plant grows about 2-3 feet high and
requires partial to full sun. It will tolerate some shade, but too much of it
will kill the plant. It will actually bloom with very fragrant flowers during
summer.
“Green Mountain” Boxwood- This is a slow growing plant and it’s actually
a shrub. You’ll have to prune it if you want to keep it for container
gardening, but it’s an easy plant to keep alive. It takes only partial sun, and
it thrives in a semi-shaded area. It grows naturally in a pyramid, but it does
grow about five feet tall. Even during winter it will remain green.
Variegated Red twig Dogwood- This is also a shrub, so it will grow rather
tall and need pruned. It’s great year-round, and will actually bloom in red
twig-like flowers. It’s not very fragrant, but it is beautiful. The leaves are
even colorful, considering they have a white trim to them that gives it a
unique look.
“Blue Star” Juniper- This is a beautiful flower which is not a shrub that can
be used in container gardening. It’s usually tightly arranged, and it carries
steel blue needles that will brighten up your garden. It has a three to four
foot spread so that it will hang over pots. It thrives as a hanging plant, and it
grows best in full sun.
Heuchera- It’s a leafy plant that grows even during winter. You can get it in
different colors, such as yellow, red and even pinks. They grow mostly
close to the ground, but can grow tall as well. Depending on the variety it
will take full to partial sun.
These types of flowers will need to be replaced each year to bring them
back, and usually bulbs are your best bet for fast growth. Marigolds, roses,
tulips, and other flowers that blossom quickly and die quickly can be good
for container gardening, but it’s also something that you usually have to
have a lot of.
Pothos
Pothos helps to strip toxins and purify the air in your home. You can place
Pothos in a hanging basket and have the stems trail down or train it to climb
up a trellis or other support.
Aloe
Aloe is a succulent with long, pointed leaves and contains medical
properties. Aloe has been known to grow up to three feet high, but it also
comes in smaller varieties that work well in indoor container garden
spaces.
Jade Plant
Jade Plant is another succulent. It is very easy to take care of, and offers
lush leaves and interesting branches. Jade plant typically grows slowly and
lives for a long time. Additionally, it looks great in a pot paired with other
succulents.
Rubber Tree
Rubber Tree is really easy to grow in an indoor container garden. They can
grow up to eight feet tall, but can be trained into a smaller plant by pruning
the long stems. The deep green leaves have a beautiful sheen.
Snake Plant (Also Called Mother-in-Law’s Tongue)
Snake Plant is also really easy to care for and the variegated leaves grow in
an upright direction. The leaves typically have yellow or white edges. The
Snake Plant has small white flowers, but it actually very rarely blooms.
Peperomia
These are small, indoor garden plants with shiny, textured, often colorful
leaves. Some, such as the red-edge, ripple, and watermelon peperomia, are
considered to be more attractive than some of the others.
Heart Leaf Philodendron
The heart leaf philodendron is a trailing plant. You’ll want to place it on the
top of a bookshelf or mantle to trail down. The dark green leaves a perky
and creates a heart shape where the stems meet the leaves.
Areca Palm
The Areca Palm is a beautiful indoor container garden palm and creates a
tropical look to your garden. These have been known to grow up to seven
feet tall. However, if you want it to stay smaller, put it in a smaller pot to
keep it contained.
Ficus Plant
Ficus Plants have beautiful, shiny leaves that will add some cheeriness to
your indoor container garden. In order to create the popular topiary look,
you can braid the stems.
Diffenbachia
The Diffenbachia plant is an indoor plant with pretty leaves. The leaves can
grow up to one foo tin length- and, as with the palms- give a tropical look to
your indoor container garden. You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of
space because these plants can get up to six feet tall.
 Chapter 6

Any Ideas for Vertical Gardening

G ardening is fun! However when you are in a city, space is definitely an

issue especially when you love plants. This article is aimed towards
showing you one way to make best use of the limited space you have in
a city and that is vertical space. Vertical gardening is a boon for space
challenged areas and enables plants to grown upwards rather than
horizontally. So instead of growing flowers on a messy flower bed, you
encourage them to grow upwards. Using a little bit of your creativity, you
can make any plant – fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers – adapt to growing
upwards. Fences, trellises, nets, wire cages etc. can be used as a support
frame.
Vertical gardening is the mantra for you if you live in a busy city with
limited space. You can make most of this space by growing beautiful
flowers, vegetables and even fruits. While you enjoy the benefits of
uncomplicated maintenance, effortless harvesting and effective use of
space, you develop a beautiful landscape in your surroundings. Using
vertical space is much more than climbing creepers. As long as you have a
bare wall or a vertical fence that you think you can add beauty to, you can
experiment with all sorts of plants, be it, perennial or seasonal. The rewards
are amazing – beautiful looking garden with delicious vegetables and fruits
and vibrant and attractive flowers blooming up on trellises. Vertical
gardening brings instant vivacity even in a closely packed urban setup.
So what exactly is vertical gardening? Vertical gardens are green or living
walls. They are the latest trend and are a perfect solution to indoor as well
as outdoor gardening. How you use it completely depends on your
creativity. You can use it to attract attention or even to disguise some
unappealing view. Vertical garden primarily uses vertical frameworks or
trellises that are attached to pots in which you can grow a variety of plants.
Restaurants, tourist destinations, airports and even offices are increasingly
using vertical gardening to add beauty to the structure.
The technique of vertical gardening allows plants to grow upwards
generally on a support. In some of the cases, a supporting frame might not
be needed as the plant naturally grows upwards taking support of another
sturdy plant. A plant like Ivy requires a trellis or a cage on which it can
flourish. Ivy is an effortless climber and can easily stick on to any surface
or support. However for vines, you might need to make a trellis or a fence
to provide support. When it comes to vegetable gardening, tomato, bell
pepper, cucumbers are an ideal choice and can be easily grown on a simple
cylindrical wire cage. Like any other form of gardening, vertical gardening
depends on good soil, sunlight and water for its success.
Thus vertical gardening ranges from training your plants to grow in the
upward direction to making special vertical framework to contain your
entire garden within the limited space you have. You can use components
like trellises, hanging pots, wooden frames, shelves or a combination of all
these to create your living wall.
Benefits of Vertical Gardening
Why would you want to grow a vertical garden even if you have less space?
There are many reasons! The endless growth and amplification of urban
regions is leading to the deterioration in the quality of air and also the
microclimate. Noise and air pollution is on the rise. Urban greenery is the
need of the hour. Vertical gardens are of great benefits especially in an
urban setup and have a positive effect on the environment. It is the right
solution in places with compromised air quality and lack of space.
Consider some of these implausible benefits –
It provides you with higher produce in a compact space. Vertical garden is
perfect for apartments with a small balcony or patio
Saves you a lot of space and you can have a large variety of plants
flourishing in a small space. Many people love plants and want to use them
to brighten up their living room or balcony. Vertical gardening is perfect
option for them
Makes daily gardening tasks like watering, putting manure, pruning and
harvesting much easier since all your plants are at your eye-level
With vertical gardening you don’t have to make a garden bed for plants.
Making a garden can consume a lot of your time. All you have to do is fill
each pot with good quality potting mixture and you are ready
Saves water. Vertical gardening uses less water in comparison to the
conventional gardening as water is recycled through the structure
Plants purify the air and vertical gardening is known to improve the air
circulation thus making a positive impact on your health. Moreover the
improved air circulation reduces the risk of soil-borne pests and diseases
Enhances the visual appeal of your surroundings, transforming unappealing
corner or an old wall into a fabulous area
Vertical garden helps you create a perfect privacy barrier, especially if your
house overlooks a public park or a road thus offering you space to yourself
Mostly old souls and even people with impaired movements can do their
gardening. With vertical gardening they do not need to bend and hurt their
back or their knees
Vertical gardens increase the overall value of your property. It gives a
landscaped look to your surroundings thus attracting immediate attraction
With these benefits, I am sure you are now motivated enough to ideate and
create a vertical garden of your own. Don’t let the thought of growing and
maintaining a vertical garden daunt you. It can be as simple as planting in
hanging pots or encouraging a vine to grow upwards on a frame. Just
choose your favorite plants and vegetables and start with a smaller structure
so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Remember that you can always add to
your collection of plants later.
Choosing a Location for your living vertical space
Beginners who are not very familiar should just remember that location,
equipment’s and choice of plants play a crucial role. Like any garden, the
choice of location plays a crucial role here. You can grow your garden in
your balcony, along the staircase or a sunny patio. But you must keep in
mind some key points mentioned below –
Many of the plants definitely need 5-6 hours of sunlight each day.
Consider a location offering a mix of sunshine and shade. This will enable
you to have more variety. Vegetables like lettuce or spinach do well in
shade or partial shade while roses need more sunlight
You should locate your garden closer to a convenient and reliable source of
water
Avoid places where large trees or shrubs grow as their shade might hamper
the growth of your garden
Factors you should consider before you start off
One blunder that most planters make is by starting too big. They get carried
away by the various ideas and start big and then are unable to maintain the
garden. Instead, start with few plants, learn how to manage them vertically
and then add to your collection. You want a garden that will flourish and
attract attention of all those who visit you. You definitely don’t want your
garden to consume all of your time like a toddler constantly throwing a
tantrum and needing mollycoddling all the time. In order to develop a
nourishing relationship with your garden system you need to consider some
critical factors before you start off. To begin, start thinking like a plant!
What are the basic needs of a plant? Sunlight, Air, Nutrition and Space; if
you provide a healthy mix of these, you are on the right path to creating a
blooming garden.
Media
Media plays an important role in holding the moisture and nutrition that is
needed for the plant’s healthy growth. Hence the choice of media is one
important factor to be considered if you want your display to last long. Your
media should be able to retain nutrients and moisture but at the same time
should not be too heavy. Avoid using garden soil as over a period of time it
will set like cement. The usual media used is coconut husk, charcoal,
fermented tree bark, some varieties of moss, pumice, vermiculite and peat
moss. The choice of media hugely depends on the type of plants you intend
to grow. Plants with bigger roots need very chunky media while fine rooted
plants need a more absorbent media like coconut husk. There can never be
one type of substrate that can be used for all plants. Whether you use drip
watering, overhead watering or hand-watering, and the media you use will
play an important role in setting up your vertical system.
Any media you use should be initially wet till they are saturated before you
start planting. If the substrate dries, a layer of micro-organisms grow on it
and they become hydrophobic. This means that when you water, the
moisture will be repelled by the substrate instead of being absorbed. This
leads to wastage of water also as the water will just flow downwards
without being of use to plants. Thus your plants will be deprived of
moisture and the roots will start drying up which will affect your plant
growth.
Climate
In any type of climatic condition, vertical gardening can be very complex.
The regional climate and microclimate in the neighborhood and of the wall
are the crucial aspects that need to be considered.
If the climate of the region you live in experiences long spells of winter, a
hydroponic system is considered. This type of system does not freeze under
such conditions. In many places, insulation and heating is provided to
protect the plants from the winter. Most of the vertical gardens today are
designed to suit warmer climates.
Your garden is also dependent on the microclimate for its existence.
Protection from winds, humidity level, sunlight, temperature and other
factors depend on the location of your garden. You must be aware of the
microclimate you are functioning in and the kind of plants that will suit this
environment. In any type of landscape gardening, you must consider the
average as well as the extreme temperature, the exposure to wind and sun,
humidity and proximity to source of water. The temperature of the
microenvironment will help you choose the plants that will make it and
other details like the sun exposure and water access will further filter the
plant options. Thus by considering the climate factor, you will choose the
right plants and this will increase the success rate of your garden.
3. Space
Even though we are talking about growing a variety of plants in a compact
space, each plant needs its own room to breathe. Small crammed space
limits the root space and in turn affects your plant health. The smaller the
root space, the faster the moisture will evaporate from the media leading to
plants drying out and wastage of water. Hence it is very important to choose
a system that will offer a good sized root space so as to ensure optimum
growth of plants and optimum use of fertilizers and water. Insufficient root
space many times leads to the root rotting.
Water and Irrigation
The success of your display also depends on successful irrigation. Hand
watering is very satisfactory if you have a small living wall to cater to.
However, you need to keep checking the pots and containers to ensure that
the roots haven’t dried off. The plants at the top of your wall will need more
watering than those below. Many fabricated systems available in the market
have their own system of watering. If you are setting up your own using a
frame or a trellis, give a thought to how you will water your garden and also
consider its drainage.
 Chapter 7
Managing Pests and Plant Diseases

he good news with container gardening is that you will have much less
T headache with pests and diseases. You also have the choice and ability
to completely isolate a sick plant, which means that you could contain
the problem almost instantly – provided of course, you are keeping a daily
watch upon your plants. Most often, if the container plants have access to
enough fresh air and are not too crowded together, you should not have too
much trouble containing both pests and diseases.
Do not worry; the fact that your plants still get attacked by various pests or
diseases is NOT a reflection on your abilities. It really does not matter how
good you are at caring for the plants in the container, pests and/ or diseases
most certainly would put in an appearance. Just remember to stay calm
when this happens and to start with steps to fight them immediately. Keep
in mind however, that the though there are plenty of methods to remedy the
damage post a pest attack or disease, that the best remedy is still prevention;
the best prevention is still trying to grow the strongest, most beautiful
plants, ever.
Soil Gone Bad – The Most Common Problem
Perhaps the most common of all the container gardens problems is neither
insects nor diseases. Rather, the greatest problem is the soggy or sour soil.
This happens when you have improper drainage conditions, which results in
water-logging. The telltale signs are leaves turning yellow and stunted new
growth.
Fortunately, immediately after you correct the wrong conditions the plant
will bounce back to the healthy and lovely plant it was before the attack. In
some cases, it is best to remove the plant from the soil, wash the roots to
check for any damage, clean the pot to eliminate the danger of fungus
formation, and lastly repot the plant in a good porous fresh potting soil.
Ensure that the container has good drainage. Keep the soil on the dry side
until you observe unmistakable growth.
Insect Attack
Normally, insects are to be feared for they indeed, do much more damage
than any type of disease. One horrible characteristic of almost all plant
insects is that they multiply at an alarming speed. You have a few today and
– BANG – there are around a million tomorrow. This is no exaggeration!
This is why it is important to watch (inspect) your plants every day. If you
get to the insects on time, it would be easy to contain the problem fast; if
not, you will have quite some trouble getting rid of them; they might also
spread to all other plants. Here are some of the most common insects that
you would find in your container garden:
Aphids
The aphids or green plant lice are among the most common house plant
pests. Once upon a time this was dreaded, but now there are ways by which
the insects could be readily and effectively exterminated. You will find that
there are many types and colors of these aphids. Every gardener would have
at one time or another seen these pest insects.
Aphids will grow and be very happy in the shaded places among crowded
potted plants, where you have poor ventilation and dry conditions. To
prevent an aphids attack, remove all the environments that welcome it to
your plants in the first place. This is prevention.
Post attack you could get rid of the aphids by spraying them off with water,
or even submerging the plant under water – which is an exceptionally sound
and effective natural aphid control.

Alternatively, you could use insecticidal soap which is available at all

hardware stores, etc. You can also use an organic insecticide spray
especially formulated to kill aphids noted. Be aware that this is highly toxic
and hence it is not recommended for home use, especially if you have
children and pets around.
Red Spider Mites
This is a spider-like pest, about the size of a grain of rice and red in color;
sometimes appearing brown or dull red. This pest becomes invisible by
staying hidden carefully under the leaves. You will recognize an infestation
when the leaves of the attacked plant first turn light green, then show small
yellow spots. If not checked, the leaves will turn yellow and drop off.
This is a bad pest for they are hard to get rid of, especially when they
already have had time to establish their colonies. The best way to fight them
off is to wash the plant with cold water splashed with force on the underside
of the leaves. Red mites hate humidity; hence raising the levels of humidity
will help. Other weapons in your arsenal would be evaporated Sulphur, or
flowers of Sulphur dusted upon the affected leaves.

In case the attack has spread too much and the affected plant is not too
large, a great way to eliminate the insects is to take it and dip it 2-3 times
into HOT water that has been heated to about 140°F-165°F. Although
uncomfortable to the hand, the hot water will not really affect (even the
most tender of) plants. You can use this method to get rid of aphids and
mealy bugs as well.
Mealy Bugs
The mealy bug infestation is easily recognized because the white cottony
looking mass it generated all over the plants. When you remove this cover,
you will find the mealy bug there. This pest loves soft-wooded plants, such
as fuchsias and coleus. They grow best in hot and dry atmosphere. To
disguise themselves and stay hidden from the view, they will stick a few
leaves together and make their home there. You can find them only when
they become too many in number – and by that this has become bad news
for you.

The fastest way to get rid of them is by dipping a cotton ball in alcohol and
applying this directly to the affected area; this will kill them on the spot.
Scale
There are two types of scales that may attack your container plants. These
are the ‘brown scale’ and the ‘white scale’. The brown one’s body is
slightly convex with a circular shell, which is about 1/4th of an inch in
diameter. The white scale on the other hand, is much smaller, and lives in
large, dense colonies.

