Vertical garden planters are a great way to grow more food in limited space. If you find that you’re running short of space, consider vertical gardening. There are lots of ways to grow vertically in your garden. Here are a few of our favorites, plus a list of the the best vegetables for vertical gardening!

This post is sponsored by Responsival. All opinions are mine.

What is a Vertical Garden?

A Vertical Garden is anything which helps you utilize vertical space.  It has no set layout or design only that you have a garden bed of some sort; raised bed, garden row, or container AND a trellis to allow the plant to expand upward instead of out in a sprawling manner.

Who Can Use a Vertical Garden?

Anyone can grow vertically. Often, people with limited space benefit greatly from gardening vertically. However, people with limited mobility such as those who are unable to kneel or bend will especially enjoy the ease to a vertical harvest.

A word of caution if you are unable to reach overhead – you will want to focus on a vertical garden which allows their plants to grow out from side to side like the Garden Tower or the gutter garden vs up and over like the pergola pocket garden.

When is the Best Time to Utilize a Vertical Garden?

The best time to use a vertical garden system is any time! You can start out vertically or add vertical support later on if need be. It’s never too late to start. You can add seeds or starts to vertical gardens. Just be careful of your plants root zone if you add a trellis after planting.

If you have plants sprawling around the garden you can install a trellis and train them up by weaving them in or attaching them with some plant ties. Be careful you don’t knock blossoms or fruit off and be gentle as you weave and encourage your plants to grow up or out along your trellis system instead of everywhere.

It is also perfect to use a vertical garden wall to block an eyesore or nosy neighbor. Instead of negativity grow maters!

Where To Grow A Vertical Garden?

Growing vertically can happen anywhere. Gardeners with acres of gardens can use vertical supports as can people who only have inches of garden space. You can always make your space more productive and usable by growing up and out by simply adding a trellis.

Vertical garden planters are fabulous on patios, balconies, porches, or inside your garden as well.

Why Grow Vertically?

Gardening vertically can help keep issues like disease, pests and damage to a minimum. Going upward allows more air flow which prevents issues such as powdery mildew. It also keeps your veggies from being eaten by slugs.

But what I find to be even better is it allows me to see and harvest my veggies and fruits when they are at their flavor and nutritional peak. No more monster squash. No more stepped on pumpkins. Gardening issues are dramatically decreased.

Perhaps my favorite benefit is with the additional sun exposure my veggies get thanks to vertical gardening – my plants are ripe sooner. That means I can feed my family higher quality, more nutritious foods every single day from the same amount of space.

What are the Best Vegetables for Vertical Gardening?

You can grow any vegetable, fruit or herb as long as you have a deep enough pot. Here are lists of different types of vegetables, flowers, and herbs, you can grow vertically in shallow, medium depth, and deep pots.

Good vegetables to grow vertically shallow pots (like gutters with 3-4 inches deep of soil) include many shallow rooted vegetables:

• chives
• onions
• strawberries
• Parisian carrots
• greens & lettuces
• radish
• annuals flowers like nasturtiums and pansies
• Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and oregano

I would caution you against growing shallow rooted TALL veggies such as corn. They do not vine and the wind WILL knock them over or even rip them out if the pot doesn’t tip.

Good vegetables to grow vertically in deeper pots (5-8 inch deep) include:

• garlic
• peppers
• eggplant
• herbs
• cucumbers
• beans
• peas
• cabbage
• watermelon radish and similar,
• perennials flowers
• baby beets
• short to medium carrots like ox heart and little finger
• turnips

Good vegetables to grow vertically in deep pots (8-15 inches deep) include:

• daikon radish
• tomatoes
• pumpkins
• parsnips
• woodland herbs such as mints, balms and cohosh
• summer squash.

5 gallon buckets are my favorite containers for deep root plants and those that add to the soil like beans, sunflowers, tomatoes, winter squash and pumpkins, You can also grow a 3 sisters garden in a 5 gallon bucket but you will want to make sure you add a trellis for the beans to help hold the corn firm against the wind.

Our Favorite Vertical Garden Planters

Now that you’re inspired to start growing verticals, here’s a list of a few creative and amazing vertical garden planters! These planters will get the creative juices flowing and soon you’ll have vegetables growing in every conceivable space!

What veggies will you grow now using all of your growing space