By Cathy Monrad
Vertical gardens are a great way save space while adding height variation to a bed. With this project, you can also utilize extra containers you may have on hand.
There are numerous ways to personalize this concept to match your style. Try painting the pots different colors, adding house numbers to the containers, placing a bowl atop the final pot to act as a birdbath, or swapping out flowers with herbs if your planter is near the kitchen.
Materials
5 standard terra cotta pots in the following sizes:
14″, 12″, 10″, 8″, and 6″
A 2-cubic-foot bag of potting soil
One 48” sturdy garden stake (bamboo or plastic coated)
Soil Moist granules (optional)
Annual plants
1.Determine where to place the planter and insert the garden stake at 12-14 inches into the ground for stability.
2.Thread the 14″ pot on the stake and fill with moistened potting soil to just about 3 inches below the rim. Water in to settle the soil.
3.Thread the 12″ pot on the stake, angling it as much or as little as you wish. You may have to pat down the soil, or add more under the pot to achieve the desired angle.
4.Fill the 12″ pot with soil.
5.Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the remaining pots, alternating each pot’s angle until all the pots are threaded and filled with soil.
6.If the garden stake sticks up more than an inch above the final pot, you can trim it off using a saw or tin snips, depending on the type of garden stake you are using.
7.Plant as desired.
Cathy Monrad is the graphic designer for the Upstate Gardeners’ Journal.
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