Both love smooth-barked, thick-leaved plants, such as ferns, palms,

abutilons and lemons. Initially, they do not appear to harm the plant, but
they do as their food is the sap of the plant. Destroy these pests as soon as
possible with the help of insecticidal soaps applied with a sprayer.
You can also use alcohol soaked cloths to apply right on the scales but this
can be done only when you see the scales. Sometime, when the infestation
is too much, the best thing to do is discard the whole plant before it spreads
to others.
Thrips

These pests are not common to plants indoor, but they may appear in places
where plants are too crowded in shady places. They eat the leaves from the
underneath, leaving only the skeleton structure. They are very tiny - about
1/4th of an inch long - brown or black in color. You can fight them with
insecticides made of pyrethrums or neem oil.
Root Aphids

Sometimes the leaves of a plant will suddenly yellow and drop – for no
apparent reason. Check the roots of the plant when this happens. You may
find that the plant is under the attack of blue root aphids. These insects
which are as bad as their cousins – the aphids - will be clinging in clusters
to the root feeding on them sapping away the nutrients of the plant. To get
rid of them, remove the plant from the soil, wash away the soil from the
roots and then dip the roots in insecticidal soap suds. Do this a couple of
times and the re-pot in fresh sterile potting mix.
White Fly

It is the larvae of the white fly that is harmful to the plants. The eggs of this
tiny insect fall onto the soil and they burrow deep in it. When they hatch
they consume all the nutrients available leaving the plant nothing to feed
on.
To destroy the larva, use lime water. Make a solution out of fresh lime the
size of an apple in a pail of water and then draw the water in a container
after settling – apply freely 2-3 times a week for a month until the larvae are
completely eliminated.
House Plant Diseases – Fungus and Mildew

When it comes to diseases you have to worry about two that occur most
often, i.e. the fungus and mildew. The signs of fungus attack are the
blackening of the leaves with a powdery residue coating. You can destroy it
by pouring fungicide and hot water on the affected plant.
To prevent the fungus water your plants with hot water instead of cold.
When the plant is attacked by mildew, the leaves will curl up; they look like
someone sprinkled them with white powder. To get rid of it, dampen the
leaves and then dust flowers of Sulphur all over the plant.
 Chapter 8

The First Steps for Success

P lanning is, more or less, everything, when it comes to successful

gardening of every kind. A well planned garden will, once planted,
achieve exactly what the owner or developer of the garden requires. A
badly planned garden will, in most cases, be unsuccessful in achieving this
and often this results in a loss of interest in the project and the eventual
abandonment of the garden. It doesn't really matter what scale of container
gardening you plan to adopt, planning is the very first step you should
consider. We'll look at the essential steps you need to take in order to plan a
successful container garden.
Gardening Goals
There are a host of reasons that you may choose to establish a container
garden of any size. These goals will ultimately shape the size and needs of
the garden. Establishing your goals should be your first priority. Some
examples are given below as a guideline but feel free to come up with your
own!
Community or Social Goals; group gardening fosters the creation of social
bonds and cooperation. For older people it can provide much needed
company and activity, while for children it can create a safe environment in
which to make new contacts. This applies to adults too! Group gardening
can introduce a new level of cohesion within communities and at the same
time produce healthy, fresh food for everybody to share.
Educational Goals; container gardening can be a great way to enhance
learning about food production, the environment and ecology in general. A
container garden of this sort can be part of wider community project or
simply associated with an individual school. With many children being
removed from experiences of real, live nature and food production it can be
an invaluable way in which to aid learning and interaction, which in turn
promotes a better understanding of the need for sustainable agriculture and
also for healthy eating.
Food Security Goals; this can be a community, food bank or purely personal
motivation. Not only do modern farming practices involve some unpleasant
processes, they intrinsically hold the potential for food shortages. Food
banks, meals-on-wheels programs and other social enterprises may find the
concept of the container garden a good way to source low cost, highly
nutritious ingredients. For individuals, the same is true, and the low cost
nature of this type of food production can be an important factor for many
people.
Environmental Goals; whatever size of container garden you intend to
establish, there will be some significant environmental gains. Air quality,
even on a localized level, is improved as plants absorb carbon dioxide and
produce oxygen. The increase in humidity in gardens, along with the rate
of evaporation, also helps to create a lower ambient temperature in the
immediate area. New plants and flowers will attract new birds and insect
life, which is beneficial for biodiversity (this is the case, no matter how
small your container garden and, although the global impact may be small,
every little helps!). The impact of the use of rainwater or even waste water
from the home is also very beneficial in environmental terms. This reduces
the pressure on the public waste water sewers. Locally grown food using
organic methods will, whatever the size of garden, also reduces the use of
chemicals and pesticides in use for food production. Again, this may only
by the amount of one persons' use but less is definitely more when it comes
to pesticides!
Experimental Goals; perhaps you're keen to help save the world on a more
professional basis; you can use container gardening techniques to test
theories and practices and find ways to improve both the concept of
container gardening and the production rates for food. Experimental goals
may be ideal for schools, institutions or community gardens, but
contributing to our understanding of the benefits of container gardening and
creating more productive techniques is also part of the fun for many
container gardeners.
Personal Goals; for many people container gardening offers an inexpensive
way to relax, reap the benefits, literally, of growing their own food and the
practice can bring its own rewards on this level alone. For individuals or
families, many of the benefits listed above, along with creating a new,
relaxing environment at home may be a priority.

Scale and Type of Garden

For those creating a small garden for their own use, the scale and type of
garden may well be obvious and limited by the available space. For those
involved in community projects then these options may require more
careful thought and planning.
For larger community (or similar) projects the following considerations
may need to be taken into account.
Site characteristics and location; this includes the potential locations or the
most suitable places to search for a location. The people who will use or
manage the garden, the neighborhood and any specific concerns relating to
this and the environmental conditions, including climate, in the area.
Site descriptions for potential locations; this can include the type of location
(rooftop, ground-level), the access to the site, nature of existing use, impact
on (or from) neighboring buildings, immediate surroundings (including
alleys or nearby main roads).
Implications for the local area; this can include implications for the
neighborhood (both positive and negative); likely acceptance or otherwise
in the area, suitability for long term use, access to funding and local
regulations.
The Necessary Resources
This part of the planning will be more or less complex depending on the
nature of the garden you are planning. For a small scale individual garden
then it will be relatively simple, the main factors include the cost of setting
up your container garden and the amount of time you have to maintain it on
a regular basis. Additionally, if you are not available all of the time (for
work or leisure reasons) it may be worth thinking about who may be able to
manage the garden while you are away.
For community projects and gardens defining the resources may be far
more important. Planning at this stage can be crucial to the success of the
project. List the resources you have, or expect to have, to hand readily.
This includes; people, financial and material resources. It can be worth
creating a diary or calendar to identify what resources will be required and
when. Think about each phase of your project; setting up the garden itself,
beginning the gardening, maintaining the garden and closing the garden for
the winter. For each stage of the process try to establish exactly what is
needed in terms of people, finance and equipment. In most cases, financial
outlay will be important in the early stages, whilst “manpower” resources
are more important in the latter stages. Clearly defining what is available
and when allows you to discover any shortfalls in resources that need to be
filled before you begin.

At this stage you can list what you already have in terms of resources
compared to what you anticipate you will require. These will be a good
indication of how realistic the project is and whether you should cut back
on some of your goals or if you are in a position to achieve more than
originally planned. Where resources are lacking you may consider ways in
which these can be found through fund-raising, recycling or advertising for
more volunteers.
Ultimately, your aim should be to create a project that is ready for launch
but is realistic in its goals; this will be an almost certain way in which to
ensure that the resources and requirements you have match up closely and
to create a foundation for a successful project.
 Chapter 9
Common Container Gardening Problems

ontainer gardens tend to have fewer problems than normal gardens

C because you use clean soil and it is a closed system. However, you can
still encounter issues and to help you avoid some of the common
mistakes people make when starting their container garden.
Fill Large Containers in Place
Large containers are very heavy when they are filled with soil so you need
to move the empty container to its final position and then fill it. This way
you are going to avoid damaging yourself.
Make Large Containers Lighter
If you are planting large containers with shallow rooted plants then you can
fill the bottom third or so of the container with filler material, e.g. empty
plastic soda bottles and then cover it with some plastic screening. This
helps make the container lighter as well as reduces the amount of soil
required to fill it.
Avoid Overwatering
One of the most common problems people have with a container garden is
drainage. All of your containers need to have plenty of drainage holes and a
free-draining soil, unless the plant specifically has other requirements. Be
careful of using saucers under your containers as this collect water and will
need emptying to avoid your plants getting waterlogged. Remember, test
the soil with your finger (stick it in up to the second knuckle and see if the
soil is dry at your fingertip) before you water. Overwatering can cause the
leaves to yellow and drop, also a sign of mineral deficiency, but check the
soil isn’t too wet before you apply extra fertilizer. Check your plants after
heavy rain showers and pour out any excess water pooled in your
containers.
Avoid Under watering
This goes without saying really and you are walking a fine line between
watering too much and too little. You will usually need to water once a day
as a minimum though on hotter days expect to water twice a day. In hotter
climates, an irrigation system can save you a lot of work watering! Soak
your plants when you water them until water comes out of the bottom of
your pot so that all of the soil is soaked and the roots can get to water.
Rescue Dried Out Pots
If your container dries out then put the entire container in a bucket of water
and leave it for about 20 to 30 minutes (don’t submerge the plant, just the
container). This should give the soil enough of a soaking that the plant can
be rescued. For larger pots (which won’t fit in a bucket) poke holes in the
soil (carefully) with a skewer or stick and then water generously. Wait
about an hour and then water again.
Plant to Pot Ratio
Always consider how your plants look in your container when planting. A
large container with lots of small plants in will look peculiar and “not right”
because the size of the container makes the plants look stunted. If you are
planting for aesthetics then you want at least one plant per container that is
as tall as your container and to have plants that tumble over the sides to help
mask the harsh lines of the pot.
Avoid Damaged, Sickly or Weak Plants
The temptation to get a bargain at your garden store and buy the reduced
plants is high and sometimes you can resuscitate them. However, check
any plants you buy and make sure they are not damaged or diseased and are
in general good health. The bargain plants can be great but you can end up
with a high mortality rate with them. Damaged plants should be avoided as
the damage can often introduce disease into the plant and therefore into
your container garden.
Don’t Be Scared to Prune
A lot of people are frightened of pruning their plants because they don’t
want to damage them. Most vegetable plants will not require pruning but
some herbs (lavender and rosemary) and fruit trees will. Other flowers and
shrubs can also require regular pruning to keep them looking good. You
can save some money by potting on prunes from shrubs using some rooting
powder and growing new plants from these cuttings.
Ensure Good Neighbors
Make sure that you group plants with similar requirements for soil, soil,
water and food together in the same containers. Grouping plants together
that have different requirements will end up with some dying. You can use
double potting to put plants with different requirements in the same
container. The plants are potted up in individual containers and then these
are put into a larger container.
Feed Your Plants
Remember that your plants require regular feeding as the nutrients in the
containers will soon be used up. During winter, you don’t need to feed
most plants but during spring and the growing season they will need regular
feeding. How often and how much the need feeding will depend on the
plant so check out the labels to know how to treat them. A handful of
pelleted chicken manure applied in the winter to each pot will help restore
much needed micro-nutrients to the soil.
Don’t Be Afraid to Discard a Plant
Plants die. Sometimes from disease, sometimes from the weather and
sometimes they just die. Do not be afraid to get rid of a plant if it is looking
dreadful, particularly if your container garden is meant to look good. If the
plant is diseased then you need to get rid of it as soon as you can to prevent
the disease from spreading.
Be Realistic and Plan
Think about your lifestyle when setting up your container garden and plan
so that your container plants will thrive. If you travel a lot, particularly in
summer then you need to install an irrigation system or use self-watering
containers or make good friends with your neighbors!
Grow What You Like
Your container garden is there for you to enjoy so plant what you like in
them! If you like tomatoes, grow tomatoes, if you don’t then don’t grow
them! Don’t feel you have to grow things just because you ought to. If you
like flowers then grow those. You can even grow vegetables and plant
flowers in the same containers so not only do you get the color from the
flowers but the produce from the vegetables. Your container garden is there
for you to enjoy therefore you need to plant it with the things you want to
grow because you will then be more motivated to look after and care for it.
Don’t Put Gravel in the Bottom of a Pot
It is a myth that gravel, pot shards or stones in the bottom of a container
helps drainage. It doesn’t. These can be useful to ensure the soil doesn’t
block the drainage holes but they do nothing to help water drain from your
pots and certainly cannot be used instead of drainage holes. All that
happens are the roots growing into the gravel in which water pools so your
plants still get waterlogged!
Check Out the Light
Plants need light to grow so you need to be aware of where the sun is in
your garden and how it tracks across your containers. Position the sun
loving plants where they get maximum sun and those that like partial shade
can go in the areas that get less sun. Remember that plants cast shadows
which you can use to your advantage in shading tender plants but the same
shadows can prevent plants getting enough sun.

Make a List Before You Buy

A shopping list for your container garden is essential when starting out. If
you don’t then you end up buying stuff you don’t need and not buying stuff
you need. You end up with far too many plants and not enough pots and
similar problems. Always make a list of everything you need and then stick
to it (easier said than done) when shopping for your container garden to
ensure you get everything you need.
Keep Plant Labels
Plant labels contain useful information such as how big your plant will
grow, what light it needs, how much food it needs and more. A lot of
gardeners will throw these away not realizing that they can be very useful
later on when you are either trying to remember what a particular plant is or
trying to work out what to plant with it. Keep the labels safe so that you
can refer to them when you need to and give your plants the care they need.
Acclimate Your Plants
Plants can take a fair bit of abuse but they generally don’t like sudden
changes in weather or light. If you move seedlings outdoors without giving
them chance to get used to it you can end up either with a lot of plants
dying or their grow is slowed as they adjust.
Young plants or plants which have spent a lot of time indoors need to be
slowly introduced to outdoors over a couple of weeks. Put them out during
the day and bring them in at night and repeat, leaving them out longer into
the evening until they are out all night. Remember though if there is any
risk of frost to bring them back in again. The process is called hardening
off and is vital if you grow from seed.
 Chapter 10
The Best Plants in Container s

ere are some vegetables and fruits that grow well in containers. It
H ranges from citrus fruits and banana to cucumber, tomatoes and all
other crops that could be planted in a bigger garden. The disparity is,
they can be grown on the porch or deck or anywhere you have space since
they will be in containers. These plants thrive in pots, so you don't have to
be concerned about getting less than half tomatoes. If what you desire is big
beefsteak tomato in a container, then you will get it.
1. Tomatoes:
It is not a big deal that tomatoes thrive in containers. At least, they do put
them up for sale in those upsides down growing containers. If you want
fresh tomatoes all year round, they can be quickly grown in any container
size, it all depends on the type of tomato you intend to grow. You may
decide to use a larger container to hold the plant, and you can start with
starter plants or seeds, any of it go. Put an enclosed to the exterior of the
container for additional support as the plant gets taller.
2. Basil:
Basil can be grown inside or outside, and it is nice when added to soup and
other recipes. You can grow basil for your favorite meal, even if you do not
have an overall herb garden. All you need is some fresh potting soil, a 6-
inch planter, and the basil. Always remember that when watering basil, you
must avoid wetting the stem and leave. The best way is to spread water
directly on top of the soil. Basil also needs a bit of direct sunlight daily, thus
if you intend to cultivate it inside, ensure you make use of containers that
can be quickly moved out during the sunny period of the day.
3. Zucchini and Summer Squash:
Every type of squash thrives in pots, especially summer squash. It will grow
well in any container. Squash is a versatile and resilient plant. Therefore, if
you wish to put in fresh squash to your meals take some containers and
grow the seeds. Always remember that you would be required to harvest the
squash frequently when it starts to grow, for the plants not to get bogged
down. In a week, you ought to acquire about three squash when they have
started growing. Make sure you remove them to give space for new
growth.
Parsley:
Parsley also thrives in containers. Therefore, if you wish to add fresh
parsley to your meals, you can naturally grow the herb on the porch or
balcony. It is a great herb to grow in your garden. It flourishes in small
containers but needs partial sunlight and soil must be kept moisten to get
the desired results. Parsley thrives in temperatures of about forty to eighty
degrees F which makes it great for winter gardens. Just keep in mind to take
it inside at night for it not to get too cold.
Strawberries:
The fruit grows well in containers in spite of being observed as plants that
require vast space to flourish. It’s among the best plants that grow in a pot
and do well even indoors. You can cultivate your strawberries all year round
in a sunny area of your house, possibly beside the window. You can use
plant grow light to grow it during winter. Select larger containers that will
house them sufficiently and also ensure they are reaped as they start
producing to give room for more products.
Radishes:
Radishes also grow well in container gardens and can add spice to your
dishes. Longer white varieties flourish in paint buckets and the likes while
the short red type of radishes grows well in any available container. It is a
suggested vegetable plant for beginners since, and they grow considerably
well in pots. Situate the pots out on the patio or by window side for them to
receive sunlight in the daytime and ensure watering them every other day.
Pineapple:
This fruit can be grown any time of the year in your containers, even if you
are not dwelling in a tropical area. Cut off the cap of a fresh pineapple
together with a small part of the fruit. Soak the cap in water for about 24
hours and then plant in a gallon sized plastic container. Pineapple requires a
certain percentage of sunlight. Thus you may need to place the container in
the sunny area of your yards like deck and balcony. Always remember to
take plants indoors at night, if you are growing in the winter.
Cantaloupe:
This lovely melon can be grown in containers. You need to get larger
containers to cultivate the amount that will be sufficient all through summer
if you don't have garden space in your house. Varieties of cantaloupe can be
grown in containers, do not allow their vines to spread out, support them
with sticks. The best range of fruit for container gardening are the smaller
plants that produce smaller melons as there is more space for them to thrive.
However, larger varieties can also be grown in as much as they have proper
supports and trellis for vines to lean on.
Oregano:
This herb is a popular variety for container gardening and thrives in any
container. Growing oregano in containers helps to keep them under control
and prevent their spreading. Try to make use of small pots and potting soil.
The herb is very easy to cultivate and grow well with no hitches. Situate
your oregano in a sunny area in the daytime then take inside at night,
especially if you are growing in the winter.
Rosemary:
You do not necessarily need to have a large garden space before you grow
herbs. Rosemary is one the herbs that grow well in containers. Make use of
potting soil with least of peat moss, but you will put sand beneath the pot to
give room for drainage and the surface ought to be given a chance to dry
out before watering but should not dry completely.
Peppers:
Pepper is another plant that grows considerably well in containers. Be it
green, yellow or red pepper. Without you having garden space, you will
have them available all year round. All you need to do is selecting the right
container size for each variety. Bigger peppers will require a five or ten-
gallon pot for them to have enough space to flourish, while smaller varieties
need at least two-gallon containers. They also require about eight hours of
sunlight per day, for this reason; try to position the containers to direct
sunlight. If you like, you could be taking them inside in the night and
returning them in the morning for direct sunlight.
Chives:
Chives are indeed among the most robust herbs you can plant. These herbs
thrive in containers or even wherever else you want them cultivated. They
are perennial plants that flourish year in year out. They can add spices to
your dips, baked tomatoes, and your soups. Chives can be moved indoors if
you want a continuous harvest all through the year. However, they also
require a little bit of sunlight in the daytime to grow well, try placing your
container in an area where they access slight sunlight.
Bananas:
If you like to be eating fresh bananas and you do not reside in a tropical
area. Short sized banana could be well grown in containers within your
compound, even in winter periods. It's also a perennial fruit that grows year
in year out. For planting banana, you need relatively larger containers with
adequate holes to allow for proper drainage so as for your plants not to
drown out. It grows perfectly well indoors during winter and outdoors,
whether in the deck or balcony in the summer.
Spinach:
Spinach is another plant that thrives in containers. It requires an eight-inch
container per plant. Always remember that spinach doesn't want excessive
heat so avoid wilting of the leaves by preventing it from direct sunlight.
Containers usually become warm in the summer period, thus situate them in
the shady area of your garden. Spinach can also be grown indoors in the
winter season. You need to keep it watered regularly to prevent it from
being dry out by the internal heat.
Thyme:
Thyme also grows perfectly well in containers whether indoors or outside.
If you decide to have a herb garden in containers by planting thyme with
oregano, basil, and other herbs or you only wish to grow your thyme in a
container. The best pot for this herb is clay since it prevents water from
drying out. Thyme would not flourish if over-logged with water, so ensure
your selected container has a sufficient drainage hole. It can be grown
inside in the winter period and as well requires bit sunlight during summer.
Potatoes:
Potatoes are also one of the crops that grow perfectly well in containers.
They can be raised all through the year. Potatoes are ideal in 5-gallon
buckets which could be quickly shifted from indoors to outdoors for
sunlight. Ensure there are adequate holes in the base of the bucket before
planting to avoid crops dampness.
Sage:
Sage is also a herb that thrives in containers whether indoors or outside.
The herb requires sunlight, and if you do not have adequate sunlight during
the winter, it may need artificial lighting. If you intend to cultivate it either
in your window box or balcony, try to situate the containers directly to
sunlight for the plant to receive enough in the daytime. But if you are
growing it indoors, supply it with adequate lighting during the day.
Cucumbers:
Cucumber is an easy to grow vegetable even in containers. It can be kept
growing all year long, be it in summer or winter season. It can as well be
raised vertically to make the most of your available space. Just allow them
vines up the side of your house or even your deck railing if the containers
would be placed outdoors. Midget-pickets, space-masters, and salad bush
hybrids are the most excellent cucumber varieties for container gardening.
Though, other varieties also grow well if well catered. Ensure you give
enough space for the vines and harvest the grown cucumber in due time so
as not to outweigh and weaken the vines.
Kale:
With little available space in your garden, you can conveniently grow kale
in containers. About five kales could be raised in a twenty-inch pot,
growing them in containers make them to be easily moved indoors and
outside during winter and summer respectively. You can start your kale
planting with either seeds or transplants any of it goes. Avoid excessive
moisture and at the same time too much dryness, hence apply moderation
while watering, to enable the plants to thrive.
Lettuce:
Lettuce is also one of the best plants that thrive in containers. Its container
could be placed on the deck or balcony for direct sunlight, and you can start
your seedling just before the end of winter period for another plant season.
You only need to plant the seed directly using a bigger container with
potting soil inside. Lettuce can be planted with other greens like arugula or
cilantro if you wish to maximize space. It can also be transplanted into a
bigger container when the plants started growing.
Quinoa:
This whole grain food is rich in nutrients, and it makes a perfect plant for
container gardening. Quinoa is a hardy plant that can be perfectly grown on
patios, indoors or about anywhere in your garden. Seeds should be planted
directly in bigger containers with potting mix inside. The containers must
be about 2 feet tall to enhance their growth.
 Chapter 11
Steps to Grow Plants in Containers

