Vertical Herb Garden

[NicolaD]

Hi,

Today I made a vertical herb planter out of a large (rectangle) reclaimed pallet. I can fill it with compost this weekend ready to be planted. As a newbie to gardening (only growing herbs indoors previously), I am wondering if anyone has any experience with planting these vertical type planters and has any tips. One of the things that I am particularly thinking about is which plants should be at the top and which will be OK at the bottom or will it not matter if I water them correctly. Also what works well for a beginner.

I want to grow from seed so will get sowing soon, starting them off indoors and moving them on to the vertical situation when ready.

[Bigmallly]

The only thing I know about Herbs is that Mint is very invasive & best planted in a separate container.

[NicolaD]

I'm always cooking with fresh herbs and sometimes the supermarket doesn't have what I need (especially when it comes to rosemary and dill), they either sell out too quickly or they think the only herb people need is coriander. Nothing more annoying the empty herb shelves for me! So to have this new planter will be really useful and I can grown things not available in the supermarket (purple & lemon basil, lovage etc) and those ones I never seem to get my hands on in time.

I like mint so will want to grow it, but ill keep it refined to a container then!

[veggiechicken]

Rosemary is a large perennial plant and may not be happy in a confined root space, similarly sage. Lovage is huge. Fennel too.
Thymes, oregano, marjoram, basil, chives should be OK. Its too late for me to think straight at the mo Night night!!

[Dorothy rouse]

I grew some purple basil last year, bought it as a little plant (£1.00), potted into a larger pot and it did really well, and was very good.

I have some little seeds of ordinary basil that have germinated, don't know yet how well they will do.

Rosemary will grow very easily from a cutting, if you know anyway who has a bush growing in their garden, am sure they will let you have a few cuttings. Pop in water for a few days until roots appear.

[Two_Sheds]

wondering if anyone has any experience with planting these vertical type planters

I've used this type before:



very, very difficult to keep adequately & evenly watered. The compost is very shallow & lower plants are shaded out by the plants above. After struggling all summer, all the plants just died.

Plant in open ground if you are able to, if not then into the largest container you can manage

[AllInContainers]

I used those last year (from Poundland I think) and had reasonable success with them. Petunias in the bottom, geraniums in the top, and French Marigolds in all the middle layers. I agree with the keeping them hydrated problem though, and I have now gifted these to a neighbour who will be trying to grow strawberries in them. I suspect my strawberries will be better than hers again this year ...

[sparrow100]

Have a look through this site - the guy's a genius at compact growing on a balcony.
Vertical Veg — Grow your own vegetables
Maximising space 2: multiple harvests from one pot

[NicolaD]

Just updating about the vertical herb garden I'm making. So we started off with two large pallets both with broken pieces of wood here and there. Initially we planned to just make one to put against the wall and this is what we did on day one (yesterday). Today we used parts of the second pallet to make a smaller 'shelf' side and create a boundary which we will fill with bark and some plant pots.

Although this is no where near finished I though I'd share the pictures so far. You can see where were thought about stopping yesterday and then where we got to today once we adapted our plans and make more of an area of out of it.

We will paint the wood, fill the back panel with soil ready for herb planting and bark the floor. At the moment the garden is looking really drab its always wet and everything needs a good power wash. This is one of my favourite areas of the garden its usually where we put the bbq and always looks nice in summer. The area gets sun in the morning and some again in the evening but I would class this as a shaded areas so have been researching what herbs will do well there.

Herbs on my list after research are:
German Camomile
Roman Camomile
Chervil
Garlic Chives
Onion Chives
Coriander
Lemon Balm
Types of Peppermint/Mint (in pots)
Parsley
Rosemary
Lovage
Oregano
Thyme

I'm also thinking of adding some:
Cress
Tarragon
Dill
Strawberries
Cut and come again Lettuce

It seems basil likes the sun so I will find another place for it. I use it in the kitchen a lot so will want to grow it. I'm hoping to get lots of small patches of the herbs above and make a mixed wall with them. The list feels like a lot and I am a beginner with outdoor herbs (having only grown them indoors so far) so I don't know it ill be taking on too much.

Ill update the post as the projects goes on with more pictures.

Also, big thanks to Sparrow100 I've had some time to look at the links and they are really useful - I'll be using them a lot.

[Guykp57]

Keep posting pics Nicola I'm interested in doing the same as you. And Welcome to the vine it's great for advice and picking peoples brains and experience


Sent from my iPad using Grow Your Own Forum mobile app

[NicolaD]

Thanks Guykp57 I will do - also, I am so new to this forum I didn't know it had an app! That's a big help too!

[Dorothy rouse]

Rocket is another one that grows well in pots,and will add flavour to your salads,just a thought.

[NicolaD]

Thanks DottyR, I did have rocket on a list somewhere as something that copes well in shade so I think it will be good for this area too. I also buy this all the time so it will be nice to grown my own.

I want to grow as much as possible from seed so as a newbie I'm trying to get to grips with what to sow indoors now and how. I have one really good window that gets a lot of sun, then the sun goes around the side of the house and doesn't hit any windows directly until the evening.

[Dorothy rouse]

Alpine strawberries do well in pots,but you don't get loads, but they continue, producing for months, and enough to add to other fruit or just have with your breakfast yogurt!

Think you can also grow them in baskets, as you can the little cherry tomatoes.

[NicolaD]

A little update re: vertical herb garden. We have now painted it (with safe for pets/plants paint) and I have started indoor sowing of some herbs.

I think I will find room for some nice alpine plants as well as herbs to add some colour and fill in some spaces. I guess there is little to do with it now until there is no risk of frost and I can start planing it up.