As the term suggests, growing veg vertically means making use of vertical space to produce food as well as horizontal space. Growing selected veggies up, instead of out, means we can get a bigger harvest from a smaller area of land but there are lots of benefits to this growing technique, some obvious and some less so. Here are nine reasons why you should consider adding this technique to your personal permaculture arsenal.
1. It maximises use of horizontal space – if you want to grow some food in an urban or suburban space and you are like me, there will never be enough room to grow all you want, so it is important to make the most of the space you have. One way of doing that is by growing vertically.
2. Cultivate less ground, less time weeding – Cultivation can cause weed seeds in the soil to germinate, therefore less time weeding as well as less likelihood of soil erosion and loss.
Peas, growing up a circular trellis
3. Create shady areas – Here in western Sydney (as well as lots of other places in Aus) the problem is not lack of light, but rather too much. By growing vertically, plants can create shady spaces for flowers or vegetables that react poorly to hot weather. Also, by growing vegetables like chokoes vertically they can create cool and shady spaces for people and pets.
4. Improve water efficiency – by using efficient watering practices and only water the soil at the bottom of the veggies, you don’t need to use as much water.
5. Increase the light and air getting to leaves – This means healthier plants, the leaves will be getting the light that they need for photosynthesis and extra air movement means that fungal diseases (which thrive in warm, moist, still air) will be reduced.
Tomatoes growing in a tomato cage
6. Ease of monitoring & controlling pests & diseases – What you can’t see you can’t fight, and growing veggies vertically will make it much easier to see the whole plant. That way you will be able to monitor for pests and diseases and they will be less likely to sneak up on you.
7. Increased yields – Due to points five and six above (more light and air and better control of pests and diseases) you will be able to harvest more healthy produce from each plant.
Fence pumpkins
8. Improved access to produce – it is easy to miss vegetables (for example pumpkins and cucumbers) that are produced in amongst the riot of leaves and vines of the growing plant. Vertical growing makes it easier to see your fresh produce, as well as (dare I say it) make it easier to harvest without having to crawl around on the ground to find them.
9. Cleaner produce – vegetables that sit on the and encourage passing insects to have a chew also tend to get dirty, and dirt contamination can also contribute to disease issues.
For more information check out the 'Vertical Growing' section of our website and/or download our free eBook 'Upwardly Mobile with Vertical Veg'
