Aquaponics is a form of agriculture that is more productive than organic farming and reduces the need for water by almost 95 percent. It also requires less labor and is convenient for setting up in apartments and homes without the need for a garden plot or other ground space.

Cramped spaces in urban settings can make it difficult for growing vegetables, flowers, and fruits but you can enhance the available space by opting in for a vertical aquaponic garden. Plants can be adapted to grow in tall containers that have planters that provide the necessary support structure. Design your garden properly and make sure that it requires the least of maintenance.  

What is Tower Garden® Vertical Aeroponic Growing System?

Source: Tower Garden

What to Consider

You need to consider the possible climatic conditions, the sunlight in the area you are planning the garden and also the surroundings that can influence plant growth. You need to choose the right species of plants and their ability to grow in vertical gardens. You need to create an appropriate framework for every plant depending on its natural shape and proclivities.

For your backyard vertical aquaponic garden, you need to create a proper support structure that can allow you to place containers for the plants at various levels. The containers must be positioned in such a way that they do not in any impede the growth of plants that are adjacent to them both horizontally and vertically.

Besides giving space for each plant to grow, get sunlight and prosper, it must also allow for the easy watering or any other gardening activity that will be necessary for a garden.  

There is a need to monitor the amount of sunlight that each of the plants in the vertical garden has the advantage of, and if found necessary changes can be made to change the vertical or horizontal spacing of the plants. If you are growing plants in a backyard garden, which has limited access to sunlight, you can think of adding the right kinds of artificial growing lights.

Using Fish to be More Sustainable

Aquaponic gardens are combined with the growing of fish. The waste produced by the fish acts as nutrients for the plants, and the water in the fish tanks is always drained into the plant containers while fresh water is added to the fish tank.

A vertical aquaponic garden allows for a greater number of plants to be grown using the same fish tank and allows for plants to be grown all throughout the year. Aquaponics is an advanced form of hydroponics that is gardening without the utilization of any soil. In hydroponics, nutrients need to be added to the water, but in aquaponics, the nutrients for the plants come from the fish waste. This method of growing plants is considered completely organic.

Water circulation is important in aquaponics and can water can be allowed to flow into the plants by gravity or through the use of pumps. Gravity can be of significant advantage in a vertical garden that can benefit from the position of the plants. Your fish tank and containers must be situated at heights that make it convenient for maintenance.

Conclusion

In case you are a “do it yourself” sort of person, follow the instructions below and – Build a vertical aquaponic veggie and fish farm, even if you have a few yards or small house. You can surely enjoy building an aquaponic system yourself, and  enjoy great benefits of growing and eating freshly grown organic foods right at home.

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Source: Nourish the Planet 

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