Here are some basics steps for growing plants in the container:
Choose a container:
eed starting containers should be clean, should be at least 2-3 inches
S deep and should have holes in drainage. They may be plastic bottles,
packs of cells, peat pots, plastic sheets, cups of yogurt, and eggshells.
The options are infinite; as long as they are safe (soak up 10 minutes in 9-
part water to one-part household bleach).You can buy seed starting kits as
well, but don't spend a lot of money until you are sure to start seeds each
year. Bear in mind it takes up room for flats and pots so make sure you've
got enough space for all the seedlings you launch.
Start with good quality soil:
Do not use garden soil, and it is too thick, it contains seeds of weeds and,
probably, species of disease.
Plant at the proper depth:
On the seed packet, you can find the correct seeding depth. The rule of
thumb is to cover soil seeds equal to three times their thickness. Some seeds
need light to germinate, like some lettuces and snapdragons, and should rest
on the surface of the soil but still be in good contact with moist soil.
Smooth tamping will help after sowing. Using a spray bottle after you have
planted your seeds to cool the soil again.
Water wisely:
Using water at room temperature indefinitely. Let chlorinated water sit
overnight to dissipate chlorine, or use purified water. Consider using water
which is salty. An easy way to prevent this – as well as overwatering – is
dipping your container base into the water and allowing the soil to retain
moisture from the bottom up to the surface. Some seed-starting kits include
a wicking mat that leads water from a reservoir to dry soil. It may be the
most goof-proof way of watering seedlings, but you have to be careful not
to leave the soil too warm. Whatever you do, don't forget to water and let
the seeds or seedlings dry. This is sentenced to death.
Maintain consistent moisture:
Cover your jar before germination, to help trap moisture inside. Usually,
seed starting kits come with plastic cover. A plastic bag may also be used,
but it should be protected so that it does not lie flat on the surface. Remove
covers as soon as seeds germinate. Once seedlings grow, reduce soil
watering partially dry, but don't let them wilt.
Keep soil warm:
Seeds need to germinate in moist soil. Most seeds are to germinate at
around 78 ° F. Waterproof heating pads, specially built for seed
germination; maintain the soil at a steady temperature. Many nurseries and
garden centers sell purchasing them. Alternatively, before the seeds sprout,
you can put seed trays on top of a fridge or other warm appliance. Air
temperature will be just under 70 ° F after germination. So long as the soil
temperature stays 65-70 ° F, seedlings can tolerate air temperatures as low
as 50 ° F.
Fertilize:
Start feeding your seedlings after growing their second set of true leaves,
applying a weekly liquid fertilizer of half power. Gently apply it, so that
seedlings are not dislodged from the soil.
Give seeding enough light:
Farther north, even a window facing south, may not give enough light,
especially in the middle of winter. Ideally, for healthiest growth, seedlings
require 14-16 hours of direct light per day. If seedlings start bending
towards the window, that is a sure sign that they do not get enough light.
Turning the pots just won't be enough-you may need to provide artificial
lighting. Lighting kits can be issued by nurseries and mail-order seed
catalogs. Follow the directions with care.
Circulate the air:
Circulating air helps prevent disease, and allows strong stems to grow. Run
a gentle fan near to seedlings to build a movement in the air. Hold the fan
away from the seedlings, in order to prevent overt blasting.
Harden of seed before planting:
Hardening-off seedling is a process that should be carried out slowly over a
week or two. Done properly, you will produce sturdy seedlings ready to
stand up to anything that nature throws at them. Rush the process, and the
young transplants may be burned, hurt, or even killed.
Harden-off tender seedlings over a 6-14 day period. The goal is to slowly
expose transplants to environmental conditions, increasing the number of
time seedlings spends each day outdoors. In the process of hardening-off,
slowly minimize watering. You don't want to wilt seedlings, just extend the
time slowly between watering. Stop feeding for 3-4 days before starting to
harden. Do not feed before you transplant yourself into the garden again.
Start by growing seedlings in a sheltered spot outdoors-shielded from wind
and direct sunlight. This is ideal under a branch, or overhang. The first two
nights put seedlings back inside. Place them out to another 30-60 minutes of
brighter sunshine per day. Work your way up to give more and more direct
morning sun to plants, until they can withstand midday sun without getting
wilted. Fully hardened-off seedlings should be able to endure the same
amount of sunlight they get in the garden as they are being cultivated.
Check weather forecasts and keep track of expected lows at night. When
temperatures drop below 35 degrees F., carry indoor seedlings or cover
them with a spun-polystyrene row cover or other protective material. Read
more about shielding plants from frost. When you put the row cover on
hoops or stakes, you'll get the best protection against frost so that it doesn't
directly contact foliage. If it looks like a frost or freezing temperature will
occur, prepare to leave seedlings overnight outside by the third or fourth
night. Place them under a protective overhang, or under a table. Seedlings
shouldn't need protection by the sixth night, or so.
Your transplants will look more stocky and tougher after about a week of
hardening-off. Plant on a rainy or drizzly day when the winds are calm, or
at night. Water in with diluted to half-strength liquid fertilizer solution.
Provide protection against pests, such as snails, slugs, and cutworms, where
appropriate. Continue shielding seedlings from excessive downpours, frost,
hail, or strong winds. A plastic gallon jug with removed bottom allows for a
nice seedlings cover.
 Chapter 12
Watering Guidelines

lthough, the conventional method of watering is considered the best by

A many, technological growth that provided several tools that can make
the job pretty easy to handle. If a garden has a lot of containers or you
have a busy work schedule, finding the time to water plants can be a
difficult job for you. This is also the case for people who live in areas where
water is a scarce resource. Regardless of the technique or tool that you
follow, you must ensure that you only water the soil and put a little water on
the leaves. Water on the leaves may lead to diseases.
Hand Watering
The traditional and most commonly used technique for watering is hand
watering. Using this technique, you can regulate the amount of water you
put in every plant depending on the nature of the plant and its specific
needs. You can use the handheld watering can for indoor watering.
However, for watering plants that are kept outdoors, you can use the hoses
that can be dragged to any location in the garden. All these tools are easily
available in the market. Depending upon your preferences, you can buy the
equipment that is best suited for your needs.
Sprinklers
Several varieties of lawn sprinklers are available in the market. However,
these are not very effective for watering container plants. This system is a
real saver on time as you just have to set the system in place and it will
water all your plants in no time. However, there are some downsides of
using this system. One of the major downsides of using this system is that it
facilitates the spreading of disease. Most plant diseases spread because of
the spreading of the film of water. This water provides a good base for the
disease causing fungi to grow.
The best and most effective way of watering the container plants is to use
drip irrigation. The water is emitted through holes or emitters. Therefore,
the water comes out of the system slowly. In order to install the system, you
simply have to make a connection between the pipe and supply of water.
Filters can then be put, and the emitters can be installed in each of the
containers. Several sized emitters differing in the amount of water they emit
on a per minute basis are available.
The working action of these systems is so slow that it can take several hours
for the system to wet a raised bed. Therefore, while small pots can do pretty
well with one emitter, large containers shall require two emitters. When you
install the system, monitor the system during the first few days to see how
well the system is working. In case you feel that the emitter is not able to
water the container adequately, you can also consider making a few
adjustments.
Using Self-Watering Containers
Self-watering provides an excellent alternative if you can’t water your
plants regularly due to work or personal limitation. Such containers have a
water reservoir that is present at the base or along the wall of the container.
This reservoir is linked with the root ball, and whenever the root ball dries,
the wick sucks water into the plant.
This may not be a very effective technique to consider in the summer
season. The reservoir may empty in a couple of days, and you cannot
completely rely, on the reservoir, to fulfill the water needs of the plant.
Moreover, the reservoir system may keep the plant too wet at times, and this
is also a major disadvantage. The plant may rot, as a result, and finally die.
Watering Schedule
The water needs of a plant vary with varying seasons and locations. While
the same plant may not require as much water in the cold season, it will
require a good amount of water in the summer season. Therefore, even if
you choose to use an automated system, you will have to make this
adjustment manually. There is no universally accepted and followed
watering schedule. Therefore, you will have to use your observation skills
and make adjustments to the system as and when required.
You can use the following methods to determine if your plants need water –
Observe your plants for signs that your plant gives to you. Whenever the
leaves begin to wilt and droop, you can establish that the plant is drying out.
In fact, the plant may also start looking dull and lose its shine and gloss. If
these signs are noticeable, ensure that you give your plant the amount of
water that it requires.
Dig the soil of the container about two inches deep and see if the soil is dry.
In that case, you should water the plant immediately. You can conveniently
check the root ball of the plant potted, in a small container, to see if the root
ball is moist. If the root ball seems dry, the plant wants water.
Another way to test if the soil of the container has dried out is to lift the
container and see if it is heavy enough. As the soil dries out, it tends to
become lighter. You will be able to judge the difference in weight once you
perform the activity a couple of times. Lift the container and see how much
its weight after watering.
How much Water does Plants Need
The objective of watering the plant is to ensure that the root ball of the plant
is moistened in full capacity. Therefore, you must put water in the container
until some water starts coming out of the drain hole present at the bottom of
the container. The water poured into the soil is not instantly absorbed.
Therefore, while planting a 1-inch space is left at the top of the container.
While watering, you must fill this space completely. Yu must have also
realized from this discussion that watering a plant is not a one-step process.
You must water the plant, wait for the water to get absorbed and re-water it
until you see water coming out of the drain hole.
The whole process of soaking the root ball makes the whole process tricky.
When the root ball is in the dried state, it shrinks. Therefore, in this
condition, if you water the plant, there is a high probability that the water
will just drip off the edges. As a result, you will be required to water the
plant several times to ensure that the root ball becomes wet as required.
However, as the root ball becomes wet, the water is soaked in, and the
amount of water absorbed by the soil will increase. Therefore, judging if the
plant has got the water it requires by the amount of water that comes out of
the drainage is not a reliable method of determining if the root ball has
actually become moist.
You can accomplish the task of wetting the root ball in several other ways –
One of the ways that you can adopt is to water the pot from the bottom side.
You can use saucers to place under the container. Therefore, whenever any
water is discarded by the plant, the saucer collects this water, and the plant
can absorb this water whenever it needs. Submerging the plant in a basin
may not be a good idea as it may cause the roots of the plant to rot. In case
the plant has become excessively dry, you can put the plant in a water-filled
sink or container and allow it to stay there for around an hour. In such a
way, the plant will be able to get its moisture and the roots will also not rot
as a result of over-moisture.
You can also think of using drip irrigation for watering. This method of
watering waters the plant steadily. Besides, it is also a slower way of
watering the plant.
The secret of effective watering is deep and thorough watering. You must
then ensure that the plant absorbs the water provided and dries up before the
next time you plant to water it again. A word of advice is that you must
avoid giving the plant light sprinklings. This causes the roots of the plant to
grow near the surface of the soil. As a result, the roots become more prone
to drying out. You must water the plant deeply and not that frequently for
best results.
Saving Water
Water is an important natural resource, and like every other natural
resource, it is important to save it. However, water limitation is a reality for
areas that experience excessively hot climatic conditions. While people do
not have enough drinking water, the plants are usually left to the mercy of
rains to fulfill their water requirements. Here are a few things that you can
do to save water and ensure that your plants get their water at the same
time.
Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation is one of the best ways of watering the plant. It provides the
plant with water in a slow and steady manner. It is undoubtedly the most
frugal watering system that is available for you to use today.
Using Double Pots
The system of using two pots for a plant can be rather beneficial. In other
words, you can take a large pot and place the potted plant into the large
container. The amount of sunlight that the plant receives in this case is
much less. Therefore, the amount of water lost by the soil is also less.
Soil Polymers
Soil polymers are materials that are gelatin like in nature and hold much
more water than is other materials. When used in dry soil, they absorb huge
amounts of water when the plant is watered. However, with time, these
materials begin to lose their water. This time coincides with the time of soil
drying. Ensure that you use these in the right quantities because a little
amount of this can be too much for the soil.
You can also think of transferring the plant to a bigger container. This will
increase the amount of soil in the container and the amount of water
required to wet this soil will also increase accordingly. However, if you feel
that the plant is taking too much watering, then you can put it in the ground.
The watering chores will reduce to minimal.
You can put the plant into a shady area to reduce its watering requirements.
This is a particularly good practice if your plant is kept in a full-sun
location.
Put the containers in an arrangement that ensures that the sides of the
container are hidden from the sun. This will reduce water loss from the
sides.
You can also consider using mulch, which is a layer of organic matter that
can be added to the soil surface. This organic matter includes bark pieces
and other similar materials. They ensure that the water that evaporates from
the surface of the plant is reduced to a bare minimum.
Weeds consume a lot of plant’s water and force it to dry out. Therefore,
pulling them out is a good idea.
Whenever you are watering a plant, ensure that you water the plant
effectively in a manner that the root ball gets moist. Such a watering
strategy ensures that the plant remains healthy for a longer time.
Another source of water for your plants is the water it gets from rainfall.
Therefore, it is important for you to know the amount of water that the plant
gets from this source. Whenever, it rains, it is best to adjust your watering
schedule to accommodate for the same.
Lastly, some plants want more water than the others. For instance, plants
like succulents do not require as much water as some other plants.
Therefore, you can save on a good amount of water if you plant these.
 Conclusion

ontainer gardening is a fun and easy way of starting your own garden,
C especially if you live in an area with little space for gardening. It’s an
efficient way of doing your part for the environment by planting and
recycling materials that can be used as containers for plants.
To enjoy a more effective and productive container gardening, plant
vegetables that you can cook and eat. This way, you will be able to save
money and enjoy vegetables that are not only fresh or nutritious but of good
quality. It is a fulfilling activity that benefits both your physical and mental
health. You can also use container gardening to personalize and improve
your living area. Plants are very pleasing to the eyes and some vegetables
can be used as ornamental plants as well.
Once you’ve decided to start a container garden, choose the type of
vegetables you will plant and the growing medium that you will use. Also,
choose a good location and container that is suitable for your plants and
available space. Maintain and care for your garden by watering, pruning
and fertilizing the plants as needed. Make sure that the plants are able to get
the needed nutrients in order for it to produce good quality fruits, leaves and
flowers.
Some problems are likely to occur in container gardening. But don’t be
discouraged; these problems are common even to experienced gardeners.
Just remember that these problems can be remedied. To further enjoy
container gardening, invite your friends to start their own or ask for some
tips from other gardeners living in your area.
Container gardening is really a lot like traditional gardening, but your plant
are portable. If the pots are small enough and light enough, you can even
avoid early season hail and other major storm complications that would
otherwise ruin plants. Just bring them indoors on really off days and set
them back out when the weather is nice. You’ll get some amazing fruit that
way!
In addition to being more versatile, container gardening also requires a lot
less soil than the traditional style of in-ground gardening. To utilize your
containers as much as possible, try to follow the square foot gardening
method. You can plant nine bean plants in one square foot, so you should be
able to plant nine in a large pot!
You now have all that you need to head out into the world and to begin
making all of the best choices for your upcoming container gardening
adventure. It is never too late or too early to make plans, do a few
experiments, and generally explore the world of containers, plants, and
techniques.
We do advise that you start small if you have never gardened before. It is so
easy to envision a flawless garden full of delicious and appealing plants, but
this does take a lot of work, investment, time, and effort.
You will find that you get just as much enjoyment from plucking a few
cherry tomatoes from one plant, picking some basil leaves from another,
and popping an alpine strawberry into your mouth, as you would from
hoisting a hefty basket of produce into the kitchen.
 GREENHOUSE GARDENING

How a Beginner Can Grow Fruit and Vegetables

all Year ROUND.What You Must Know to Build
your Greenhouse (Vegetable Gardening Book 6)

