Vertical Gardens
Analiza U. Miso, Xavier University
Vertical Gardens
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The contents of the SSWM Toolbox reflect the opinions of the respective authors and not necessarily the official opinion of the funding or
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will make the local water and sanitation system more sustainable. The main aim of the SSWM Toolbox is to be a reference tool to provide
ideas for improving the local water and sanitation situation in a sustainable manner. Results depend largely on the respective situation
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Vertical Gardens
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Contents
1. Concept
2. How it can optimize SSWM
3. Design Principals
4. Operation and Maintenance
5. Applicability
6. Advantages and disadvantages
7. References
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1. Concept
Background
• The term vertical garden refers to any kind of construction and
support structure for growing plants in an upwards-directed,
vertical way and thereby efficiently and productively making use of
the existing space.
• A huge variety of different designs and concepts are available.
• The design of vertical garden depends on the available material,
space and local preferences as well as on the creativity and
imagination of the users.
• Crops that can be grown comprise food crops (vegetables, fruits,
herbs) and non-food crops (e.g. ornamental plants, medical
plants).
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2. How it can optimize SSWM
Important factors how Vertical Gardens optimize SSWM
• Vertical gardening aid to advance the productivity levels of urban
and sub-urban agricultural production sites where most often
available space is the biggest agricultural limitation.
• Vertical Gardens utilize soil, compost, vermicomost, acrylic
material as well as aquaponic and aeroponic solutions as growing
media thereby maximizing the use of the resources while
compromising the degradation of nutrients by using various planting
medium.
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2. How it can optimize SSWM
Important factors how Vertical Gardens optimize SSWM
• Vertical gardening can re-utilize greywater, reclaimed water or the
fertilization with urine.
• It maximizes the use of space by using sacks, bags, flowerpots and
all kinds of available receptacles like bins, cans, tins, bottels, tanks
or boxes and even the unused places like on the roof of houses,
balconies, on the top of walls or just hung up.
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3. Design Principals
Few Different Vertical Garden Designs
• Further vertical garden solutions that allow for a good
utilization of available space are cultivation arches, cultivation
towers or cultivation bags.
• Other systems like cultivation umbrellas, cultivation bangles or
some kind of cultivation tat have also been proven useful
Cultivation arch, cultivation tower
Vertical Gardens
and cultivation bag, Gampaha, Sri
Lanka.
Cultivation umbrella, cultivation
bangle
and
cultivation
tat,
Gampaha, Sri Lanka.
Source: RANASINGHE (2008)
Source: RANASINGHE (2008)
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3. Design Principals
Few Different Vertical Garden Designs
• A variety of different substructures like cultivation ladders,
pyramids or racks can be designed and constructed to grow
plants vertically
Cultivation Ladder, Cagayan de Oro,
Philippines. Source: R. Gensch
Cultivation ladder, cultivation pyramid,
cultivation rack, Gampaha, Sri Lanka. Source:
RANASINGHE (2008)
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3. Design Principals
Few Different Vertical Garden Designs
• Walls, murals and exterior walls
of houses are also an often used
as a vertical gardening alternative
either just as beautification of the
wall or to grow vegetables and
other crops along the wall.
• Either the wall will be modified
with additional bricks or holders
can be used for growing plants on
the surface of the wall.
• Plants
should
be
selected
according to the orientation of
the wall.
Vertical Gardens
Cultivation
wall,
holder,
Gampaha,
cultivation
Sri
Lanka
Source: RANASINGHE (2008)
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4. Operation and Maintenance
• To make sure plants do grow well on vertical surfaces regular
water and nutrient supply needs to be ensured.
• Irrigation techniques like bottle irrigation or regular watering
with watering cans and alike can be used.
• Essential plant nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium
should be applied according to the needs of the plants, this can
either be done by adding synthetic fertilizers or by making use
of compost, vermicompost and/or human urine or other organic
fertilizer sources
• The use of treated or partly treated greywater and reclaimed
water can also be a cost effective alternative water and nutrient
source particularly in water scarce areas.
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5. Applicability
• Vertical gardening is an excellent opportunity of growing food in
areas where space is limited, particularly in densely populated
urban areas.
• The different vertical garden technologies are an effective,
simple and sustainable method of enhancing food security for
urban communities, slum dwellers and other communities where
agricultural production areas are limited.
• Most solutions can easily implemented with locally available
material at low cost while it offers at the same time a livelihood
opportunity and contributes to the local food security situation.
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6. Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
• Low cost
• Unpleasant odours may appear
during
the
irrigation
with
greywater and urine
• Minimal agricultural area required
• Contribution to household food • A certain amount of labour
security and alleviation of food required
shortages and poverty
• Regular watering or irrigation
• Reuse and recycling option for system has to be in place
human excreta, biodegradable
wastes and greywater
• Temperature insulation by growing
plants on the walls of houses
• Simple and easy to understand
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7. References
KULABAKO R., KINOBE J., MUJUNGA J., OLWENYI S., SLEYTR K. (2009): Greywater use in peri-urban households in
Kitgum, Uganda. Kampala, Uganda: Makere University, Department of Civil Engineering
PASCAL P., MWENDE E. (2009): A garden in a Sack: Experiences in Kibera, Nairobi. In: Urban Agriculture Magazine, Vol.
21, p. 38-40
RANASINGHE T.T. (2008): Review of UPA activities in Gampaha, Sri Lanka: lessons learned. Sri Lanka: Western Province
Department of Agriculture (WPDOA)
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Water Management & Agriculture”
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