It's Convenient To Have A Woodworker In The Family

Construction Part I
Today (with help from my wonderful father) the wood that I purchased has been cut and then planed so that each piece is of uniform width. 

First we cut the large pieces into more manageable sizes, leaving an extra inch just in case.  We used this hand held saber saw and a table saw to accomplish this with relative ease.

Then we used a jointer to create a smooth edge on the uneven mahogany boards.

Then all the boards were run through the planer several times to reveal the beautiful grain underneath and to make the boards of equal width. 

Here is the result of our labors! Beautiful mahogany wood that will look great and last a very long time.

Materials List

Before you begin construction it's important to double check that you have everything you need.  I've slowly been collecting these items over the past month and now its time to build!

Materials List


Wood (2 side pieces, top and bottom piece, 2 crossbars)
Water Basin
Rockwool
Wire Mesh
Nutrient Solutions
Plants
Plastic or Metal Tubing
Drip Manifold
Metal "L" Brackets (4)
Water Pump

 

You can make your vertical garden any size, which means all of the sizes of the above materials will change depending on your project.  My vertical garden will measure approximately 3ft. in height, 2ft. wide, and 10in. deep at its base.

Oh the Herbs

 All the plants are coming along quite well, growing up nice and strong.  I've spread out the basil so it now has more room, it was getting a bit crowded together because my raised beds are rather small.

My garden gets full sun most of the day

Parsley

Oregano

Basil

Chives

Cilantro

Interesting Reading

I am a HUGE supporter of the local library system and once again they've proved their worth in my eyes by providing all the books I could possibly ask for on the topic of vertical gardening and living walls.

From left to right:

Garden Up by Susan Morrison and Rebecca Sweet (I found this book particularly interesting, I really recommend it to any garden enthusiast)

Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls by Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury

Vertical Gardens by Jacques Leenhardt, Anna Lambertini and Mario Ciampi

The Vertical Garden by Patrick Blanc

Vertical Gardening by Derek Fell (this book was also very well written and helpful, although less of an emphasis on living walls)

Timber!

I've purchased the wood that I'll use to build the frame of my vertical garden!

I went with Mahogany for its color and density and it also happens to be an easy wood to work with compared to some other hardwoods.  Now Mahogany does have its issues, there are many supplies that can't guarantee that their wood comes from a reputable dealer who uses sustainable harvesting practices.  However, since Mahogany is very popular in furniture making it is easy enough to ask if the lumber is Forest Stewart Council certified (http://www.fsc.org/) by doing this you can have the peace of mind that whatever you're building isn't made from a tree cut down in one of the few remaining old growth forests.

http://www.pbase.com/placesandseasons/image/33165379

Mahogany trees can be found in Central and South American rain-forests and can grow up to 150 feet tall.  Throughout history this type of wood has been prized for red color and since the age of exploration it been harvested for fine furniture making. Currently, the United States is the largest importer of Mahogany wood.

Other good options for making a vertical garden are Redwood, Teak (sustainably harvested teak is very hard to obtain though), Locust, or any sort of reclaimed wood from outdoor furniture that can withstand moisture.

More information on Mahogany can be found at:
http://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Rainforest_Wood/What_to_Avoid_What_to_Choose/By_Tree_Species/Tropical_Woods/M/Mahogany.html

Window Farming

Here is an article about "Window Farming" and interesting take on using vertical space.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125504307

http://www.windowfarms.org/whatisawindowfarm

www.windowfarms.org