William Urban Green

 Introduction

It was circa 30 A.D., and the emperor Tiberius needed more cucumbers.
ore specifically, he needed one cucumber a day, according to his
M physicians, to help him with an ailment. This is why Roman engineers
and gardeners had to find a way to maintain continuous production of
cucumbers, which would not have been a challenge if not for the fact that
they had to provide these cucumbers specifically for the emperor all year
round.
So they decided to brainstorm: How does one grow the same plant
throughout the year?
You see, cucumbers flourish during warm and moist seasons. This means
the physicians had to find a way to raise cucumbers during the snowy
winters. Yes, it did snow in the Roman Empire. Not everything in Rome
was about politics and gladiator fights on a hot and sunny day.
To solve the problem for the emperor, the engineers used a wheeled cart to
carry the cucumbers and placed the cart under the sun. This gave the
cucumbers the necessary warmth they needed. When night arrived (or when
it was winter), a special cover made from frames coated with transparent
materials housed the cucumbers, keeping them warm.
By doing this, the engineers helped the emperor dig his teeth into some
delicious gourds. After all, a cucumber a day keeps the physicians away (or
those backstabbing politicians away; it was Rome after all).
They have been part of human history for centuries. It would not be a
stretch to imagine that someone figured out how to produce crops at any
time during the year.
Greenhouses are mostly transparent structures where plants are grown. You
can typically find them in cold regions like parts of Canada, Finland, and
Greenland, but they are not confined to those countries. The transparent
covering is usually made of glass and allows sunlight to pass through
during the day. During the nighttime, the glass traps the heat inside,
continuing to keep the plants warm despite the temperatures outside.
It is an ingenious invention that makes use of physics. Today, you can find
the name associated with climate change.
Greenhouses themselves are not responsible for climate change, but the
name is used to describe the process that causes temperatures to increase on
the Earth's surface; the greenhouse effect. In this effect, gases such as
carbon dioxide trap the heat from the sun, just like the glass roofs of
greenhouses.
People who are unaware of the functions of greenhouses often wonder if the
structures cause harm to the environment. But research has shown that these
glassed structures are indeed environmentally.
Benefits of a Greenhouse
Garden of Eden
Some plants grow well during the summer, utilizing the abundant sunlight
available. Then there are those plants that grow well during the winter,
finding the cold weather more comfortable. Greenhouses help maintain a
stable temperature within its facility, whether it is in the middle of the
summer or during freezing winters.
Plants that are subjected to abrupt changes in temperatures do not thrive.
They are at risk of losing their nutrients and even growing stunted. With
greenhouses, you are providing a controlled environment for plants and
herbs not merely to grow, but thrive. You can even add specific features to
your greenhouse - such as ventilation systems - to keep conditions just the
way you, or your plants, like them. This becomes essential for growing
certain types of crops, herbs, flowers, or plants.
For example, you can start raising fruits like tomatoes. Yes, they are fruits.
Science has helped settle the age-long debate about whether tomatoes
belong in the fruit category or not.
By the way, if you ever want to prove to anyone that they are fruits, here is
how: tomatoes grow in the ovaries present at the base of the flower and
include the seeds of the plant inside them. These are typical characteristics
of real fruits. Using this distinct feature, scientists placed the popular red
berry in the fruit category. So yes, they are berries, too.
But I digress. Let us get back to raising tomatoes within a greenhouse and
how they can survive any weather. You see, by growing tomatoes in a
greenhouse during the summer, you allow them to mature. When these
fruits mature, they have the right fortitude to survive the winter. This, in
turn, helps them stay healthy during cold weather. The result? Delicious,
sweet, and fresh tomatoes for your cooking.
Even during heavy rainfall, you do not have to worry about your plants or
crops drowning. The enclosed conditions of the greenhouse ensure that you
can keep everything dry within it, making it perfect for when you want to
garden or grow something during the rainy season.
Variety is Spice!
With the right conditions, there are several plants that you can grow in a
greenhouse. Do you need some vegetables? Get your greenhouse ready for
vegetables (and fruits) such as tomatoes, peppers, and even cucumbers
(whether you are an emperor/empress who needs them daily or not). Are
you interested in raising crops? Because you can work with options such as
broccoli, lettuce, peas, and carrots.
From warm-seasoned crops to cold-season crops; from ornamentals to even
tropical flowers, you can grow a plethora of plants right in your backyard!
You can use what you produce in your greenhouse to decorate your house
or create your garden. When you perfect your techniques, you can even sell
your products at the local market. And if you do not want to grow your
plants to sell them, that’s okay, too.
Maintaining a greenhouse is a joy-filled hobby. When it comes to cooking,
you can focus on those ingredients that you use frequently. By growing
these ingredients in your backyard, you save a lot on your trip to the local
store.
Protection Detail
In 2018, an army of worms, rats, and birds decimated nearly 17,000
hectares of crops in the east-African country of Tanzania. The damage was
so severe that officials feared food shortages in various areas of the district.
You might think that such incidences are restricted to a particular country or
region. However, around the world, pests are known to eradicate the
produce of farmers and cause food problems.
When you are raising crops and plants, pests become a common enemy.
From ants to flies, wasps, aphids, and beetles, crops and plants might come
under attack numerous times during the year. Each country in the world is
home to numerous pests. However, some creatures are found abundantly in
one region or country and less (and sometimes never) in another location.
For example, tobacco whiteflies are common pests in regions such as Asia,
Africa, and Europe, but are not typically found in North America. However,
fall armyworms are found in regions such as North and South American,
Africa, and certain parts of Europe.
Regardless of where you are and what pest plagues your region, the crops
and plants in your region face a threat from these creatures.
Using greenhouses, you are giving plants a safe place to grow and in turn,
they reward you in many ways. While it is true that pests are capable of
attacking greenhouses as well, you have a better chance of getting rid of
them.

Don’t Bug Me!

You do not need pests to ruin plants. Even insects that are commonly found
in practically every region on the planet can also cause a lot of harm.
Whether they are ants or houseflies, they are capable of causing much
destruction to plants and crops. One of the ways that they can do this is by
directly attacking the plants.
Another method is by causing harm indirectly. Insects can do this by
spreading infections or diseases to the crops. These diseases can be viral,
bacterial, or even fungal. By only affecting a few crops, insects can ensure
that the diseases spread to nearby plants, which in turn carry the infection
further.
Wherever these insects cause damage, they often multiply and grow in the
same area. This prevents farmers and gardeners from growing crops in that
location again. Eventually, the insects and their offspring have to be dealt
with (which is a painstakingly lengthy process) before growing any
produce.
Greenhouses provide you a solution to the insect problem in the form of
raised beds. You will learn more about these structures, but essentially, they
are containers that hold plants. In the event of an insect infestation, you can
easily clean out the raised beds and plant crops again.
Energy Efficient
Greenhouses use sunlight, for the most part. This creates a natural lighting
and heating system for the plants, which is in turn essential for the process
known as photosynthesis. In this process, the plants convert carbon dioxide
into essential nutrients using the light from the sun.
Furthermore, light is also involved in a process called transpiration. Think
of this process as how plants breathe, and it usually occurs during the early
hours of the day. In this process, light enters tiny pores that are present on
the surface of leaves and allows the plant to receive gases from the
environment.
All of this is essential to keep your plants and crops healthy.
What makes using greenhouses beneficial is that by using natural light, you
are reducing the reliance on electrically supplied lighting. When this
happens, you are removing a high consumption of energy from the
equation. People have this notion that the greenhouse tap into a lot of
electricity for maintenance. This is not true unless you choose to add certain
features to the greenhouse that require power. While greenhouses do
consume electricity, you can design yours in such a way that it minimizes
electricity usage.
With greenhouses, you are mainly depending on what nature is already
providing you in abundance.
Planting Some Zen in Your Life
You read that right. Greenhouses help you relieve stress and bring a sense
of calm into your life. This might sound like a metaphysical or spiritual
approach to looking at greenhouses. However, science has some answers
for why you feel relaxed inside greenhouses.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information1,
engaging with indoor plants has led to the reduction of not just
psychological, but physiological stress. By conducting a simple experiment
involving young adults, they noticed that participants of the experiment
began to show feelings of comfort and calm after working with indoor
plants.
What you experience in your environment through sight, sounds, and even
touch affects your mood in many ways. In fact, studies have shown that by
just looking at scenes of nature, you are reducing negative feelings within
you.
In a greenhouse, you are not just looking at nature in your own backyard,
but you are actually part of it. This has an even more significant effect on
your well-being and your health.
First, your stress lowers. This means that you are able to focus better on
your life and other tasks. Nature has been known to calm anger, which in
turn helps you control your emotions better. Being in nature has also been
known to help people deal with negative states of mind, from fear to
depression to sadness, by creating positive impressions on people’s
emotions and mental state.
 Chapter 1

Every Types of Greenhouses

G reenhouses are available in various shapes and size suitable for multiple
climatic zones prevailing on the planet. Each zone requires different
forms for giving favorable capable climatic conditions to the
development of plants. The highest amount of insulation possible, covering
of maximum ground area for the least cost and a structurally sound facility
are some of the criteria for development of several types of greenhouse.
From numerous greenhouse designs found for example, is solarium (“lean-
to’’, joined to a house), even and uneven span, "hillside'' and saw tooth
types are as yet found all through the world. A portion of these are
economically impractical and would not meet the necessities of a controlled
situation; the saw tooth, be that as it may, has been used in horticulture
industry of created nations. Present-day designs have followed from these
first methodologies. Unsupported green-houses are usually of two types,
peak rooftop (A-frame) or Arch/curvilinear. These designs are bolstered
independent from anyone else; for example, no outer support is given. Arch
rooftop designs are created not in view of light transmission
contemplations, however because of financial elements; these can be built
for approximately 25% less expensive than a peak rooftop design. The
Arched rooftop is effectively versatile to both unbending and adaptable
covering material.
Now and again the unattached peak or Arch designs are joined to frame
"frame and wrinkle'' office or multi-length. This sort of arrangement is
appropriate to the majority of the business greenhouses utilized for
horticulture and vegetable creation. They are more affordable to assemble,
monitor ground territory, and require less heating expense per ground
region contrasted with remain solitary designs (Kacira).
Ridge and Furrow Configuration of Greenhouse Structures
Greenhouse confirmation as per Mexican Standard

NMX-E-255-CNCP-2008
The greenhouse structure designs, as indicated by the Mexican standard, are
given above. Note that the contrast of the mark from the above mentioned
yet the geometric shapes are the equivalent; a portion of these designs
include a zenith or rooftop vent for accomplishing better ventilation.
Designs description
There are some greenhouse classifications as indicated by various criteria
(for example, material for development, spread material sort, rooftop
highlights, and so forth.). In any case, it is liked to list the most significant
overlooking a few features for classification. Among the most well-known
kind of greenhouses on the planet are (Bouzo and Gariglio, 2009):
Arch rooftop – or tunnel, it is portrayed by the state of its housing and its
all-metal structure. The utilization of this kind of greenhouse is spreading
because of its more prominent capacity to control the miniaturized scale
atmosphere, its protection from high breezes and fast establishment with
pre-assembled designs. The sections are aroused iron funnels dispersed 5 m
8m or 3 m 5 m separated. The most extreme tallness of such greenhouses is
between 3.5 m and 5 m. Side dividers receive statures from 2.5 m to 4 m.
The width of these greenhouses is between 6 m and 9 m, and they permit a
multi-range arrangement. Ventilation is through horizontal and rooftop
windows.
Advantages:
High transmittance of daylight
Excellent indoor air volume (high heat latency), great protection from
winds
Thoroughly free inside space, giving simple uprooting, automated culturing,
crops driving, and so forth, development of medium to low unpredictability
(because of the accessibility of prefabricated components).
Disadvantages:
Significant expense
They face ventilation challenges in the event that they are worked in multi-
length, and there is no rooftop vent system.
Standard peak – or house of prayer, is perhaps the most established
design, utilized in constrained harvest cultivation. The incline of the rooftop
is variable as indicated by radiation and precipitation (typically changing
somewhere in the range of 15 ◦ and 35 ◦ ). Width measurements vary
somewhere in the range of 6 and 12 m (considerably higher) for variable
length. The stature of the horizontal range between 2.0 m to 2.5 m and 3.0
m to 3.5 m the frame (likewise constructed lower than those shown,
however, are not suggested). The ventilation of these greenhouses in a
single range has no troubles, turning out to be progressively troublesome
when these are canal associated.
Advantages:
Development of low to medium unpredictability
Utilization of cheap materials relying upon the territory (eucalyptus shafts
and timbers, pine, and so on)
• Side ventilation is exceptionally simple. It is likewise simple to introduce
rooftop windows.
• Suitable for both covering materials adaptable and unbending.
• It has incredible offices for depleting water.
Disadvantages:
• Ventilation issues with canal associated greenhouses.
• It has less encased volume than bent greenhouses with a similar peak
stature.
• A more significant number of components that decrease light
transmittance (more noteworthy concealing).
• Internal bolster components thwart the development and area of crops.
Saw tooth – A variety of chapel greenhouses, which was first utilized in
quite a while with meager precipitation and significant levels of radiation
were greenhouses that had a solitary rooftop tilted at points going from 5◦
to 15 ◦ . The sidelong coupling of such started the greenhouses known as
"saw tooth''. The need to clear water from precipitation decided a tendency
in assortment zones from the center towards the two finishes.
Advantages:
• Construction of medium multifaceted nature.
• Excellent ventilation which varies from the multi-length house of prayer
greenhouses.
• Use of suitable materials relying upon the region.
Disadvantages:
Concealing a lot more noteworthy than a chapel because of the more
prominent number of supporting essential components.
Low volume of air encased (for a similar peak stature) than a house of
prayer.
Modular Parral type – These greenhouses are originated in the region of
Almería (Spain), made up of posts and wires called "parral'' which are a
changed form of the designs used to develop table grapevines. Right now,
there is a cutting frame rendition of the first worked with aroused channels
as indoor backings, the utilization of posts stay for horizontal strain holding
wind loads. These greenhouses, for the most part, have an frame stature of
3.0 m to 3.5 m, the width is variable, extending inside 20 m or additionally
relying upon the length. The slant is practically nonexistent, or in territories
with a high water hazard, ordinarily is between 10◦ to 15◦, which speaks to
sidelong tallness of about 2.0 m to 2.3 m. It is vented uniquely through
horizontal openings.
Advantages:
• Low-cost development.
• Large volume of air encased (high conduct contingent upon the heat
dormancy).
• Negligible rate of rooftop components in the block attempt of light.
• High wind load obstruction.
Detriments:
Poor ventilation
Serious danger of breakage by overwhelming precipitation because of the
low seepage limit. Development of high unpredictability (requires specific
staff).
In zones of low radiation, the low slanted rooftop speaks to the low take-up
of daylight.
Venlo house – These are glass greenhouses where the boards lay on the
water assortment channels; they are commonly utilized in Northern Europe.
The width of every module is 3.2 m, and the dispersing between posts the
longitudinal way is around 3 m. These greenhouses have no side windows
(perhaps in light of the fact that in Holland there are very few requests for
ventilation). Instead, it has rooftop windows, opening substituting
(coordinated side and by the other) whose measurements are 1.5 m long and
0.8 m wide.
Advantages:
The better heat exhibition because of the kind of material utilized: glass and
unbending materials as of now.
• High level of control of natural conditions.
Detriments:
Significant expense
The transmittance is influenced, not on account of the spread material,
however by the enormous number of supporting components because of the
heaviness of the spread material. Being a rigid material, enduring quite a
long while, their light transmission is influenced by dust, green growth, and
so on.
Greenhouse plan by the atmosphere
Not all greenhouses are planned equivalent. A plan that functions admirably
in a cool atmosphere with long virus winters, snowfall, and low light and
high breezes won't be the best design for a sticky, tropical atmosphere with
variable light force. Various greenhouses are described by the degree of
insurance from the outside condition they can offer and the ability they can
give producers to control within condition to a particular arrangement of
shapes. The degree of protection required relies upon the kind of crop being
developed and the neighborhood atmosphere. The target with building any
greenhouse is to discover a plan that will permit the producer to defeat the
most restricting climatic issues in their specific zone and acquire the highest
development rates conceivable from their crops. The necessities of
greenhouse designs because of various climatic zones that can be found the
world over are (Morgan, 2012):
Dry tropical or desert atmospheres – The principle ecological dangers are
high breezes vehicle drying residue or sand, which can impact the two
harvests and greenhouses. Basic tents with shafts developed with high-
tractable steel wires to shape an essential design over which a solitary layer
of fine creepy-crawly work is extended and verified around the frames.
Moist can be expanded by hazing or clouding, which likewise acts to
diminish temperatures. Further developed hello there tech, PC controlled
and cooled designs are additionally being used in atmospheres like this.
Subtropical desert and Mediterranean atmospheres – A design that can be
heated yet at the same time keep up a cool situation in summer are
fundamental. Right now atmosphere an appropriate design is the "cushion
and fan'' cooled plastic greenhouse with top vents and heating. Alongside
concealing over the outside of the greenhouse, this creates a perfect domain
during dry summer conditions.
Moist tropical atmospheres – Good tropical greenhouse designs can be as
straightforward as a downpour spread or plastic rooftop with open or move
upsides secured with bug work. In bigger greenhouses, the design is best
planned with a "saw tooth'' rooftop format which permits excellent venting
of the sight-seeing inside the greenhouse on crisp mornings. Heating, what's
more, protection isn't required, and vents can stay open. Moistening systems
and air-development fans can be utilized to cool the earth inside this sort of
design, and portable heat screens can be utilized to decrease approaching
daylight on brilliant, cloudless days and pulled back to permit greatest light
entrance under cloudy conditions. Great breezes from tropical storms or sea
tempests can be a significant hazard right now.
Mild atmospheres – Efficient heating of the air inside the greenhouse and
protecting and keeping up this heated air is the primary thought. Cultivators
need all year high development rates and most extreme crops in these
situations usually select greenhouses highlighting entirely clad side
dividers, rooftop and side vents, permitting large ventilation regions and PC
control of ecological equipment, for example, heaters, shade or heat
screens, hazing and vents. Mild zone greenhouse designs regularly utilize
plastic cladding "twin skins'' where the space between the two layers of
plastic is expanded, offering improved protection and better natural control.
Cold calm atmospheres – Greenhouses for this sort of condition need strong
dividers and firmly built, relatively soak durable rooftops to convey snow
stacks that would fall plastic film designs. These greenhouses are frequently
twofold protected by introducing plastic film within dividers and situating
retractable heat screens over the overhang at stud stature. To forestall heat
misfortune, vents are frequently kept shut throughout the winter months.
Most present-day hydroponic greenhouses for all atmospheres nowadays
highlight a stud stature of at any rate 3.05 m and at times considerably
more. Despite the sort or plan of the greenhouse or what harvest is being
grown, a tall greenhouse design gives a superior situation for plants and a
bigger cushion against minor changes in outside temperatures. The
subsequently improved limit with regards to air development is a
fundamental part of present-day greenhouse editing that has been showed to
profit various crops by improving transpiration and decreasing malady.
 Chapter 2

