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Vertical gardening, green walls and living wall art has certainly become the trend in garden design.  Companies like Wooly Pocket, Smith & Hawken, and Elt Living Wall Panels have come out with wall planting systems that allow you to create vertical gardens on indoor walls and the outside of buildings.  For those that have limited garden space or no planting beds at all you may want to consider vertical gardening.  A plain empty wall or fence can instantly be transformed into something beautiful with vertical “wall art”.  Are you new to vertical gardening?  I’m here to tell you that once you get familiar with it you’ll be hooked!  If you have access to free succulents and sedums, this project can be made for under $10. 

Oh mom, you may be missing a few hens and chicks from your garden

Materials:

• 16-inch wire basket

• Sphagnum moss 432 cu. in. bag

• Potting soil  suitable for hanging baskets

•  Succulent and/or sedum cutting or plants

• Water

• Latex gloves

Directions:

• Put on gloves and add sphagnum moss to a bucket, fill with water and let soak for at least 10 minutes. While the moss is hydrating lay out your materials in an assembly line fashion: potting soil, plants, watering can or hose.

Soak for 10 minutes

"Foraged" succulents and sedum cuttings

•  Hang  the wire basket so it will be easier to work with.  The basket will become heavy so make sure the nail or screw is firmly attached to a fence or wall.
• To start your first row, grab a handful of moss and squeeze out the water.  Firmly press moss into the bottom, sides and back of the basket. The moss “nest” should be at least two inches thick with no holes or the potting soil may fall out.  Add potting soil to the moss “nest” and gently plant your first row of succulents. Now, sprinkle with water.

Gently lay the succulent roots over the moss and onto the soil

Tuck a leaf behind the wire to help hold succulent in place

• Repeat the previous two steps until the top of the basket is completely surrounded in moss.  In the top of my basket I planted sedums that will get some height and flowers as they mature.  One of my favorites being Sedum Siebolbii.  Be sure to water well after planting. You’re done!

Water basket well after planted

One down, several more to go!

Do you like it?

If you have any questions please feel free to ask!  I’m not an expert but I’m more than happy to help in any way I can.  I’ve created this blog to share and learn from others so please feel free to post your garden pictures or questions on my facebook page or send them to me via Twitter…I’d love to hear from you!

Happy planting!