A Cactus Living Wall Garden

In a few short months I will be releasing a new book titled, Grow A Living Wall ~ How to Create Vertical Gardens with a Purpose: Attract Pollinators • Grow Vegetables & Herbs • Aromatherapy and more – it is currently available for pre-order and I cannot wait to share it with you! Grow a Living Wall is packed with gorgeous photos, useful living wall garden formulas and recipes, and tips on how it is easy to grow big in super small spaces. While most of the gardens in the book are examples of beneficial gardens for outdoor balconies and patios, I thought perhaps this cactus living wall garden could also be an over-winter vertical garden inside your home. What a spectacular conversation piece. Below is an excerpt from the book on how to build a cactus living wall garden.

HOW TO BUILD A CACTUS LIVING WALL GARDEN

Tools needed –

• 1 Gardener’s Supply Company Copper Vertical Wall Garden
• Screwdriver or drill/driver
• Exterior screws
• Tape measure
• Level
• Cactus soil mix
• Organic Fertilizer
• Cacti
• Trowel
• Tong with wrapped tips and/or gloves
• Gravel or moss (optional)

Project How To –

1. Measure carefully, then hang Gardener’s Supply Company Copper Vertical Wall Garden system by driving exterior-rated screws according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. Lay the system flat and fill it with cactus soil mix, using a trowel.
3. Measure an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer into the soil; mix well.
4. Arrange cacti in the container.
5. Plant cacti carefully into the soil, making sure to use tongs and special gloves to prevent injury.
6. Water well while the unit is still lying flat. (Press optional gravel or moss into soil if you want to cover the soil.)
7. While water is draining, attach the mounting bracket to a secure vertical wall making sure to keep the brackets level and spaced properly.
8. Hold planted unit and frame together by placing one hand on the backside of the planter and the other hand on the underside of the frame. The collector tray piece should be at the bottom. Carefully place the planter onto the bracket.
9. Slide the Gardener’s Supply Company Copper Vertical Wall Garden Irrigator into the top planter grooves for watering, then slide the collector tray onto the bottom ledge of the frame to collect any excess water.
10. When watering in the future, water through the top Irrigator unit.

Soil Medium for a Cactus Garden —

1. 1/3 potting soil
2. 1/3 perlite
3. 1/3 course builders sand

Build your own cactus living wall garden for an interior “houseplant” experience in winter, then bring it outside on your patio, deck, or balcony after winter for a spectacularly creative look in your garden. If you want to learn more about how you can grow your very own living wall garden, please pre-order my book, Grow A Living Wall ~ How to Create Vertical Gardens with a Purpose: Attract Pollinators • Grow Vegetables & Herbs • Aromatherapy and more.