How to Construct a Greenhouse

P erhaps by now you already know why having your own greenhouse
makes a lot of sense. You can get so many benefits from having a
greenhouse right at your own backyard. Of course, to get engaged with
greenhouse gardening, you’ll need to have a greenhouse ready! This is
where construction comes into the picture.
1. Plan first where you’ll place your greenhouse- Location is everything
when it comes to any construction project. Building your own greenhouse,
whether you are putting it up for hobby or business purposes, requires some
pre-planning to ensure that you’ll get the most out of it. The first thing you
must consider is the size of the building. How much space can you
realistically allot for your greenhouse? Another thing you must consider is
the direction where your greenhouse would be facing. As a rule of thumb,
it’s recommended that the building should face the east so it would receive
the most morning sun.
2. Prep the construction area- After planning where you’ll put up your
greenhouse, the next thing you must do is to prep the area where it shall
eventually stand. In this step, you must ensure that you cover all the
building essentials. One thing you must cover is drainage, especially if you
live in an area where rains occur regularly. It is encouraged that the ground
must be filled if it shows signs of being uneven. At the same time, your
greenhouse must have access to electricity. It must be part of the
construction plan to create a system that directs electricity to the
greenhouse.
3. Set up your greenhouse for sun reception- This step is of particular
importance if you are planning to grow plants well into the winter season.
One reason why it’s recommended that the greenhouse must face east is
because it has a higher chance to receive optimal amounts of sunlight
regardless of season. For reference, sunlight during the winter is more
angled than during the summer, where light rays are more or less traveling
straight down. Make sure that there’s little or no interference coming from
trees, buildings, and other tall structures as they can make sunlight
reception more difficult.
4. Decide which route you’ll take for building your greenhouse- There are 2
main ways to build your greenhouse: creating one from scratch or making
use of kits. The main advantage of creating a greenhouse from scratch is
that it allows you to build a greenhouse that’s tailor-made for your personal
preferences. On the other hand, building a greenhouse thru a kit would
make the building process simpler and more precise. If you don’t have prior
building experience, a kit is better suited for you. If you want maximum
control on which features go into your greenhouse, then designing one from
scratch is the route to go. Just remember that you got to make precise
measurements either way to ensure your building won’t either be too big or
too small for your plan.
5. Check your building materials- Going for a building kit or getting
materials from scratch will both cost money. On the average, creating a
greenhouse for home use would cost you anywhere between 500 and 5000
dollars. Because of this, you got to see to it that the materials you’ll use
would be of the best quality possible. When trying to purchase a kit, make
sure to perform prior inspection and also check feedbacks about the
product. All the parts, especially those that would constitute the frame, must
be sturdy enough to last for years.
6. Choose which building style you want- There are 3 main ways to build
your greenhouse, with each style carrying its own unique advantages. A
lean-to design makes use of a pre-existing wall from an adjacent building,
meaning you’ll get more support while using fewer materials. Rebar’s,
beams, and supports are often sufficient enough to create a lean-on
greenhouse. A Quonset frame features a domed ceiling that can be made
using a combination of steel and PVC. It can be built using fewer materials,
and the domed shape can prove to be more receptive to receiving sunlight.
A rigid frame is remarkable for its superior durability and design. While
such a design can prove costly in terms of both materials and workforce, it
is the best long-term option for avid gardeners.
7. Choose covering material- Once you have chosen your framework, it is
now time to choose which material to use to cover your frame. A
greenhouse can be covered using different materials, with each option
having their own unique set of advantages. Plastic film such as
polyethylene is remarkably inexpensive.
While it doesn’t hold heat as good as most covering materials, its low-
maintenance nature is excellent for recreational growers. Using double-
walled plastic provides better energy efficiency and sun absorption, though
it costs slightly more than using plastic film. Using fiberglass, most
especially high-grade fiberglass, would give you the best compromise
between using glass and plastic, thanks to its combination of conductivity,
durability, and low cost. Glass, while expensive, provides the best
characteristics needed to maintain a hardcore greenhouse.
8. Build from the ground up- Now that you have a plan in place, it is now
time to ensure that everything would be as stable as planned. It would all
start with the framework. Adding stakes and reinforcements would help
ensure that the structure would remain stable. Aside from adding
reinforcement, keeping the ground stable would also help a lot. Other than
keeping the framework stable, there are other ways to make your structure
more durable. Treating wood would help in strengthening it. When placing
your covering material of your choice, it is essential that you seal it to the
frame as close as you can.
9. Install auxiliary accessories- Depending on how you intend to build your
greenhouse for, you can install some external accessories that help maintain
the optimal condition for your plants. One important environmental factor
that must be controlled is temperature. You can control ambient temperature
in your greenhouse by installing accessories such as vents, fans, and even
thermostats. You can also add lights so that your plants can receive
adequate lighting even during low-light seasons. With some accessories for
greenhouses becoming more sophisticated, they give more power and
flexibility for the greenhouse grower.
10. Have a water source in place- Any kind of plant needs water for it to
thrive. Because of this, you got to put in place a watering system for your
greenhouse.
When installing a watering system, you can either go for a simple structure
or a complex one. It all depends on your budget. Regardless, one thing you
must sort out is the piping system. Ideally, your greenhouse must have a
stand-alone piping system that distributes water at every corner of the
greenhouse. This would make watering a much easier task, especially if
you’re intending to have a large structure in place. You can then install
watering aids such as sprinklers, hoses, and cisterns once you’ve
established your water supply.
 Chapter 3

Planning for a Greenhouse

P lants grown outdoors would have to adapt well to their conditions. In

response to the constant rise and fall in temperatures, the seasonal
change and the amount of light they can receive, we are that. Yet for
plants that will not survive in the outdoor conditions found in their gardens,
many gardeners wish for. This is why many want to grow plants in a
greenhouse.
Your first simple decision when buying or building a greenhouse is whether
to add it to your home or stand-alone, each with its own advantages and
disadvantages. The second choice is that you want to heat it up over the
winter months and if so, how much you're willing to spend on it.
Understanding the temperature, you need to maintain in your greenhouse
during the winter months will help decide the greenhouse design and many
of its features. The temperature specifications, in effect, depending on
which type of plant you expect to grow. Will you like to grow cool seasonal
edibles or warm-loving summer vegetables like tomatoes and peppers? Will
you be using the greenhouse to launch seed and propagate the plants? And
want to grow specialty plants or bromeliads or orchids like that? Both of
those options warrant specific heating and lighting criteria.
In general, for around one USDA climate zone, an unheated greenhouse
allows you to grow plants that are rated as colder than your local region. It
fits about 5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 4 degrees Celsius). Another way to
think of it is that you can add two or three weeks to any end of the growing
season. But if you provide additional heat and light to the greenhouse, you
can grow any kind of plant that you want–as long as you're able to bear the
cost. A single-pane aluminum frame glass greenhouse used to house
tropical orchids in New England over winter will easily cost hundreds of
dollars a month to heat up, whereas a simple unheated polytunnel might
double your winter vegetables.
Greenhouses can take many types, from basic A-frame structures in three
seasons to small buildings in the backyard. They can be made from a kit,
freestanding or attached, metal or wood framed, plastic or glass glazing, or
be custom built. Spend some time investigating online greenhouse
suppliers, and you can discover almost unlimited choices. Even though it is
crucial to choose a design those appeals to you and complements your
house and yard, you will need to weigh several other factors when making a
decision.
How will it be used for the greenhouse?
How would you grow at your greenhouse? Are you more interested in
extending the growing season— sowing bedding plant flats early in the
spring, and protecting them from fall frost? And do you want the tropical
plants and flowers to grow all year?
Your goal is to determine if you need a heated greenhouse. Unheated
greenhouses, which rely primarily on solar power, are used primarily to
advance or prolong the growing season of hardy and semi-hardy plants and
vegetables. While an unheated greenhouse provides some frost protection, it
is only useful in spring, summer, and fall, unless you live in a warm
environment.
A heated greenhouse is much more flexible and helps you to develop a
wider plant variety. Through installing heating, ventilation, lighting and
watering equipment, you will provide the ideal atmosphere for vulnerable
plants that have a low probability of surviving freezing weather. The size,
form, and location of the greenhouse would also be dictated through your
usage plan. A three-season greenhouse can be installed anywhere on your
farm, and can even be removed in winter, while year-round calls for a place
near the house where services are convenient, and you don't have to drive a
long way in inclement weather.
Do I want a Freestanding or a Lean-to Greenhouse?
Greenhouse types are divided into two major groups: lean-tos, or
connected, and stand-alone. Lean-tos are attached to the house, garage or
outbuilding, usually on a wall to the south. A greenhouse attached to it has
the advantage of getting heat from the house. It is also conveniently close to
plumbing, heating, and electrical services that are required for heated
greenhouse operation.
On the other side, lean-tos can be restricted by the design of the home. In
essence, they should be constructed from materials that complement the
existing structure, and a low-slung roofline or limited exterior wall space
can make it challenging to incorporate them gracefully. Sitting can be
difficult when the only wall accessible faces an unwelcome way. They must
be covered in cold climates against heavy snow sliding from the roof of the
house. Typically, lean-tos are smaller than freestanding greenhouses and
can be overheated if they are not adequately ventilated.
A freestanding greenhouse can be installed anywhere on the property and is
not constrained by the nature of the home. It could be as small or as large as
the yard would require. It receives maximum exposure to sunlight because
all four sides are glazed. A freestanding structure; however, is more
expensive to build and heat and may require a concrete foundation,
depending on its size. Utilities have to be brought in and access is not as
easy as a lean-to solution. Because it's more open to the elements, sturdier
framing and glazing may be needed to withstand winds.
How big will The Greenhouse be?
Many experts recommend purchasing the largest greenhouse you're able to
afford, but that's not always the right advice. You don't want to invest in a
big greenhouse only to find you aren't up to the job it's all about.
Buying a too-small greenhouse will, of course, lead to frustration if your
collection of plants outgrows the room, it's also much harder to regulate
temperature. One choice is to buy a one-size greenhouse bigger than you
originally intended, or better yet, to invest in a system that can grow. Most
models are available as modules that allow add-ons to increase your
enthusiasm. When choosing a greenhouse, keep in mind the size of your
property. How much space will the structure take in? A high percentage of
the cost comes from greenhouse operations, particularly in wintertime. The
bigger the structure, the fresher it is. Allow yourself ample headroom and
require extra height if you're growing tall plants or planning to hang
baskets.
How much can I bear on greenhouse spending?
The budget will influence the form of the system it wants. A simple
greenhouse with a plastic covering hoop is inexpensive and easy to create.
If you're handy with materials, you might save money by buying a package,
but if the greenhouse is tall, requires a concrete base, or is constructed from
scratch, you would need to hire a contractor who will build up the costs.
Buying a cheap greenhouse does not save you money if it is not covering
your plants or blowing away in a storm. And reducing costs by using
inefficient glazing will backfire because you'll end up paying more for
heating.
How long do I intend to invest in a greenhouse?
You may have big dreams, but you're committed to matching? Healthy
greenhouse maintenance requires effort. It's not hard work but your plants
depend on you for survival. Although technology offers many time-savings,
such as automatic watering and ventilation systems, there is no point in
owning a greenhouse when you don't have time to spend there.
 Chapter 4

Greenhouse Environment

T his hot and air circulation system helps to create an artificial

environment in a greenhouse that can be resistant to plants when the
outside temperature is too low or too variable. The hot air near the
ground begins to grow and is immediately replaced by the colder ambient
air that begins to heat up.
Usually, these work with a thermostat. Since heat is one of the most
significant costs for maintaining a greenhouse, other sources of energy
should also be explored, such as the use of solar batteries or animals as a
source of heat.
There are also other processes that act in the air inside a greenhouse. The
sun's energy can easily pass through the glass of the greenhouse, but the
radiation from the plants and from the heat-absorbed soil does not escape so
quickly, which helps trap the heat inside. This keeps a greenhouse warm,
but can also cause overheating problems. To prevent plants from getting too
hot, a method of heat control is needed. The openings that allow the warmer
and warmer air in the greenhouse near the roof and the colder air to
approach the ground level serve as air conditioning. Proper ventilation
keeps air in the greenhouse circulating. Mechanical fans can also help
maintain proper airflow and heat control automatically opens and shuts off
ventilation when the temperature changes to greenhouse.
And, of course, all plants in a greenhouse need water. Whether you use a
garden tube, shower or sophisticated automated system with water sensors,
water is essential in a greenhouse. Since irrigation is the most time-
consuming greenhouse task, the use of an automated system such as
capillary evacuation, capillary mixing or drip irrigation can make the
process more consistent and reliable. Although it is impossible to supply
water directly to the greenhouse through an underground tube, it is
practically necessary to put a greenhouse near the water.
The greenhouse can be the interesting environment in which it is interesting
to develop. This is why standard greenhouse materials such as glass and
plastic ("stained glass") are extremely effective at letting in light and heat
and allowing heat to escape. With so much glazed surface, the greenhouse
generally warms up during the day if not controlled. And because glass and
plastic don't provide insulation, they lose all heat at night, which causes
them to freeze. Plants, like people, do not. The main challenge of
greenhouse cultivation is to determine these temperature variations.
Traditionally, people do this by injecting energy through heating or cooling
systems in the greenhouse. But the smartest and most sustainable way to
create a stable greenhouse environment is to harness the excess solar energy
received during the day, store it and use it at night. Or, if you are working
with an existing greenhouse, add an efficient heater that uses economical
and renewable fuels. All of these strategies require understanding and
research, and have initial costs, but the return on investment in terms of
incremental and incremental savings in the long run is worth it. Also,
remember that there is no energy cheaper than energy that you should not
use. So, if you are designing a new greenhouse, build it so that it does not
require a lot of heating and cooling. Growing up in an existing greenhouse,
you can isolate the greenhouse and air leaks from bad weather, among
others. Minimizing your energy needs is always the first step, then
incorporating the strategies below.
Look at solar energy in thermal mass
Thermal mass is a material that saves thermal energy. Most materials do it
at some point, but some do much better than others. Water, for example,
retains about twice as much heat as concrete and about 4 times more soil.
Incorporating the dough absorbs excess energy during the day, creating a
cooling effect. When the temperature drops at night, it begins to release this
energy, "warming" the greenhouse. Note: Even though I say "cooling and
heating", thermal mass does not really provide energy; it only stores and
releases it later, like a battery. The size of the battery (or the amount of
energy it can store) depends on the heat capacity of the material and the
mass it has.
How heat use the thermal mass in the heating
By stacking several 55gallon water drums in the greenhouse, the
manufacturer can incorporate a lot of thermal mass. The barrels should be
stacked in direct sunlight, often on a north wall. As plants get hotter around
water barrels, they plant softer plants, such as seed boxes or hot-climate
crops, on or near barrels. Growing with an aquaponic system (symbiotic
growth of fish and plants) has the interesting advantage of allowing
aquariums to become a thermal mass. Other variants include the
construction of cement or greenhouse stones, such as the use of a north
concrete wall or slab floor. Even the floor in the raised beds adds a thermal
mass. Although it is the easiest to install, the thermal mass may be slow to
react. There is more time to distribute heat throughout the greenhouse,
which limits its effectiveness. But, given the low initial cost, adding thermal
mass to a greenhouse is a popular method to extend the growing season.
This may not ensure constant growth, but it can certainly take your
greenhouse to the next level.
Incorporate a heat exchanger
When the greenhouse is heated during the day, a fan pumps hot, humid air
from the inside to a greenhouse through a network of buried tubers up to 4'
underground (most systems consist of several layers of pipes buried at 4'
and 2' below the surface). The drop in temperature causes condensation of
water vapor, which releases energy (called a phase change). This energy is
stored in the earth, which warms it. Therefore, the process creates a large
mass of warm soil under the greenhouse throughout the year. At night,
when the greenhouse temperature drops, the fan takes it back and extracts
heat from the ground. It is a relatively simple and proven system. Open-air
heat exchanges have been used in homes for decades.
An underground air heat exchanger works very well for two reasons: first,
the amount of mass available (battery size, as we said before) is huge. If the
north wall of greenhouse is stacked with two rows of barrels of water to 55
gallons (16 barrels), the total mass is 118 cubic feet. This means that using
the volumetric thermal capacities of the previous table, the underground
heat exchange has a capacity about twice as high as that of water drums.
Also, because a ground-to-air heat exchanger is connected to the deep earth
and therefore theoretically has infinite capacity. Secondly, because the air is
actively pushed through the "battery", the rate of heat exchange increases.
Warmer / colder air is more evenly distributed around the greenhouse, thus
avoiding cold bags. In addition, the use of fans allows you to use the mass
at any time: a thermostat turns the fan on at certain temperatures.
Variations
The battery material may vary. Some people fill the area under the
greenhouse with gravel instead of dirt.
Use an efficient renewable energy heater
The above systems show you how to capture the sun and provide solar
energy, which is a great first step toward natural heating.
Mass heater
One of the most widely used greenhouse systems is the mass heater, an
extremely effective variant of a wood stove. Instead of simply releasing hot
air directly into a fire, like a standard wood stove, the radiator of rocket
mass circulates hot air first through a mass of mud, brick or stone. The air
heats up the heat retaining heat and slowly returns to the greenhouse for a
long time, even after burning the stove. The mass radiator of the racket also
uses a double combustion chamber, which makes it much more efficient
than a standard wood stove: burning some hours with a small amount of
wood can heat a greenhouse at night. Most mass rocket heaters are DIY
systems; you have to study and devise a suitable greenhouse system using
the large number of plans and explanations online.
Compost pile under construction
Another common greenhouse system is the compost heater, which relies on
the magic of aerobic batteries to destroy organic matter and release waste
heat. Hot water then circulates in the greenhouse where the heat diffuses. Of
all the systems, you probably need more DIY to work well and continue.
However, a large, well-built battery can heat a 1,000- to 2,000-square-foot
greenhouse during the winter.
 Chapter 5

Essential Greenhouse Equipment

You Need to Know Location

T hefactor
location of your greenhouse also depends on many factors. The first
is the type of plant you want to grow inside your greenhouse.
Tropical plants need maximum sunlight exposure so you must choose a
greenhouse where sunlight comes in an appropriate amount. Most
houseplants and flowers need good exposure to sunlight but not direct. Your
location also depends on the climate of your area. If you live in a warm
place, then you must need proper shading for your greenhouse. However, if
you live in a cold area then you need maximum exposure of sunlight.
Remember that the sun changes its position in different seasons. A very
sunny spot in June should not get any sun exposure during January season
and you must consider this fact before choosing your greenhouse location.

