It's All About The Nutrients

After perusing the options on the market today I settled on a three part nutrient solution set for my vertical herb garden.  Made by the company General Hydroponics each solution provides different elements needed by the plants to grow.

The primary macronutrients needed by plants are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, these elements are used by plants in large amounts and therefore are usually lacking from soil.  The primary macronutrients are essential for photosynthesis.  Nitrogen and Potassium are used in the making of proteins and Phosphorus is needed to convert solar energy into chemical energy.  Secondary nutrients include Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur all of which play a role in plant development.


All part of the Flora Series, the three solutions I purchased were:
1.) Flora Micro - provides plants with basic building blocks Nitrogen, Potassium and Calcium
2.) Flora Gro - provides elements for growth including Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
3.) Flora Bloom - stimulates further developmental stages with lots of Phosphorous, Potassium, Magnesium and Sulfur


More information can be found at:
http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm
http://www.genhydro.com/genhydro_US/floraseries.html

They Grow Up So Fast

The seeds I planted have come up nicely, it has been about two weeks now.  Here are the current results:

Basil - 1/2" seedlings
Cilantro - 2"
Parsley - 1/2"
Chives - 2"
Oregano - 1/4"
Spearmint - 0"
Rosemary - 0"

Cilantro

I have also made some progress in acquiring the supplies to build my vertical garden.  I went to my local hydroponics store (Long Island Hydroponics in Rocky Point; http://www.longislandhydroponics2.com) I found nutrient solution, a large slab of rockwool and a water pump for the drip irrigation system.

I have been having some trouble keeping my garden free of pests recently both large and small.  Another benefit to the vertical garden is that such problems aren't so common indoors, and the portability of the structure will make it easy to transport if such problems arise.

My largest garden pest, Ginny the family dog.

Improved Indoor Air Quality

There are several benefits to having plants indoor whether they are in pots or as part of a vertical garden.  One benefit that is often overlooked it the effect plants have on the air; as plants take in Carbon Dioxide they also take in some of the most common air pollutants found inside homes and commercial buildings.

For further reading check out these research studies:

http://www.lgiph.com.au/papers/Pot_plants_really_do_clean_indoor_air.pdf

http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/MsAcad-93.pdf

Seeds of All Shapes and Sizes

I've started growing the plants that I will later transplant into my vertical garden.  For those of you without the space or desire to grow from seed it is just as easy (yet slightly more expensive) to purchase your plants from your local garden center.  I chose a diverse array of herbs that can be used in countless dinners throughout the year.

I planted the herbs in a small raised bed and made sure to map out where everything was planted to avoid any confusion once the herbs come up.  

Other options include using a greenhouse like the one I have in my yard, if you want to start plants when it's a bit colder.

I also have some vegetable plants shown here, those wouldn't be too wise of a choice for a vertical garden so there are some limitations.

The seeds should start to sprout in a week or so.

What is a Vertical Garden?

To most people a garden is simply a patch of soil in their yard filled with flowers or vegetables.  Now the question is why do we restrict ourselves to only this horizontal space?  Vertical Gardening is a way of utilizing the vertical space to grow plants using hydroponic drip systems and a little ingenuity.  This type of growing makes better use of wall space and is great for a window inside if you don't have access to normal garden space outside.

Throughout the coming weeks I'll be creating my own vertical garden to explore this growing method and its potential.

Here is a video that demonstrates some of the intricacies of building a vertical garden.