Vertical Garden: Sky is the limit.

Abstract

The vertical garden structure is useful for safe growing of the selected vegetable requirement of a family and can be accommodated in sunlit utility area, balcony and terrace. This structure can also be used by anyone who desires to grow vegetables, medicinal and flower crops using vertical space. The vertical garden structure has three major sub structure viz., (i) base frame, (ii) main central support and (iii) supports for pots/grow bags. Pots suitable for growing different vegetables, flowers and medicinal plants can be used with soil or soilless (cocopeat) growing medium. The advantages of this vertical structure are (i) can be accommodated in floor area of one square meter, (ii) fresh vegetables grown can be consumed, (iii) different sizes of plant pots/grow bags can be accommodated, (iv) consumer also controls the use of fertilizer, pesticide and inspective to its safe limit and he also knows what he consumes, (iv) structure suitable for handling in terms of height of reach, mobility, requirement light available to all the pots and (v) effective utilization of maximum area for growing plants. Plants like tomato (pot size- 16” dia. and 12” height), chilli, brinjal, French bean, peas etc., (pot size- 12” dia. and 10” height) which need bigger size pot, grow to a height about 2 feet and require more growing media are placed at the base of the structure. Leafy vegetables like amaranthus, coriander, palak etc., (pot size- 26” x 8”x 6” (LxWxH) ) and medicinal plants like brahmi, pudina, pepper mint, amruthaballi, doddapatre, madhnashini, thippali, ashwagandha, shatavari etc., ( pots size -14” x 8”x 6” (LxWxH)) are placed upper levels. A 25 litre plastic container at the top of the structure with necessary drip laterals, micro tubes and drippers are also provided to water the plants. Yield of 200 g to 5 kg of produce (depending on the crop) can be harvested per crop cycle. The cost of vertical garden structure is Rs. 22,000.