The Vertical Gardening Guidebook by Tom Corson-Knowles Read Free Book Online

to spin this to keep oxygen flowing through your compost. If you’re looking to create compost faster then turning units are the kind you’ll love. All of the aeration forms bacteria that decompose the compost quicker.
    You will find two different types of turning units available – a series of bins or a rotating barrel. By turning the bins every five to ten days and within two months or less, your compost will be ready – if your compost has a good mixture of carbon, nitrogen and moisture.
    By heating up the compost between 90 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, it will kill diseases, fly larvae and weed seeds. This is also a good environment for the compost to decompose. Turning units will cost a bit more than holding units. If you decide to build one on your own, it will take a little more effort upfront.

    A small compost turning unit.
    Those who buy the turning bins that have multiple bins and rolling balls sometimes find it hard to operate, especially if they have problems with their back or physical limitations. There are some turning bins that are created to have easier use and maintenance. Barrel turning units are smaller in size than the other types of bins, so if you don’t require too much compost, then this could be the option for you.
    With the turning units, make sure to accumulate your food waste in a container so that when you place it into the bin it is filled to the prescribed level. The container you save it in should be pest-proof.
    If you’ll be keeping the compost container indoors, there’s a neat trick you can use to reduce the smell – just throw a light layer of saw dust on top of the scraps.

W HAT C OMPOST S HOULD L OOK L IKE
    You want your compost to be rich, dark and earthy like in the picture below from my compost pile at home. It shouldn’t have any bad smell from food scraps – the bacteria should have broken all that down by the time you use it for your garden.

     

C HAPTER 8. H OW DO Y OU S TART S EEDS FOR A V ERTICAL G ARDEN?
    Starting seeds for your vertical garden is just like with starting seeds for traditional gardening methods. If you are new to gardening and starting seeds, then this chapter will teach you what you need to know!
    You can either start seeds yourself or you can purchase plants that have already started to grow. Here are a couple of reasons why starting seeds is a great idea:
          It’s affordable
          You can do this for any type of plant you want to grow
          The plants usually are of higher quality
          You’ll know they’re organic
    In order for your seed starting to succeed, you’re going to need to have the right environment for them to germinate. It’s a good idea to start with seeds that start to germinate quickly.
    For beginners, it’s a good idea to limit the variety of plants that you are trying to create seedlings for. You don’t want to work with too many types because you could end up getting frustrated with certain types of plants that take longer or require too much effort to get started.
    Just to give you an example, strawberry seeds can take up to 4 weeks to sprout whereas lettuce can sometimes sprout in a day or two.

    Starting seeds on your own can be a lot of fun. If you want to bypass this step, you can just go buy starter plants at your local gardening store.
    Picking Containers for Your Seeds
    You’re going to need containers to start your seeds. The type of container you choose is up to you, but should be at least two to three inches deep and contain holes at the bottom for drainage. Some people take the easy route and purchase a seed starting system. If you’re going to be growing tomatoes and peppers, you can buy a seed starting system and then transport them into a pot.
    Starting Seeds Without Soil
    When starting seeds, sometimes you don’t even need soil at all. In fact, I recommend sprouting seeds without soil in most cases. This will enable you to avoid problems