Floor
You have a choice of what kind of floor or base you want for your
greenhouse. Many people don’t bother to cover their greenhouse base and
they generally have mud or another floor where they constructed their
greenhouse. This gives a natural look to your greenhouse. But it is not
advisable to keep your floor open because many insects, worms, and
rodents may grow inside the mud and should harm your plants. Some base
constructions are available with the greenhouse construction kit and you
don’t need to buy extra material for your base. But if it is not available in
your kit, you can buy it from the market. Concrete floors are a good option
for your greenhouse’s base as they make the best place to put your benches
and other materials. Sometimes, wooden floors are also good for your
greenhouse
Foundation
When you are building a greenhouse, the first step is to build a foundation.
This needs to be done properly for you to have a solid greenhouse that will
stand the test of time.
Whatever you decide to make your foundation out of, it needs to be both
level and square. It needs to be big enough for the outside dimensions of the
greenhouse to ensure it fits properly and can be secured.
You can buy pre-made greenhouse bases, and these are worth considering,
but just be aware that these still need a flat and level surface to be installed
on and will still need a foundation beneath them.
When building your greenhouse base, you can either make it out of poured
concrete, or you can use sand and paving stones. Both are suitable and do
the job well, though the latter has the advantage of being moveable in the
future if necessary.
Ensure that not only are the edges of your base square but also that the
diagonal measurements between the corners are also identical.
Under the base, you will need the foundation, which is what supports the
weight of the greenhouse, which it is secured to and prevents damage in
windy weather.
Your local Building Permit Agency will be able to tell you where the frost
line is in your area. In warmer areas, this is only going to be a couple of
inches at most, but in the colder, northern areas it can be as much as a few
feet.
One good way of insulating your foundation and protecting it is to use 1”
foam insulation. Put this down to your frost line to reduce heat loss through
the soil, which has the benefit of reducing your heating costs.
The foundation is essential because this is what you are securing your
greenhouse too. It will prevent weather damage and warping in hot or cold
weather. If you do not secure your greenhouse properly, then don’t expect it
to last the growing season. If the greenhouse starts to warp, then you can
find your panes shatter or crack and become very hard to re-fit. You can
also find doors and windows become stiff and very difficult to use too.
If you have bought a new greenhouse, then any warranty will not cover
damage due to not having a proper greenhouse base.
Your greenhouse is built on this foundation and base, which will ensure it is
easier to erect and that it will last.
There are some different choices for the foundation, which we’ll discuss
now.
Compacted Soil
If you compact the soil enough, then you can build your greenhouse directly
on the ground, particularly if you live in an area where the ground doesn’t
freeze too badly.
A lot of greenhouses will come with an optional metal plinth that has spikes
in each corner. These can be cemented into the ground to prevent the base
from moving.
You will still need to level the ground though, so dig out your spirit level. It
is best to use a roller or other mechanical device to compact the soil to
ensure it is stable. Do not build your base out of gravel or hardcore because
these are just not stable enough.
The advantage of using the soil as your foundation is that it is very cost-
effective. You can also use the existing ground for growing your plants in
plus drainage is a lot better.
The downside of soil is that it will allow pests into your greenhouse. You
will find this particularly bad in winter as pests flock to your greenhouse for
the warmth.
Perimeter Bases
This is a slightly cheaper option where you use bricks, breeze blocks or thin
paving or edging slabs to create a foundation directly under the greenhouse
frame. You can use concrete if you prefer.
The foundation is built along where the frame will run, leaving the soil in
the middle of the greenhouse untouched.
While you can build the foundation directly on the soil, most people will
cut out a trench and place the foundation in the trench. The advantage of
this latter approach is that it is easier to level.
Slabs or Paving
This is a very popular way to build your greenhouse foundation because it
keeps out the weeds and pests while giving you a good, clean growing
environment.
This method involves building a base the size of your greenhouse out of
paving slabs and then fixing your greenhouse to it. This type of base will
last for many years and is very low maintenance.
You can screw your greenhouse to the base to provide stability in windy
conditions, preventing any damage. It also provides good drainage when
compared to an all-concrete base.
In the winter months, a soil floor can get damp and encourage mold to
grow. A paved floor helps to keep the greenhouse both warmer and drier in
the cooler months.
Providing you bed down the slabs properly with an inch or two of sand
underneath them they are surprisingly easy to get level and will not warp or
move over time.
Concrete Base
This is where you mark out where your greenhouse will be and dig down a
few inches before pouring concrete in to form the base.
For larger greenhouses, this has its advantages, but it can be expensive and
does require special tools such as a concrete mixer.
This is a very durable base, and you can fit expansion bolts to secure larger
structures. You may have an issue with standing water so you may want to
consider putting drainage holes in to prevent standing water.
Frame
The frame is extremely important, because it provides the integrity of the
structure, and also anchors the greenhouse covering.
The materials available for frames are:
Aluminum
This will provide a very strong frame that does not rust, and it's lightweight.
It has a very long lifespan and it’s the most widely used frame for
greenhouses. Aluminum has extruding channels, which are perfect for
inserting the covering panels.
Steel
Steel that is galvanized is a very strong and long-lasting plus, it's reasonably
priced. Because of its strength, you require just a little for the framing,
which adds the amount of light passing on to the plants.
Steel is also very heavy and ensures the greenhouse remains solid no matter
the weather conditions or temperature levels. However, the transportation
and assembling of the greenhouse can be difficult since the steel is heavy.
Plastic Resin
These are very attractive and are very popular. This is because, compared to
aluminum, they are less expensive, and they also do not conduct any heat
away from the greenhouse-like steel does.
Unfortunately, they lack the strength of the metal frames, and can only be
used for the smaller greenhouses, with shorter dimensions. They can only
be used with polycarbonate panels.
Wood
Wooden frames are ideal for a simple do-it-yourself greenhouse project.
Wood is beautiful and provides sufficient durability and strength, but it is
susceptible to rotting, therefore don’t allow contact with moisture.
Tempered Glass
These are strong and impact resistant. This means that they will withstand
any expansions or contractions during the seasonal temperature changes.
The 3mm single pane thickness is ideal for the greenhouse.
However, the 4mm thickness is much stronger and will provide additional
insulation. You must protect the hedges during insulation, as the glass may
shatter if hit hard. Tempered glass is much more expensive compared to the
polycarbonate panels.
Tempered glass is more durable even if it's expensive, and it is more
resistant to scratches, as well as being very clear and providing no
diffusion.
Fiberglass
This is translucent and provides a light that is well-diffused. Fiberglass
retains heat better than normal glass. The greenhouses made from fiberglass
are normally corrugated to provide adequate rigidity because the outer coat
will become sunbaked within 6-10 years. The surface will become etched
and yellow.
Polycarbonate
It is UV treated, lightweight and durable. It is high quality and modern
material used for greenhouses. The polycarbonate is available in different
levels of thickness and provides the clarity of glass, but it's not scratches
resistant, or as strong as the tempered glass.
The single-walled one does not retain any heat and provides no light
diffusion. It, however, has a longer lifespan of more than 15 years,
depending on the region.
Twin-Walled Polycarbonate
This is very popular because it has internal spaces providing strength and
excellent insulation. The best point to note about the twin-walled
polycarbonate is that it diffuses light.
Triple-Walled Polycarbonate
This is similar to twin-walled polycarbonate, but it has extra strength and
heat retention abilities. In cold climates, the triple-walled polycarbonate is
extremely useful for all-year-round indoor gardening, because it will
withstand snow loads and will freeze without cracking or distorting.
Wind Securities
Any surface such as a wall, fence, or even nearby buildings can act as
protection against gusts of wind or even snow. When plants are close to
these surfaces, they can leech onto the small amount of warmth that they
provide. During summer, if your plants cannot stand the heat, you can use
these surfaces as sun blocks.
Greenhouse Equipment
Digging Tools
Shovel/Spade
I always recommend having a shovel or a spade. These are versatile tools
that allow you to work with your soil comfortably. If you head over to the
local store, you may find a wide assortment of shovels, each with their
unique design and uses. However, generally speaking, you can use two
main types of tools for digging: shovel and spades. You might find people
interchanging the names of shovels and spades to refer to the same tool.
 Chapter 6

Using Space Effectively

O thers simply need more cash to put resources into an enormous

greenhouse or simply start with greenhouse planting as a diversion. In
spite of the fact that we generally prescribe getting one size bigger than
you might suspect, we comprehend that there are conditions that make it
outlandish. In this manner, we need to give you thoughts on the best way to
benefit as much as possible from your little greenhouse.
What is a little greenhouse?
Consider anything up to 65 square feet as little. In the event that you haven't
bought your greenhouse yet, we have an incredible assortment for you to
read here.
6 Space-sparing tips for amplifying your space
1. Surface region
Figure the whole surface zone available in your greenhouse to check
whether you are utilizing the area open to you, with little greenhouse units,
individually, each and every piece of room tallies. In this way, you ought to
guarantee that you boost the all-out surface territory in your greenhouse.
One approach to do this is to utilize moving seats or to get a little
greenhouse unit, for example, the Solexx 8ft x 8ft Greenhouse Master or the
onion-formed Riga 2s that have pre-worked in racking. These packs, for the
most part, boost the developing space productively.
2. Crop designs and arranging
Make an arrangement of the plants that you need to build. At that point plan
everything from planting to gathering with the goal that you can utilize the
greenhouse space to the maximum capacity. A few plants take shorter
occasions to be prepared for gathering, for instance, spinach and radishes.
When you reaped those, you can utilize the spot for developing something
different or the equivalent, it's up to you, obviously.
You can likewise plan your harvests to transplant them into your
greenhouse.
3. Transplanting plants
Contingent upon the season you can begin your plants inside your little
greenhouse and transplant them into your greenhouse. This spares space
inside your greenhouse as well as gives you an extraordinary head start the
outside developing season.
Utilize these seed plate for rearranging this undertaking!
Transplants can be increasingly insusceptible to bug and different irritations
since they are progressively evolved and more significant when you
previously put them into your greenhouse. There is no problem with flying
creatures picking your seeds in your greenhouse beds outside.
Incredible instances of vegetables that can be transplanted in the wake of
developing them in seed plate:
Celery
Eggplant
Collards
Kale
Broccoli
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Onion
Peppers
Scallions
Tomato
4. Greenhouse layering and arranging
Could crops be layered? On occasion, including a second harvest under
your first planting will work splendidly until the plants grow, for instance,
utilizing cress over yields that take more time to develop.
Greenhouse arranging is famous for cultivators. It gives a lot of surface
zone for your seedlings and plants. It boosts the developing vertical space,
as well. By arranging your harvests, you make increasingly concealed
regions underneath the seats. This can be gainful for those species that
develop consummately under low light conditions. Kale and other verdant
vegetables simply work fine in obscure spaces (discover more plants for
unknown places here).
Get all the more arranging and racking thoughts here!
In any case, different plants need more daylight, so you need to design your
harvests and partition your greenhouse into zones.
5. Zoning
Separating your yard into zones will assist you with utilizing the space most
productively. As referenced above, you can use for the plan. You can
likewise consider setting your harvests relying upon how a lot of heath they
need. Plant the crops that just develop in heat temperatures near the heath
sources. At that point, put your cool tolerant harvests somewhat isolated
from the heath. Along these lines, you have the ideal conditions for
developing your crops quicker and all the more proficiently. Zoning your
greenhouse isn't only for developing effectiveness yet in addition to the
association. Picture seats and retires. Arranging various locales for your
plants will lessen the messiness and will get bothers far from the
greenhouse. Keep things you for the most part use in one spot, and you
won't burn through important time looking for them. Arranging zoned
spaces in your greenhouse is an incredible plan to guarantee you're taking
advantage of the spot you have.
6. Snares, hanging pots and other greenhouse accomplices to boost the
space in a little greenhouse
Vertical planting assists with using small spaces to their most extreme. Use
snares, spirals, top retires or draping pots from the rooftop or side dividers.
You can either utilize it for developing, for drying herbs, or for putting
away cultivating apparatuses. Be imaginative. Clasp together planting
gloves or seed parcels and balance them on the dividers with a snare.
Hanging pots add a fascinating plan to your greenhouse whenever set in
higher regions. For usability, you can utilize the Plant Caddie Hook. You
can undoubtedly bring down your pots with it to make dealing with your
plants more available. Putting more retires as an afterthought divider builds
the developing vertical space radically. Moreover, it looks pretty, and you
can even store planting devices on the snares.
Introducing pot holders or snares is another extraordinary choice to improve
the space in a little greenhouse. Hanging pots can be a remarkable
expansion to your greenhouse too! You can put them as high you need them
with the goal that you despite everything have enough headroom to stroll
through your greenhouse helpfully.
By deliberately arranging your little greenhouse, you can proficiently boost
the space in your modest house. Utilize the tips and tricks given above to
take advantage of your small greenhouse.
 Chapter 7

What to Grow in Your Greenhouse

Fruits

I magine plucking a fruit grown in your garden using ideal conditions. The
fruit is fully ripe and warmed by the sun. And it is in your hands right
now. The flavor is going to be more delicious compared to the ones you
find in the supermarket. That is the kind of fruit you are going to grow in
your garden. Of course, planning to grow the fruit is one thing, but actually
growing it is another.
Fruits require less work compared to vegetables. Once they are planted, the
trees or bushes will keep producing year after year. The pruning process can
sometimes be frustrating at first, but it gets less complicated and difficult
the more you do it. Eventually, you will be making fewer mistakes in future
pruning processes.
Pruning is the process of removing certain parts of the plants, such as a bud
or an extra branch, in order to maintain the health of the plant. Pruning is
also done for aesthetic reasons, such as removing an unwanted leaf or two
to make the overall presentation of your plants better.
You can choose a wide variety of fruits to work with or based on a specific
color (if you are planning to arrange your garden using a specific aesthetic
plan).
You can also choose between cool-season crops or warm-season plants.
Here are some cool-season crops that you can work with:
● Honeycrisp apples
● Pears
● Apricots
● Cherries
● Cherry plums
Warm season plants:
● Kumquats
● Pomelos
● Avocados
● Passion fruits
● Guavas
● Kiwis
● Mandarin oranges
● Lemons
● Winter squash
Best Time to Plant
Fruits are mainly gained from shrubs and trees. They grow best if they are
planted in early fall as this will give your plants enough time to settle before
they start fruiting and flowering during spring and summer.
If you are choosing strawberries, then they are usually supplied in large
modular trays or pots. Planting them does not require as many preparatory
steps as other fruits.
Pruning Your Trees
Initially, pruning might seem like a scary process. You might wonder if
cutting that branch could destroy your plant permanently. You don’t have to
approach your plants as though you are defusing a bomb, choosing between
a red and a blue wire. You simply have to cut the branches in order to
encourage the plant to make more fruits, rather than create more leaves.
If you start to feel like pruning is a stressful process, then you should stop
planting more fruit trees. The whole process of gardening should be
relaxing. Sure, there are always challenges to handle, but you shouldn't
have an abundance of stress that could severely impact your life. Always
choose to start small. Get acclimated to growing a small batch of fruits first
and then move on to bigger batches.
Watering Your Fruits
Most fruits that you grow will require a constant supply of water. They
grow well with consistent moisture. The exact amount of moisture to
maintain depends on the kinds of fruits you are growing, soil type, and
climate. For example, let us say that you are growing fruits in sandy soil.
We have learned that sandy soil can drain water easily. This means that they
require frequent water supply to keep them moisturized. Fruits also require
more water when the weather is windy and hot and they require less water
when it’s cloudy, humid, or cold.
Ideally, you should supply enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 6
inches. You can make use of specialized irrigation systems for your fruits,
but the system is rather expensive.
Vegetables
The advantages to growing vegetables in your own greenhouse or garden
are threefold:
Advantage #1: Flavor
They taste better. When you grow your own vegetables and start enjoying
them in your meals, chances are that you are going to find it difficult to go
back to supermarket bought foods. Additionally, in order to increase
commercial yield, many producers use the process of hydroponics, where
the roots are left dangling in water. While hydroponics technology is not
harmful, it does not produce vegetables with full flavors. The vegetables
appear softer than they should and are almost tasteless. You can also pick
vegetables that you grow at the peak of their ripeness, which is not true for
vegetables that you find in the supermarket. When picked at the right time,
you can enjoy home-grown ingredients before their sugars convert to starch
and they lose some of their flavors.
Advantage #2: Nutrition
When you grow vegetables in your own garden, they tend to be more
nutritious. You grow these vegetables carefully, monitoring them at each
stage of their growth. They are provided the right amount of sunlight and
water. Once they have ripened, you immediately pick fresh produce and use
them for food. In supermarkets, you are not always getting fresh produce.
Some of the produce is stored for weeks before it makes it to the market
shelves.
Advantage #3: Variety
There is a greater opportunity to have more variety of vegetables, even
when you have seasonal restrictions. Supermarkets bring better quality
foods if they fit a particular season. For example, you find good quality
sprouts in July and high quality tomatoes during December. With your own
garden, you do not have to face such restrictions. No matter when your
vegetables ripen, you are ready to harvest them and enjoy their flavors.
Choosing Vegetables
Despite the variety of vegetables presented to you, there is still the matter of
picking which variety to grow. I would suggest picking those types that are
not easily available in the shops, such as purple-podded French beans rather
than the usual green variety, or elephant garlic rather than the regular type
of garlic you find everywhere. By choosing a unique plant, you can
experiment with not just plant type, but with flavors as well. For example,
grow elephant garlic along with regular garlic. Since you are growing two
vegetables of the same type, your gardening methods will be the same for
both types.
Most of the vegetables that you might grow belong to two main categories;
warm-season vegetables and cold-season ons. The time of planting for each
vegetable depends on weather conditions. You need to know what
conditions the vegetables can tolerate. Cold-season vegetables usually grow
best in early spring or during late summer. Some even grow during late
autumn, when the weather has cooled down a bit. On the other hand, warm-
season vegetables are ideally grown during late spring or summer. They can
also be grown during early autumn, when the weather has heated up a bit.
Herbs
Want a little oregano to add a beautiful scent to your food? Want to make
use of fresh chives that simply enhance the flavor of your food? Or are you
looking for some parsley to add to your pasta?

Image: Herbs are easy to grow in the garden.

