The Vertical orchard It is a system for growing annual plant species on a substrate supported by a structure that takes advantage of vertical space. It seeks to maximize the horizontal space available for cultivation, projecting the agricultural system vertically.
This type of garden serves to make the most of the space for agricultural production, by allowing more plants to be placed in the same area of soil. This is achieved by establishing floors or levels for the cultivation of the different species.
The advantages of the vertical garden system are the efficient use of space and the possibility of growing in small spaces. As well as establishing the cultivation near the centers of consumption, especially the cities.
Additionally, the vertical garden system entails a more efficient use of agricultural inputs, such as irrigation water and fertilizers. Similarly, better control of pests and pollution generated by agricultural systems.
While among its disadvantages are the high initial costs for the establishment of the system. As well as the inconveniences derived from installing them in urban areas, especially due to the attraction of insects and possible uncomfortable odors..
The vertical garden can be developed on a domestic scale for family consumption or on a commercial scale for the market. An example is the Comcrop company, which produces vegetables on rooftops in Singapore with systems of up to eight levels of growing trays..
In any case, it is feasible to establish a vertical garden at home, if you have a minimum space and basic resources for its installation. In its simplest variant, once its management is established, it does not entail more demand than any other type of home garden..
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The difference between a vertical garden and any other garden is the management of the growing space from which a series of particular requirements derive, fundamentally related to the support infrastructure..
It must have a support that allows the plants grown on floors or levels to be arranged at different heights. This can be achieved with different systems ranging from walls with porous supports to shelves with pot holders..
On the other hand, the vertical garden can be developed both under the conception of solid substrate or through hydroponics.
The fact that the system extends vertically represents a problem for the management of the light that the plants require. The design of the orchard structure should avoid that the upper levels substantially shade the lower ones, optimizing the use of light.
This problem is approached in different ways, depending on whether it is to produce with natural or artificial light. In the latter case there is more control of the variables involved to solve the problem.
The vertical garden can be established in a closed place, with a light source through a system of lamps. In this case, the lighting can be directed to avoid shading some areas of the crop..
To guarantee a good quality of light, it is convenient to use LED lamps, although fluorescent lamps or combinations of these with tungsten lamps can also be used. In some cases, violet LED lamps are used, a product of the combination of red and blue light that provides optimal growing conditions..
In outdoor systems, levels must be properly arranged to take advantage of natural light. For this, the best is a stepped inclined system with the plants facing the rising sun that mimics the arrangement on a mountainous slope..
Another factor that requires particular attention is irrigation, because the use of water must be optimized and adequate drainage established. The plants being superimposed in levels, run the risk that the water that drains in one level affects the lower one and generates a problem of excess irrigation.
The most efficient irrigation system in terms of using water and reducing surpluses is dripping. In any case, the system must include adequate drainage to collect and even reuse the wastewater..
Vertical gardens are suitable mainly for growing vegetables and leafy vegetables, not for fruit trees or cereals. You can grow kale, lettuce, tomato, onion, chives, various aromatic herbs, roots such as radish and carrot.
You can also establish an ornamental vertical garden, with species that are striking either for their flowers or for their leaves..
Vertical gardens range from technologically sophisticated to very simple to set up and operate systems. Some highly technical systems consist of a metal shelf where levels of drawers are arranged to cultivate fast-growing species.
These plants are provided with the necessary light by broad spectrum wavelength LED lighting. While the water is supplied by drip systems, all controlled by computers.
The nutrients are provided by fertigation, that is, incorporated into the irrigation water, as in hydroponic crops and can be placed in confined spaces. There are also vertical garden systems with soil substrate, such as the Sky greens implemented in Singapore, Thailand and China.
This system consists of a kind of 9 m high Ferris wheel that rotates slowly in a 16-hour cycle. This wheel carries the trays with the soil and plants and when descending it receives the irrigation water, then it ascends to receive the light.
Within the simplest systems, natural lighting and even manual irrigation and weed and pest control are used. These only require a support, which can even be a wall and containers capable of carrying the soil where to grow the plants..
Vertical gardens are used to produce food, aromatic, medicinal and ornamental plants in conditions where there is not enough space available. On the other hand, they allow greater control of production inputs such as water, light, nutrients, as well as the control of pests and diseases..
It is also well suited to develop ecological agriculture, with organic inputs, generating a lower environmental impact. The latter especially because it is possible to have greater control of the waste generated in the agricultural process.
On the other hand, by allowing the use of spaces not suitable for traditional agricultural production, it makes it possible to establish them in urban areas. Thus, the production of their own food or to generate food for a nearby market is made available to the inhabitants of the cities..
Likewise, vertical gardens are a means to bring the city dweller closer to nature, with proven psychological benefits, contributing to the quality of urban life..
Below are two proposals for vertical orchards where it is necessary to take into account the requirements of substrate, amount of water and fertilization depending on the crop. Thus, a useful substrate for most cases is a base of sand and fine gravel and on this black earth.
Similarly, most garden species require going through a seedbed or seedbed phase. In this, the seedlings are produced that are then transplanted to the definitive container in the vertical garden..
This type of structure can be moved from one place to another and to build it, the following steps must be followed:
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