Building a Prepper Garden in the Space You Have Now

Are you dealing with tight space, but you still want to plant a survival garden? Maybe you live in an apartment with a patio, or a home with a small yard. Consider installing a vertical garden. Vertical Gardens take very little space, add beauty to the yard or home, are fairly easy to maintain, and with some planning, can provide you with vegetables year round.

A vertical vegetable garden planted in specially designed frames, can more than double the amount of plants and veggies that you would normally be able to fit in a given space. When it’s time to plant food in your outdoor space, go vertical!

What Does It Take To Get Started with a Vertical Garden?

What Key Things Do You Need?

A Vertical Garden takes less space than a standard garden, but it does require a few key things.

What are you planting? ~Think about what you want from your vertical garden. What sort of veggies? How much space do they need? Are they climbers or spreaders?

A Location~  Sounds silly? Well…where do you plan to put your Vertical Garden? Inside? Outside? On the Patio? On the Back Wall? Outside the Kitchen Door? You need to know where you want it to be, so you get an idea of the scope of your project.
And you need to make sure you have….

Sunlight~ Chose a south facing (or mostly south facing) wall to catch the most sunlight possible (north facing just won’t get enough light)  A cold frame or greenhouse could extend your growing time.

A Frame~ A number of companies build and sell the frameworks for vertical gardening. I’ve also included some “DIY” links so you can make your own. Think about what you can do, and how handy you are.

Water or Irrigation~ Many pre-made frames come with a built in irrigation system, some even recycle the water that collects at the bottom, which makes them incredibly self-sufficient, and rather “green”. Other systems need to be watered, but they do have a reservoir so water is not wasted. If you are making a construction out of milk jugs or gutters, you will have to work out a system to water your plants. Easy is better, if watering is a hassle, you will fall out of love with your project.

Plants~ So many plants can be grown in a Vertical Garden. While you can start from seed, it may be more satisfying to start from seedlings. Vegetables will grow well in a vertical garden, just think about the space… carrots and potatoes might not be your best bet for higher up, but tomatoes and cucumbers work well, as do strawberries and herbs. You can plant the carrots in the trough at the bottom…

This Gronomics Vertical Garden set is compact for small spaces. I love that it comes with its own built in irrigation system, and has a reservoir to collect the water so it doesn’t drip all over the floor. You can use it to plant herbs and veggies, as well as flowers.

Woolly Pockets can work indoors and outdoors, which makes them an incredibly versatile planting system. You can attach them to walls, fences or create a structure out of metal poles and wire. Each pocket is made out of recycled plastic bottles, and is designed to use water carefully. The Pocket is mesh, which allows oxygen to reach the roots, making them stronger and healthier. There is a reservoir to keep water from spilling out or being wasted. You can even use a drip irrigation system on a timer if you have a larger installation of Woolly Pockets, or if you travel. Since the pockets are off of the ground, they are less susceptible to bugs and slugs.

Make your own Woolly Pockets – http://www.instructables.com/id/hanging-plant-pocket/

Or just use shoe pockets for an inexpensive and easy pocket garden http://www.instructables.com/id/VERTICAL-VEGETABLES-quotGrow-upquot-in-a-smal/

A framed net system works as a trellis for your vining veggies like Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peas, Beans and Gourds.. You plant the seeds or seedlings into the trough at the bottom, and the vines climb up a net that is supported by a wooden frame. It takes up only 4 feet of floor space, but can hold the veggies that would grow in a 24 square foot plot!

Another method is to create a tube planter out of a framed sack. This method could work well for potatoes (which are also easy to grow in an old trashcan)

Being self-sufficient does not mean you have to have acres of land. Whatever method of Vertical Gardening you choose for your prepper garden, your plant yields will be high enough to supply you with enough fresh vegetables to supplement your food stores.

Prepper Garden Plans

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• DIY Vertical Garden Made Of A Pallet