This project is an excellent way to make the most of the space you have available – and could also help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.In addition to using a wood pallet, this project also makes use of other materials that might otherwise have simply been thrown away.In this article, I’ll show you how I made two simple vertical gardens using wood pallets.Rather than allow a tree to grow in a natural, standard form, it can be espaliered so it takes up less horizontal (and more vertical) space.(This can be a planting pocket vertical garden like to one described below, or a tower created with a range of different reclaimed or recycled materials.).A structure of pipework which supports plants grown hydroponically (with their roots in water rather than soil).But before we get to that, I want to take a moment to explain why creating a vertical garden is such a great idea.Even if you have a larger homestead, with more land, vertical gardens can still be a great way to increase yield.A vertical garden can also be a great way to improve the appearance of an ugly wall or fence.I made these two vertical gardens to give myself more space for growing leafy salad crops.I live in a cool climate, short season region, so my polytunnel is crucial for year-round growing.I already have a hanging shelf (made with leftover polytunnel plastic sheeting and scrap wood) and a trellis (on which I string milk bottles for additional container growing.If you find a pallet that is suitable for shelving as is, you too could simply use it in this way to add growing space in your garden.I cut a piece large enough to cover the back of the pallet I chose, and to flap down to form the bottom of the vertical garden.I made sure that the material was firmly secured to the reverse of the structure, then leant it up against a fence and began to fill it, from the base.I leant the structure up at a 45 degree angle, then carefully begun to fill it from the base.As I filled each section, I added plug plants – so far, some kale (for baby leaf salads), and some Stellaria media (chickweed).Soon, I plan to sow more brassicas, lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens, then transplant them into the soil/compost within this structure.I tend to prefer to use transplants for a vertical garden, but you can also choose to sow seeds directly.However, depending on access to water, and how easy it would be to implement, you could also consider creating a self-watering vertical garden.Once the seedlings have taken root, I will increase the angle of my vertical garden up against the fence, and water it throughout the growing season.It could be a great way to provide you with a range of leaves and flowers for salads throughout the spring and summer months.Elizabeth Waddington is a writer, permaculture designer and green living consultant.Amongst other things, she has designed private gardens in regions as diverse as Canada, Minnesota, Texas, the Arizona/California desert, and the Dominican Republic, commercial aquaponics schemes, food forests and community gardens in a wide range of global locations
