Traditionally, I grew all my lettuce in a raised frame bed, until I got tired of dealing with all the snails that would discover the tender morsels. I do have a small 8' by 12' greenhouse but by the time I get all the flower flats and tender veggies out, it starts to get too hot in there. So, I decided to get creative with my growing techniques.
As you can see from the photos I decided to grow different types of lettuce and spinach in some hanging baskets. I rigged some hooks and chains in a pattern to stagger them on the outside of the greenhouse. That worked really great for me as a tree shaded them from the afternoon sun creating a nice cool spot for them to grow.
It was so nice not to have to share my crop with the slugs and bugs that come from the soil. I am sure the snails were disappointed but I was very happy with my decision to try something different.
This year I shared with you how I built a vertical aeroponics system for the north wall of the greenhouse. The little seedlings have been in there a week so far and are now adapting to the system. They are doubling in size which is a great sign.
The plants that I put into the floating rafts, or Kratky method, are getting huge already. We had our first fresh salad with some of the different greens this week. The lettuce was so fresh and tasty.
Now, for some creative vertical growing ideas, I went on Pinterest and found a couple more to share with you.
This vertical growing system could double as a nice privacy screen for your deck once the plants fill in. There is good enough room for height and for trailing varieties to grow well.
The other one that I really liked is a staggering rack system that is still vertical to also create a visually pleasing growing system. What I like about this style of growing is that less bending to the ground is saving the strain on my back. Now, who would not love the ease of picking their crops this way. Plus, I have found that they do not get as dirty as when in the ground from splashing rain and watering.
That's all for today's gardening post. I hope it inspires you to try something that might make your life a bit easier and it is a fun family project too. Happy gardening everyone and may your crops be bountiful.
Until next time, this is Sunscape
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