Herbs are a wonderful addition to any food. Whether you want to use them
to enhance the fragrance of the food or you are looking to create a variety in
flavors, herbs are your best to creating wholesome and delicious food.
Herbs are famous for their perfumes. There are many herbs that are used for
medicinal purposes, but fair shares of those that have a wonderful scent are
used in the culinary world. Aromatic oregano, mint and lemon balm are just
a few of the herbs that you might find in many kitchens.
Herbs are also well-known for attracting beneficial wildlife to your garden.
If you have herbs planted next to your fruits or vegetables, then you are
only going to attract those pests that are useful for you, such as certain
species of spiders. Herbs also help mask the smell of fruits and vegetables,
keeping away those pests that could cause harm in your garden. Most
notably, gardeners who face problems with aphids grow herbs in their
garden. The scent of the herbs easily keeps away the creatures.
But there is another reason for growing herbs in your own garden. Despite
their benefits, they can be quite expensive to purchase, especially when you
are trying to get large quantities.
Which is why, if you choose to plant your own herbs, then you are going to
have a plentiful supply of herbs all summer.
Soil Preparation
Many of the herbs originate in the Mediterranean, which means that we
have to create soil conditions that match the region of their origin. You need
first to have free-draining soil. Ideally, you should be working with loamy
soil. If you do not have loamy soil, you can make use of raised beds and
add the soil into it or you can find the right draining system for your soil.
Herbs can tolerate the cold of winters, but they do not grow well if the
ground becomes wet and cold. This is where our free-draining feature
comes into play as well. The feature removes the water and prevents the
ground from becoming too cold for the plants.
Easy Herb Source
A cheap source of potted herbs is the supermarket. When you get the pots,
make sure that they have more than one plant in the pot (which is usually
the case). With just a single pot, you are capable of growing multiple herbs
in the garden.
Maintenance
If the herbs start growing into each other, that is not something you should
be worried about. Just make sure that there is a small border of space
around each plant so that it encourages better air circulation. Otherwise, the
plants do not restrict growth just because they lean into each other.
Harvesting Tips
There are two purposes for harvesting herbs; they are either for fresh use or
for dried use.
Fresh Use - How to Cut the Herbs
When you are harvesting fresh herbs, and then are careful with the stems.
Cut the stem just above the next pair of leaves or a single leaf on the stem.
In other words, leave on a leaf or pair of leaves and then make your cut.
Such a cutting method will allow the plant to re-sprout from the area cut.
When cutting the plant, try to take a look at the presentation. If you start
cutting each and every stem, then the result might look awkward. However,
cut the stems in such a way that even when the herb regrows, it will grow
wonderfully.
Some people like to drop their herbs into a tea or a drink immediately after
cutting it. I recommend that you first check what plant you are about to use,
wash it properly and check for any infections before adding them to your
tea. For first time gardeners, it is important that you take your time to
examine the plant. Do not be in a hurry to use them. The more you examine
them, the more comfortable you are using them.
The easiest way to ensure that your herbs give your drink enough flavors is
to pick a few leaves and then either tear or twist them. Drop the leaves into
boiling water or a hot drink. Enjoy!
 Chapter 8

Scheduling Plants for Year-Round Growing

R egardless of whether you need to broaden your developing season for a

couple of months or plant year-round, greenhouses give the ideal
condition to relentless cultivating. These helpful structures additionally
allow you to extend your plant alternatives and develop what normally
wouldn't make due in your district. Peruse on to discover what to develop in
a greenhouse all year long, find a good pace not many of our greenhouse
choices, and become familiar with some proficient and remunerating tips to
get you off to a superior planting season.
Standard versus Cold Frame Greenhouses
By understanding the abilities of your structure, you can all the more likely
give the correct condition to the plants you need to develop.
Standard greenhouses give a warm atmosphere to developing warmth
cherishing, delicate plants or developing plants out of season. These
structures are utilized to keep up a perfect temperature paying little heed to
open air conditions. Contingent upon area, numerous nursery workers will
begin plants inside their greenhouse and afterward transport these plants to
their nursery once open air temperatures are progressively steady and
perfect. Notwithstanding, certain areas may in any case experience
emotional temperature variances even in the mid-year.
Cold casing greenhouses are somewhat not the same as conventional
greenhouses. These structures utilize sun oriented vitality and protection to
make a microclimate inside your nursery – ideal for beginning seedlings or
progressing greenhouse plants preceding open air planting. Contingent upon
the style you pick, utilize a virus edge to overwinter delicate plants,
continue planting soil warm, expand the season for cool-season vegetables,
or legitimately sow seeds prior in the spring. Cold edge greenhouses give
vital haven from wind and climate without overheating plants.
What to Grow in a Greenhouse throughout the Year
Various atmospheres and seasons offer new alternatives for planting –
especially when you possess a greenhouse! Here are a couple of greenhouse
plant proposals for the whole year.
Winter to Early Spring
These plants suffer fundamentally lower temperatures and can be planted
outside 3 a month prior to your last ice date. Use your greenhouse to plant
them much prior without solidified ground or exceptionally chilly nights
halting you. When the night lows are generally over 30 degrees, plants can
be transplanted outside to the nursery.
Mid-Spring
When the spring and "authority" planting season shows up, you're allowed
to develop increasingly delicate plants in your greenhouse, these plants
need a hotter and progressively controlled condition with at any rate 8 hours
of daylight so as to flourish. Sow delicate plants, for example, melons,
cucumbers, and squash inside and transplant right off the bat in the mid-
year on the off chance that you'd like. Ensure these plants won't be
presented to any ice before transplanting, as ice will execute them.
Summer to Late Summer
Transplant the past seasons' plants outside to prepare for mid-summer crops
inside your greenhouse. As outer and inward greenhouse temperature's
pinnacle, develop heat-cherishing plants, for example, eggplant, tomatoes,
or hot pepper assortments.
On the other hand, an excess of warmth in your greenhouse isn't constantly
perfect for specific plants. An overheated greenhouse welcomes form,
buildup, and dries out plant soil. At the point when appropriate, consider
incorporating a vent pack in your structure to allow adequate wind current
in your greenhouse and keep plants agreeable even on the most blazing
summer days.
Harvest time
As the mid-year heat decreases and cool climate returns, use your
greenhouse to polish off summer plants and start your second harvest of
cool-season vegetables. Since the cool-season crops are the hardiest, you
shouldn't have to keep your greenhouse warmed for these plants. A couple
of additional alternatives to attempt this time around incorporate kale, snow
peas, and turnips. Development will be moderate, however consistent, with
a lot of new harvests to eat and appreciate in the nick of time for these
special seasons.
Regardless of whether you develop in an allotment, nursery or window
boxes, here's some guidance and functional tips on the best way to maintain
a strategic distance from those 'eager holes' and to expand your collect
consistently.
We take a gander at
Arranging – what to develop and when
Planting – getting an ambitious start; and summer planting for later yields
The most effective method to fill holes – diverse plant assortments; speedy
developing veg to occupy the unfilled spaces; cut and return once more
Yield insurance – greenhouse, polytunnel and cold casings
Arranging is significant
Arranging what you will develop, when and where, encourages you choose
when to plant or plant out. There are a couple of interesting points
Start by taking a gander at hungry hole times, i.e. March to May, just as the
winter months, from November onwards. What would you be able to get
developing before then to keep you in vegetables all through this period?
See underneath.
Make sure to record your arrangements. Maybe make a chart or sketch?
This will help you for one year from now, especially when intending to turn
your veg crops. Turning where you develop vegetables not just forestalls a
development of illness in the dirt, yet in addition energizes the most
proficient utilization of soil supplements.
Finally, don't become a lot of one yield. Overabundances of beans, onions,
courgettes and lettuces add to your work, as they request cautious
stockpiling – or steady cooking!
Instructions to advance beyond the spring hungry hole
Planting into a module plate is extraordinary for raising plants, for example,
brassicas or lettuce. Since modules have a more prominent profundity of
soil than seed plate, they allow the youthful plants a lot of developing time
to put down roots and develop. This implies you can either postpone
planting outside (perhaps the conditions aren't right – excessively cold or
wet) or you can design a progression of plantings, by putting out a
predetermined number like clockwork. This progression implies few out of
every odd plant will develop/prove to be fruitful simultaneously. What's
more, you will have a steady inventory of veg.
Summer planting
The way to accomplishment in having veg through the winter is
successional planting. After your first flush of spring planting and planting,
keep on planting in mid-summer. This catches the beneficial developing
time in harvest time.
Sow an 'early' assortment again in mid-July - or August - for a last brisk
harvest. Beetroot is likewise worth planting a few times, utilizing 'jolt safe'
assortments right off the bat in the season, with last sowings around July in
gentle regions.
Fall onions and garlic can be planted from September to November. Both
will be prepared in June and July, when put away yields are usually
completed, and before your spring-planted onion crop are prepared.
Here are some veg you can plant in mid-summer:
Beans, overshadow French - mid July
Beetroot - mid July
Spring cabbage - mid Aug
Calabrese - mid Aug
Carrots, early - mid July
Chicory, red - mid Aug
Chinese cabbage - mid Aug
Endive - late Aug
Kale - Aug
Spinach - Aug
Spinach beet - Aug
Decision of Variety
Picking the correct assortment is significant when you are planting through
the season. 'Early' assortments will give a speedier yield toward the
beginning and end of the period.
Spinach beet and Swiss chard are incredible options in contrast to spinach,
trimming for a considerable length of time as opposed to only a couple of
days.
Lettuces come in numerous shapes, sizes and hues. Some can be developed
well into pre-winter. The free leaf assortments are delayed to deteriorate.
Also, the cut and come back again assortment expands the collecting time
frame.
You can some of the time fill the holes by picking an alternate kind of
vegetable.
Kale is strong, simple to develop and comes in numerous sorts. Whenever
planted as late as August, it will keep you in leaves all through the winter
and the spring hungry hole
Kohl rabi isn't the most straightforward vegetable to develop, however
when it does well it is tasty. It tends to be planted from late February to
August, and can be prepared in as meager as seven weeks
Asparagus needs a perpetual spot, and it will be quite a long while before
you get a decent reap, yet it is an extraordinary hungry hole filler from late
April to early June
Squash (pumpkins) store well into the next year
Cabbage needn't be tremendous. Becoming smaller should mean a previous
gather.
For exhortation on the most proficient method to become any of the
abovementioned, and different vegetables, see our How to Grow cards.
Attempt little veg assortments
These are prepared to collect sooner than a huge size assortment, which is
especially useful on the off chance that you have a short developing season
(further North) and they can be planted to cover the 'eager hole'. Some are
naturally small plants. Others will develop to full measure given the
opportunity. The explanation they are remembered for a small scale
determination is that they will edit well at close dividing.
On the off chance that you gather veg early you can forestall a mid-season
excess. New potatoes, the size of golf-balls, are scrumptious, as are thin
small wide beans which can be eaten case what not. On the other hand,
leave a few beans until they are almost finished.
Ensuring crops
Would you be able to shield your yields from the cold as well as wet? Wool,
cold casings, cloches all assistance, as will greenhouses and polytunnels.
They all expand the developing season – even the most straightforward
cloche, produced using a sawn-off plastic beverages bottle.
In the greenhouse or polytunnel, you can utilize profound pots or develop
packs for your veg. Or then again – on the off chance that you have space –
make a developing bed. At Garden Organic Ryton we develop open air
harvests, for example, potatoes and peas in the greenhouse beds, utilizing
the additional assurance to present them half a month. By July and August
the space is clear for winter servings of mixed greens and veg. A portion of
these would make due outside, however in the glow and safe house of the
greenhouse they will be effectively trimming sooner.
 Chapter 9

Hydroponics in a Greenhouse

G reenhouse planting calls for climate management by gardeners,

enabling home gardeners to grow plants independent of outdoor
temperatures. The application of the two strategies allows home
gardeners complete versatility, because the outside environment is no
longer a consideration.
Take a 1/2-inch plastic tubing 3-foot length, and then fit one end into the
bucket opening, covering the sides of the opening with epoxy glue.
The mesh holds the through media out of the tube and avoids clogging.
Lower the bowl, and the water will flow back into the tank. To keep the
rising medium humid, lift and lower the bucket two to four times daily.
Place hydroponic beds on working tables, benches or in shady places,
depending on the light requirements of the plants which grow in-bed.
Succulents, for example, require full sun, temperatures mild to high and low
humidity to survive. Place them in greenhouse in the sunniest spots. Place
low-light plants in a shaded environment that gets some indirect light, such
as dieffenbachia. Place thermometers near hydroponic beds to ensure the
plants are in the right greenhouse area. Place plants in beds near ventilation
sources which require cooler temperatures.
Plant seeds according to the instructions of each seed packet. Gardeners
planting seedlings should extract all soil from the roots of the plant before
they plant in the hydroponic system.
Periodically check the plants for any signs of sickness. High levels of
humidity can contribute to fungal infection in the greenhouse. Immediately
kill all infected plants. Additional fans or ventilation can be required to
control the moisture levels.
1. Boost water quality: Usually, a grower who operates in conventional dirt
medium with plants may expect to lose a large amount of the water they
disperse through rain over the plants. It can may only contribute to leaching
and pollution of municipal water sources, but it also reflects a reduction of
corporate income that has historically been seen as necessary.
Since hydroponics remove the need to plant in the soil or in the field and
use water itself as the primary growing medium, these systems make it
dramatically easier for farmers to minimize water leakage and improve
season after season water output. In a closed loop all the water in the
hydroponic device persists, ensuring that just about every drop is used to
the fullest degree without being lost to gravity or other thirsty plants.
2. Maximize Profitable Space: One of the major concerns we hear from
farmers is that they are trying to find the equilibrium between "too much
unused land space" and "too little room for plants to flourish." Add to this
the normal unproductive space present in many conventional grow
operations and it can be tough to hit the sweet spot in terms of profit-per-
square foot.
That's why hydroponic systems – with their compact spacing and extremely
effective use of horizontal ground room – can offer a big boost to square-
foot efficiency in your greenhouse or high tunnel structure. By removing
wasted land in favor of healthy, concentrated growing areas, farmers can
yield bigger and healthier harvests with the same amount of ground space.
3. Reduced plagues & diseases Soil remains one of the major vectors for
rodents, diseases and other dangerous pathogens to enter the plants in
almost any conventional growing process.
A hydroponic system is a closed system, which means that there will be no
simple entrance or exit points for rodents, viruses, molds, or other
organisms in order to enter the plants.
As long as you and your growers follow industry-standard cleaning and
sanitation procedures between plantings, your crops will be substantially
easier to keep pest-free than crops grown in soil. This ensures substantial
insect control benefits, and a substantially decreased chance of damage due
to illness or pollution.
4. No Weeding Needed Pests and diseases are not the only predators that are
trying to benefit from your growing crops. Weeds can crawl into your
flower beds quicker when rooted in the soil than you can dig them out. This
will take up money, effort and treatment you would not have to spare
otherwise.
Since hydroponic systems are soil-free and locked, weeds should have no
chance of growing first in your crops. Which ensures you will spend less
time worried about weeds and other organic pests cutting off your crops and
more time ensuring that your harvest is as complete and perfect as possible.
5. Grow More Lucrative Plants: Many times when you want to grow on the
land that means picking only those crops that are most likely to prosper in
your field. Of example, not all soil is ideal of growing grapes, while climate
conditions and temperatures can make it difficult to grow even simple crops
in especially cold or storm-prone areas.
In comparison, hydroponics do not rely on outside environments for proper
service. That means you can set your eyes on growing even more lucrative
crops with the right hydroponic system than ever before, positioning
yourself to maximize the profit-per-square-foot and decrease waste energy
when harvesting time comes.
6. For so long, farmers have been shackled to the shifting seasons and
fluctuating weather when it comes to choosing when and where to cultivate
their crops. That has historically meant restricting the growing season to
spring and summer, or reducing what can be effectively grown in the
autumn and winter seasons, in northern climates or places prone to
encounter storms.
7. Hydroponics helps farmers to do only that, sometimes improving harvest
productivity and efficiency due to superior supply of nutrients and water.
When growing plant has clear root access to everything it wants to expand
and flourish, the greenhouse is much easier than you will otherwise be able
to do in the soil.
8. Automate & Save Labor: This work will cover everything from weeding
and fighting rodents to constantly tracking and modifying environmental
conditions and maintaining everything at the optimal level. By automating
your hydroponic device, you are able to significantly minimize the effort
needed to produce the same-or even better-performance.
In a hydroponic device, anything from rising room temperature to levels of
humidity and light, to nutrient and nutrition rates can be optimized for
optimal distribution even though you are miles from your greenhouse.
That's because automated systems will continuously monitor the growing
room if conditions change and automatically make adjustments, saving you
time and energy to track and respond to growing space issues.
There's never been a better or more thrilling moment for farmers to get their
feet wet with hydroponics (metaphorically). Today, more than ever, growers
are finding answers to issues that have troubled farmers for hundreds of
years, and hydroponics might be just the best approach we've come up with
so far.
 Chapter 10

Managing and Operating a Greenhouse

T hewantmainto extend
reason why you are building a greenhouse is probably that you
your growing season. To do this, there are a few things
that you will need to do. When a new season comes, you will need to
prepare your greenhouse to help the plants inside of it succeed. We are
going to look into everything that you have to do to prepare your
greenhouse for the upcoming season. This information will allow you to use
your greenhouse in the way that you plan to use it. If you can make sure
your greenhouses ready for every season, you can ensure that your plans
will have success no matter what the temperature is outside.
First, let's look into what you need to do to winterize your greenhouse. We
are going to start in winter because it is the most common season that
people use greenhouses for. This is because, in most areas of the world,
winter is not the best time to grow plants outside in the garden. It is,
however, a great time to grow inside of a greenhouse if you know how to
winterize your structure.
The first thing that you will want to do is make sure your greenhouse is
clean and ready for the winter. Winter is not a great time to be opening
doors or taking a lot of trips in and out of your greenhouse. In the winter,
you don't want the cold air to enter when you walk into your greenhouse, so
you should make sure that you were going in and out as little as possible
and as fast as possible. That way, you don't have to be moving shelves in
and out, taking plants in and out, or anything else that will cost you to open
the door more than you need to.
Cleaning your greenhouse may not be the first thing that you think of when
you start the process of winterizing, but it is the most important thing to
start with. Because, after you begin the other winterizing methods that you
will need to do, you will already be done with the simple stuff. If you think
that you will have to rearrange your greenhouse or take anything in and out
of it, this is the most important place to start.
You will want to make sure that there are no places in your greenhouse that
could allow cold air to get inside. You will want to look at the walls and
make sure that there are no holes. If there are holes in the wall, you will
want to patch them. You will even need to look at your windows and
doorways during this process. You will need to make sure that your door is
lined up correctly so that it cannot allow cold air through cracks that may be
around their edges. You will want to make sure that any of your windows
are shut tight. You may want to check on the ground of your greenhouse to
make sure there are no cracks or gaps as well. If you see cracks are gaps in
any of these spaces, you will need to cover them.
If your greenhouse has vents that allow for additional air circulation in the
summer, you will want to make sure that these are closed or covered as
well. If your vents do not close tightly, you can cover them with a plastic
window treatment to make sure no cold air will be able to seep through its
holes.
You will know if your greenhouse needs a heater if the sun is not enough to
keep your plants warm during the colder months. If this is something that
you will need, you must get your heater set up and make sure that it is
working well before the cold air hits your area. You do not want your plants
to be affected by a freeze before you have the chance to protect them with
the heater.
When you are thinking of how you are going to heat your greenhouse, make
sure that you remember to keep in mind the size of your structure. If you
have a large greenhouse, some heating systems may not be able to provide
enough warmth to cover your entire large space. Make sure that you can
check how much square footage the heater will cover and that it matches up
to the square footage that your greenhouse has before you decide to
purchase the device.
If you heat your greenhouse in the winter, it is also a good idea to think
about having a backup heating option. If your power goes out one night,
you do not want to have to lose all of your plants just because you were not
completely prepared for the things that could go wrong. You could consider
having a battery-powered backup heating system in case struggles like this
ever do appear.
Aside from heaters, you can also help to keep your greenhouse warm
through the use of insulation. If your greenhouse is insulated well, not as
much cold air will be able to get inside of it. How do you insulate a
greenhouse that has to have walls thin enough to allow the sunlight through,
though? You can use certain linings on your greenhouse walls that help to
reflect light and heat. These will help to keep warm air in and cold air out.
One important thing to remember when you are winterizing your
greenhouse is just because it is cold outside does not mean that your plants
do not need fresh air. You still need to use fans to circulate the air in your
greenhouse and ventilation is necessary to some level, even in the cold.
This is because plants cannot survive solely on the oxygen that they breathe
back out into the air. They need carbon dioxide as well. If they breathe up
the carbon dioxide in the greenhouse and they are not given any fresh air,
they will not have what they need to survive.
When the long, cold winter ends, you will need to start preparing your
garden for spring. This may at first feel like you are just undoing everything
that you did to winterize your greenhouse, but it is much more than that,
and it is very important to the health of your plants and the success of your
crops.
When spring comes, you may want to start your preparation in the same
way that we started the winter preparation; cleaning. Typically, greenhouses
are taken care of less during the winter mainly because the big focus of the
gardeners is to keep the plants warm, not really to keep it looking nice. You
can start by making sure that your greenhouse is clean, anything that you no
longer wish to use is removed, and the setup is what you would like to see it
stay as throughout the next growing season. You will then want to make
sure that your plants are getting lots of fresh air once again. Make sure that
the fans are up and running well, uncover or open up all of the vents, and
even open up the windows if you have them. A long winter with minimal
fresh air is hard on plants, so giving them some clean air is an important
step in the spring preparation process.
After getting your greenhouse ready for spring, you will need to start
thinking about summer. Your spring greenhouse should work the same as
your summer greenhouse unless you need to use certain types of cooling
techniques. You could consider using a shade cover on your greenhouse.
This would be a good thing to get ready before the sun gets too hot so that
you are prepared when the time comes when you need to use it.
After summer, you will need to start preparing for fall. For fall preparation,
you will just be starting to think about your winterization techniques. Make
sure that you are ready early in case winter decides to show up sooner than
it is expected. Overall, there are different types of preparations that you will
need to do for every season of the year. These preparations will allow you
to keep your greenhouse as the perfect environment for your plants and
their success throughout the entire year. There is a very large amount of
work to do to prepare your greenhouse for winter, but preparations for the
other three seasons requires minimal work. If you follow these guidelines
while you are getting your greenhouse ready for each season, you should be
able to keep your plants happy and healthy all year long.
 Chapter 11

