Vertical gardening on your fence or balcony

The benefits of vertical gardening and green walls

• Plants naturally absorb water and release it again through their leaves. As a result, a wall covered with greenery stays cooler than a bare fence or concrete surface. Whether you choose flowers on the fence, herbs, or climbing plants, you'll notice the difference on warm summer days.
• A green wall attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. By adding a variety of fence plants, you're creating valuable habitats and food sources for local wildlife. Think of elho's wildlife gardening range as a way to help out the insects in your green wall
• A vertical fence filled with greenery adds depth and visual interest. Instead of focusing only on the ground, your eyes are drawn upwards, creating the illusion of a larger garden or balcony. This is especially useful for anyone interested in vertical gardening on the balcony where space is often limited.
• Why stop at ornamental plants? A vertical vegetable garden on a fence is perfect for growing herbs, lettuce, strawberries, and other compact crops. Because everything is raised off the ground, your plants are easier to reach and maintain without bending over.

Tips for choosing the right pot for your plant wall

• You don't necessarily need specialist growing containers. Decorative planters in different colours can be just as effective when displaying plants on a fence.
• Choose a pot with a built-in water reservoir to help your hanging plants on a fence stay hydrated for longer while reducing maintenance.
• Pots in lighter shades absorb less heat from the sun, helping to slow down water evaporation from the soil.
• Choose a lightweight pot, because you'll also be filling the pot with soil. A terracotta, or stone pot can sometimes become incredibly heavy.
• Are you planning to hang the pots on a fence or are you going to drill holes so that the pots can be hung? Then check whether the wall is stable enough to hang something on it. Tap the wall, do you hear a hollow sound or can you hear something crumbling? If so, it certainly won't support the weight of a planter full of soil. If the surface is made of wood, has it been weather treated? Be sure to check the quality of the wood.
• Choose a pot that is suitable for many different uses and easy to move around like an easy hanger pot. 

Suitable soil

Choose a universal potting compost, which contains enough nutrients to last for the next three to four months. Have you noticed that your plants aren't growing well, have sprouted yellow leaves or even shed their leaves during the summer months? This is not how things are supposed to be. There is a very high probability that the nutrients from the soil are no longer adequate to meet your plants' needs. So, give your plants some extra nutrition. You can use liquid plant food, which you dilute with water or you could even mix in some perlite or vermiculite. These are porous rocks that absorb water and then gradually release nutrition into the soil. This definitely gives your plants a helping hand and prevents the soil from drying out too quickly.

Suitable plants

Not all plants perform well in pots and containers. This is usually due to the fact that they require a certain type of soil, they need more space for extensive root development, or simply because they're in the wrong location. So, before you buy a plant, make sure that it will grow well in a pot and that you know how much sunlight it needs. Do you want to increase the biodiversity in your garden or are you going to work with edible plants? Then the plants listed below are the most suitable.

Suitable plants for bees and butterflies include:

• great globe thistle
• Aegean thistle
• lavender
• liquorice plant
• lady's mantle
• catnip
• myrtle
• cornflower
• cardoon
• sage
• lupine
• tree or shrubby mallows
• honeysuckle

Suitable edible plants include:

• mint
• thyme
• oregano
• edible violets
• rosemary
• butterhead lettuce
• spinach
• rocket
• strawberries
• climbing courgette

Providing water

• Don't forget to water your plants on a regular basis. Moisture evaporates more quickly from plants hanging against a wall where the sun shines all day long. The smaller the pot, the more quickly the water evaporates from the soil.
• Stick your finger into the soil. Does some soil cling to it? Then it still has enough moisture. Is it bone dry? Then give it plenty of water. Add a little bit at first, before adding the rest. This method helps the soil absorb more water and therefore also release water for a longer period of time.
• Have you noticed that the days are so incredibly hot that the soil dries out very quickly? Then it is best to water your plants in the early morning and provide them with lots of water. This will help your plants spring to life throughout the day.
• Water plants in pots from below. This will help the plants to root better, because the roots will grow in search of water at the bottom of the pot. You'll also notice that the plants need water less often, because the water is simply deeper inside the pot.

Covering the soil

One thing I would definitely recommend for plants in pots, whether they are hanging or standing, is to cover the soil with a layer of mulch. This is a protective layer made from organic material. I always choose wood chips, and these can be purchased in bags. You can also choose straw, dried leaves or grass trimmings. The mulch layer not only looks natural and attractive but, in my opinion, it also does the best job of keeping the soil damp for the longest period of time. Cover the soil with a layer of 3 to 5 cm. Not only will the water evaporate less quickly, blowing weed seeds will also not be able to germinate, meaning that the pots remains tidy.

Let's get going!

Below you'll find a list of all the products you need to help you get started with your vertical garden or green wall. I'm genuinely curious about what you'll create! Do you want to share your garden? Then use the tag @elho.world on Instagram

Vibia Campana Wall Basket 

Vibia Campana Easy Hanger XL 

Vibia Campana Easy Hanger Small