vertical gardening

waltdevoreconcrete

I can make concrete panels that can add up to something like this. The purpose would be to grow appropriate plants out the side of the wall faces, with the inside filled with peat moss or some adequate medium. All the roots would spread and intermingle. This example is 8 feet by 8 feet by 1 foot. One would charge the wall with septic tank water from a middle depth so it would at least start as clean as possible . A perforated pipe would introduce the water at the top of the wall at a proper rate. Gravity would pull it to the bottom eventually after meandering through the roots. Another perforated pipe collects the water at the bottom where it can be gathered for inspection. It can then be fed into an adjacent arrangement for the same action, but on a substantially cleaner basis. A few passes should get it quite purified.

As far as I know, this type of experiment has never been attempted. Each face would have a unique exposure with a different light intensity. A reflective wall behind it would greatly increase the shaded exposure. Ii

I'm seeking some wisdom as to what plants would best suit this action. Most likely wetlands plants would be first. As soon as possible one would want edibles.

In my opinion it's the duty of every drop of water to produce as much chrollophy as possible, converting carbon dioxide back to oxygen. If these units were placed inside, the organic oxygen and water vapor would be produced for enhanced benefits.

What does everyone think?

Thanks!

Walt DeVore

VermontCathy

I'll be interested to see how that works. Be sure to give us an update once you build a prototype and actually start gardening in it.

If the future is a lot more urban gardening, we'll need to see vertical gardening become much more widespread than it is now.

vickeym

Very interesting idea. Will be watching for your updates.

Would you be treating, filtering or some other "cleaning" method for the sewage water before it hits the plants or are the plants the treatment method? I assume these plants would not be edible at this stage so if this is an indoor setup maybe plants that are known to clean the air very well, such as a spider plant. It would even make it's own babies easily so you could continue to add more plants as needed.

This may give some ideas for outdoor use, though not all will work in a vertical system:

https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/plants-clean-sewage-naturally

This one is long and drawn out:

https://www.greenprophet.com/2019/04/the-plant-that-transforms-wastewater-into-clean-water/

but the one plant that sounds useful for your idea would be Sesuvium portulacastrum, commonly known as shoreline purslane – a succulent plant that grows in coastal areas throughout many parts of the world

dipat2005

@waltdevoreconcrete I am very interested because the crazy guy who digs in my gardens is back again. He has been digging again! We have stucco on our walls which would work but I don't see that as a solution for me right now.

LaurieLovesLearning

@waltdevoreconcrete Welcome to the forum. Please leave an introduction in the Introductions section.

Considering that this inquiry would be a better fit in the Methods category and I am unable to move this thread into that category, I will be closing this discussion. If you wish to continue talking about your idea, you can do so in the Methods area in the Gardening section of the forum.

If you are here only for the purpose to either find potential customers or sell products, and not engage in any other way within our community, the appropriate place to put this is in the classifieds area, which can be found near the bottom of the Categories list.

Thank you for understanding.