Pests & Diseases Control

S olutions to insect problems include insect predators or other predators

like you. When you put beer out for slugs, squish aphids with your
fingers, or discard an infested plant, you are functioning as a predator. If
no other solution works, you can spray. Sometimes simply a strong spray of
clear water will wash insects off plants; many bugs are too fragile to survive
this.
Showers
Some very successful indoor gardeners give most of their potted plants (not
cacti and similar kinds) a weekly shower. They put the pot in the bathtub
and turn on tepid water from overhead. This gets rid of many insects before
the gardener has even begun to notice them, and the “rain” is good for most
plants.
Other Sprays
The next step is a soap spray. You can buy an insecticidal soap solution, or
you can put a drop of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of water. Other popular
organic sprays involve garlic, onion, hot pepper, or a combination thereof,
ground up and mixed with a great deal of water. A certified organic farmer I
know makes “nettle tea” by leaving nettles in water in a barrel outdoors
“until it stinks to high heaven,” then diluting the tea ten to one or more. He
recommends it highly; it may smell up your greenhouse, but it will kill
many bugs.
Other Organic Poisons
A few years back, rotenone and pyrethrum, or pyrethrins, were all the rage
with organic gardeners, including me. Now I never use them. They are
organic in the sense that they are made from plants; rotenone is made from
the root of a South American plant, and pyrethrum from a variety of
chrysanthemum. Unfortunately, both can kill creatures you don’t want
killed, like spiders and ladybugs, or, in the garden, bees. Rotenone is
particularly deadly to fish. You may not keep fish in the greenhouse,
although a few greenhouses do, but pesticides have a way of getting into the
water table.
Traps
Insect traps are not usually used in the greenhouse, except for one kind.
Aphids, whiteflies, and many other undesirables are attracted to bright
yellow. You can buy sticky 3-by-5-inch “cards” of this color, or circles of
the same material, and set them up as traps. Hundreds of bugs will get stuck
on them; when one gets too gross, throw it away and set up another one in
the wire holder that comes with it. If you are really thrifty, you can buy a
bottle of the sticky stuff, clean dirty traps with cooking oil, and recoat them.
Pest control
Gardeners like you often choose the path of gardening because plants can
enjoy optimum growth under greenhouse conditions. However, the
moderate warmth and moist also made a greenhouse the perfect nest for
most pests. Greenhouses can act as a barrier of protection but pests can
always sneak through small gaps. Below are the tips that will help in
eradicating pests from your greenhouse
Greenhouse cleaning routine
Just like any other space in your house, you need to have a cleaning routine
for your greenhouse. During the summer, you can move all the plants and
gardening tools out from your greenhouse so cleaning activities can be
carried out. Scrub the walls and floor with hot water and detergent solution.
Pay particular attention to the corners and cracks as these are the likely
places where pests will lay their eggs.
Freeze your greenhouse
If the environment inside your greenhouse is always warm and nice, pests
will love it. It is good if you can freeze your greenhouse during winter
season as cold temperature is the best way to kill or get rid of most pests.
Before you do this, make sure that you have an alternative storage for your
plants. It can be your warehouse, min indoor garden or you can simply
freeze them inside the greenhouse. This is because pests might hide
themselves and their eggs within the plants. If you have chosen the
greenhouse plants that are able to grow without optimum growing
conditions provided by the greenhouse, they should be able to be frozen
inside the greenhouse. Even so, you should pay particular attention to their
growth.
Sterilize gardening tools and soil
Before moving any new gardening tools or gardening materials into your
greenhouse, make sure that you have properly sterilized them. Instead of
using a normal garden soil, you should opt for a sterilized potting mix that
is often pest free. As for your gardening tools, bleach them in a detergent
solution. You must be very strict when it comes to this. Most of the time,
you only have yourself to blame if your greenhouse suffers a pest
infestation because you are the one showing them where the paradise is.
Constantly look out for pests
To prevent a total outbreak of pests, you need to monitor your plants
closely. Destroy any eggs, larvae or bugs that you suspect to be harmful to
your greenhouse garden. You may want to consider treating a particular
plant separately. This is to avoid pests from moving effortlessly to another
plant while treatment is being conducted. Do not be lazy because one a pest
infestation takes place; it will take a long time for you to get rid of the
whole colony because the environment inside the greenhouse provides a
great breeding ground for these notorious creatures.
Introduce biological pest control
Consider deploying beneficial insects within your greenhouse. These
predatory insects will feed on pests that are present inside your greenhouse
in no time. Some of the beneficial insect that you can consider is ladybugs
and praying mantis. You can get these from your local nurseries or even
order them online. This method is not only organic but it will also save you
a lot of time and effort trying to pick up harmful pests while performing
your greenhouse gardening chores.
Use potting soil
Often ordinary garden soil will be packed with a lot of insect eggs, creepy
crawlies and other pests. Therefore, for the plants inside containers in the
greenhouse, its best to use a good potting soil or compost for potting them.
The soil should be rich in nutrients, sterilized free from any diseases and
pests to help the plants grow.
Practice crop rotation
If you plant directly into the ground in your greenhouses, obviously you
will not have much better control over the spread of pests and diseases
inside the soil. Crop rotation is a better way to combat this by growing
different type of plant in the structure each year. It will discourage the
building up of pests in the soil since the same plant usually promotes
similar kinds of pests.
Use netting
Greenhouses require proper aeration, and it is not ideal to seal them up
absolutely to prevent pests from entering. But you could reduce the number
of big flying insects that come in by hanging netting, open windows, or
other vent points.
Move pots outside in the heat
In the summer periods, a greenhouse will usually become hot and dry
through the day. Taking plants in pots outside will not only help in cooling
down the plants but also cut down the buildup of spider mites on them.
Spider mites multiply in numbers in warm climates, so the ideal thing is to
keep the greenhouse aerated and also use a mister to keep the humidity up.
If you are leaving the house for the day, it's ideal to douse the floor of your
greenhouse with water, which would evaporate into the air through the rest
of the day.
Fertilization
Your greenhouse is the best investment you have ever done in terms of
productivity and hobby. You can get a good source of income even from a
small greenhouse by growing some vegetables, fruits, or flowers. But
remember that greenhouse gardening is not like traditional gardening and
you have to do utmost care of your plants for best production. Greenhouse
plants need more amount of nutrients than outdoor gardening and you must
provide them through proper means. Keeping your soil fertile should be
your major concern because many plants die in the absence of proper
nutrients. Plants use a process called photosynthesis to produce some major
nutrients on their own. So, unlike animals, plants only need some inorganic
compounds to produce essential nutrients for their growth. Some of these
nutrients like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium,
Sulphur, calcium and magnesium are required in large quantities by plants
and hence are called macronutrients. On the other hand, some other
elements like iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, chlorine, and
molybdenum are required in fewer amounts by greenhouse plants and thus
called micronutrients.
Plants can take some of the macronutrients naturally through
photosynthesis. For example carbon is taken from the air in the form of
CO2 through the leaf stomata and fixed into organic compounds via
photosynthesis. Plants can extract hydrogen and oxygen from water. Other
common nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and sulphate can be extracted
from the soil and hence they are not included in the fertilization. So, there
are only 3 main macronutrients called sodium, potassium, and nitrogen that
your plant needs in the form of fertilizers.
Your greenhouse plants can easily get some major macronutrients from the
soil, water, and photosynthesis. But there are still many nutrients that you
greenhouse plants need in the form of fertilizers. Here is a list of some
common nutrients and their use for your greenhouse plants: --
Nitrogen
Necessary for the generation of leaves and development of stem, it likewise
assumes a noteworthy part in building plants cells.
Phosphorus
Required for the advancement of plants and their leafy foods in the
development of sound roots
Potassium
Used by the plants amid photosynthesis and fundamental for its
development.
Sulphur
Helps to create vitality for a plant and builds the viability of phosphorus.
Iron
Necessary for the generation of chlorophyll
Manganese
Aids in the ingestion of nitrogen and a crucial segment in vitality exchange
process
Zinc
Essential part for the vitality transference process
Copper
Essential for the generation of chlorophyll
Boron
Required in least sum yet genuine utilization is not yet known.
Magnesium
One of the principle segments of chlorophyll. It is likewise in charge of
disseminating phosphorus all through the plant.
Calcium
Helps in root development and the plant to retain potassium
Chlorine
Necessary for photosynthesis
Molybdenum
Helps in some chemical reactions of your plants
 Chapter 12

Cleaning Your Greenhouse

W ash all the benches in the garden with soapy water. Washing the
benches and any other table in the greenhouse will enable you to
remove dirt and moisture that can cause mold.
Always ensure you keep the surface of the greenhouse dry, and you can use
cloth or a sponge to wipe clean any moisture or damp areas on the surface.
Spray any built up mildew on the walls with the mildew spray. You should
also clean the area between the panes to avoid buildup of condensation,
which can lead to a growth of molds and algae.
Clean the flooring area of your structure thoroughly. Some floors are made
of wood, gravel, cement, or fabric carpeting, and depending on your
greenhouse’s floor type, molds can grow. You need to scrub the floor and
clean out any mold, mud, and other decaying matter.
Remove any dead plant branches and leaves. Pests or bugs can infect plants,
causing the leaves to wither, and prune any dead leaves or branches to
prevent further spread of the disease. You must take the dead leaves out of
the greenhouse as soon as possible because if left inside, they may
decompose and allow pests or bugs into the greenhouse.
Weeds and any other unimportant plants around the greenhouse area should
be removed.
If some pests invade your greenhouse, you can release spiders and ladybugs
into the garden, if they are available in your area. If ladybugs are not
available in your pet stores, you can use pesticide to deal with pests in the
greenhouse instead.
Provide Shade and More Sun
Most greenhouse roofs and windows are made of plastic material or
fiberglass. After some time, these materials can turn a darker shade caused
by overheating from sun or microscopic molds. This change can reduce the
amount of light into the greenhouse.
You should periodically clean the windows to allow more light and sun
enters the greenhouse. Consider replacing the roof material after a while.
Plant trees that can provide shade for your greenhouse during the summer
months, which can act as shade to protect your plants from hot weather.
During the winter, the trees shed off the leaves, which allow extra sun to get
into the greenhouse.
Alternatively, you can install roll-up shades. Roll-up shades are closed
during the summer to protect the plants from the sun and remain opened in
winter to allow more sun and light enter.

Heating and Ventilation Problems

Greenhouses provide a temperature-controlled environment to meet the
needs of your plants. You need to maintain the heating and ventilation
equipment and ensure they’re working properly. Check the equipment
regularly and do full maintenance on them before the winter growing
season.
If there are any gaps in the greenhouse exterior, you can use new glass
panes to fill out the large holes or caulk to fill small holes in the exterior.
This ensures heat you maintain heat inside the greenhouse.
Paint all walls black, as doing so makes sure that you attract and retain
more heat.
You can install roof vents between the ceiling and the rooftop. In most
greenhouses, hot air is always trapped at the top part of the ceiling and
prevents the crops from receiving enough warmth. Installing vents can
easily push away hot air and allow fresh air from the outside in, thus
increasing fresh air circulation inside.
You can also use fans installed diagonally at the opposite corners of the
greenhouse, which increase fresh air circulation inside. Switch off the fans
in the winter to conserve heat.
You should also consider a watering system or piping system. Make sure
you properly install the water system and that it works as desired. You must
also do frequent maintenance on the pipes to ensure no leaks.
Weed Control
Weeds growing in the greenhouses and other covered structures is one of
the most persistent problems that many farmers face. These weeds affect the
quality of plants grown, and other types of weeds can act as hosts for pests
like whiteflies, snails, mites, and slugs.
Weeds that grow under the benches inside the greenhouse will usually host
some pests and fungi; therefore, you need to come up with mechanisms to
control the weed growth.
Removing the weed from the greenhouse benches, pots, and even the floor
is important in the management of the greenhouse and maintenance of its
aesthetic. A ground cloth put under the benches is highly recommended for
weed management.
An accumulation of potting media on the ground can appear that will act as
the perfect environment for weed growth if you do not collect it. A ground
cloth can make it easy to collect the spilled potting media and prevent any
germination of weed seeds.
Weeds that have already grown under the benches may force you to have to
use herbicide to help manage them. There is a wide variety of herbicides in
the market, but the majority of them are for outdoor use, while very few are
for indoor use. Don’t be tempted to buy the ones labelled for use outdoors,
as it may have negative effects to the crops grown inside. In extreme cases,
it can affect you plants in the next season. Vapor from some of the
traditional herbicides can be trapped inside the structure and will not only
affect the crops, but they could also be a health hazard to the people
working in the greenhouse.
When applying greenhouse herbicides on the benches, read the instructions
carefully, there are two types of herbicides in the greenhouse: Pre-
emergence activity and Marengo. You can apply the herbicide labelled “pre-
emergency activity” when the crop is present, and you can water the plant
pot even after application. You should not apply Bare Spot herbicides on the
pot.
You cannot use Marengo herbicide when the plant is present; instead, apply
Marengo herbicide before the start of the next growing season. Watering the
area with the applied herbicide activates its residual compound, which can
damage plants in the area due to volatilization from the herbicide.
Prevention Measures
You should come up with weed management program that allows you to
regularly monitor the potting, plant holding, propagation, and the
surrounding areas for the presence of weeds.
Before removing the weeds, identify the weed type, its life cycle, and the
area where its growing. Always make sure to manually remove weeds from
the pots and benches after the plants flower and produce seeds.
The best weed control measure is through weed sanitation; that is, keeping
away any weed propagules (like seeds, and rhizomes) in the greenhouse
structure by using sterile media and cleaning plant materials. You should
also control weeds growing outside the greenhouse.
Building concrete floors or having mulched floors will limit weed growth
on the floors.
You can manually pull the weeds and prevent them from reaching the seed
area in the greenhouse too. Mow the outside to control the weeds outdoors.
Use weed block fabric, which will act as a physical barrier to prevent weed
establishment on the floor or under the benches.
You should also use weed-free potting soil. If the container or planting pots
spill the potting media, clean them.
In areas where weeds continue to be a problem, you can remove the soil in
that area or cover the area with mulch to prevent growth of the weeds.
Weed Management
Managing the weed growing conditions is essential for every greenhouse. A
weed-free environment reduces the need for pesticides and increases
production of high quality crops. Proper weed control practices help keep
pests, insects, and weed diseases at bay.
Weeds compete with your crops for light, water, and nutrients; therefore,
you should remove them as soon as possible before they affect your crops’
growth. These weeds carry their own viruses too, which can damage or
infect your crops.
A weed management program will help you to manage and control the
weeds in your greenhouse effectively while helping you come up with
control measures.
Sources of Weed Seeds
Weeds come from a variety of sources, some of which include:
Ventilation fans blowing weed seeds from outside into the greenhouse.
Contaminated seeds
Infected plants transplanted in the greenhouse from an external source.
Poor plant growing area and storage or using dirty pots and containers.
Contaminated or uncovered soil from under tables and benches
From the irrigation systems and water ponds
 Conclusion

hank you for making it to the end. The greenhouse is a system of change
T and management of the environment that allows plants to grow in
climates and seasons that otherwise do not fit well with their growth. It
is an environment in which you can control the factors that promote the
growth of plants. Factors such as heat, humidity, ventilation, sun, etc. These
factors and many others determine the quality and quantity of their
performance.
The construction and design of a greenhouse should be made based on these
factors because they can determine the optimal greenhouse performance.
Make sure the site has easy access to the water, electricity and other
necessary public services. High, stable soil is needed to avoid unnecessary
water accumulation. Find a place where there is decent ground for growing
plants or the potential to grow. Expandability must also be considered.
Greenhouse plants are exposed to many pests and diseases. In addition to
the particular problems of plants, some many pests and diseases attack
plants in greenhouses. Therefore, health and control of pests must be carried
out. Insects such as aphids, whiteflies, leaf miners, etc. affect performance
in a greenhouse.
The list of pests above may seem painful or even frightening, but remember
that this is an exhaustive list of major pests. It's unlikely you'll get them all.
You can go years without it. It is better to be prepared. If you know how to
recognize parasites and fight them, you've won the battle.
Many problems with pests and diseases caused by the greenhouse effect can
be greatly reduced by only observing a good cleaning practice. Always
remove all old plant materials and greenhouse composts, and whenever you
use a knife to cut or remove damaged plants, always clean these tools with a
good garden disinfectant. Also, always keep very strong chisels and
pruners, as this will reduce damage to plants, which can cause infection or
pest attack.
The area around a greenhouse should be kept relatively free of weeds and
plant material that can carry pests. This can be done with winter fabric or a
plant covered in a barrier at least 10 feet wide around the structure.
Preferably, an area with grass should be maintained beyond this area.
Pests often enter the main entrance of a greenhouse because it is the path of
least resistance. A lock entry is essential in greenhouses equipped with fan
and pad ventilation systems. An airlock can only be obtained by installing a
room that locks the door of the greenhouse.
Greenhouse gardening offers many benefits that go beyond the benefits of
conventional gardening. One of the main benefits of growing greenhouses
is that they offer a longer growing season. Temperatures do not vary so
much in a greenhouse because solar radiation is trapped within the
enclosure, which retains heat in the structure. The growing seasons can be
extended even in cold climates.
With a greenhouse, you don't have to worry about the weather because
everything is covered. Even if it is raining outside, you can garden and stay
dry. You have the opportunity to grow a variety of plants when using a
greenhouse. It allows people to experience exotic plants that are not found
in the area.
I hope you have learned something.