How to Make a Hanging Garden
If you are looking for a fun spring and summer project, consider creating a hanging garden. Vertical gardens can soften those dull walls and breathe new life into your creative spaces. Create a hanging garden in your home office to draw inspiration from it, or build a vertical garden into your bedroom for a more romantic feel. This is one home improvement project you will enjoy every single day.
Creating a hanging garden is not as challenging as you might think; the first step is deciding what type of garden you want. There are many kinds of hanging gardens, and several types of materials you can utilize. From old picture frames to flower pots to PVC pipes, you can transform simple household materials into a stunning hanging garden.
Gather Your Materials
No matter what kind of hanging garden you choose to build, you will need to assemble some basic materials. The materials you will need for your stunning vertical garden include:
• Soil
• Plants
• Flower pots
You can start your hanging garden with a preassembled frame from the local arts and crafts store. Once that basic framework is in place, you can break off the small “pups” from your current succulent garden. Just make sure the stems are at least ¼ inch long to give the pups their best possible start.
Once the pups are separated, set those cuttings aside in a cool place. Allow the stem ends to dry for a few days and give them time to callus over. You will need about 60 of these succulent pups to populate a 6 x 12 inch hanging garden frame.
Once the succulent pups are ready, you can start your hanging garden by setting the frame, with the mesh side up, on a flat surface. Fill the frame with moist cactus mix soil, working the mixture into the mesh with your fingers as you work. Once the soil is packed down, the mesh and the wood backing will hold it in place.
You can complete your hanging garden by poking the stems of each cutting through the mesh and deep into the soil. Leave the frame, with the cuttings in place, lying flat in a cool bright spot and leave it there while the plants take root. It should take approximately 7 to 10 days for the new cuttings to take root.
After the cuttings have taken root, you can begin watering your new hanging garden. The garden should be watered when the soil starts to dry out, approximately every week to 10 days. To water the hanging garden, simply remove the frame from the wall, lay it flat, lightly water and allow the soil to drain before hanging it up again.
It should take between 4 to 12 weeks for the plants to become deeply rooted. Once that happens, you can display the frames by placing them upright in a spot that gets plenty of morning sunshine, or filtered sunlight throughout the day.
How to Make the Frame
The frame is the heart of your hanging garden, so this part of the project is especially critical. To build the hanging garden frame, just follow these simple steps.
1. Cut four 12-inch lengths of 2×2 lumber to build a 12-inch square frame. Nail the corners together to create a frame that is 2 inches deep.
2. Nail or staple half inch hardware mesh to one side of the open frame. If desired, you can add trim to the top of the mesh to hide it and create a more attractive surface. If you have carpentry skills, you can also cut a channel into the wood, then slide the mesh into the channel to hide the cut edges.
3. Nail or staple a 12-inch square of plywood onto the open back of the completed frame. Exterior plywood or 1×12″ redwoods are both excellent choices.
When you are done with your frame and your plants are in place, you can enjoy a wonderful vertical garden. This magnificent hanging garden will become the centerpiece of your home, and serve as a relaxing oasis; a place you will be proud to come home to after a busy day at work.
