Imagine cutting fresh basil or dill to flavour that roast salmon you just cooked; you reach for your own vertical herb garden and snip a little bit just before dinner. Yes, we’re just as drooling as you are!
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as enjoying your own harvest, is there? Not to mention it’s a natural, healthy way of doing things, and it’s something many of us have always dreamed of.
But getting enough space to have a garden in the city is almost impossible. So, a vertical garden might be the perfect solution. Beyond just being a visual delight, a vertical garden can be a smart and productive way to grow your own herbs, leafy greens, or even strawberries — right where you live.
Whether you’re thinking of a vertical herb garden to spice up your cooking, or a compact vertical vegetable garden to enjoy fresh produce year-round, this guide will walk you through everything you need to get started — and keep it thriving.
Why Start a Vertical Garden?
Growing your herbs and vegs in a vertical garden is more than just a Pinterest-worthy project — it’s a fun and rewarding idea to bring nature into your home, even if your space is tight. Still thinking about it? It has many advantages!
• Space-saving: Ideal for flats, balconies, and even indoor corners with good light.
• Aesthetic value: A green wall adds freshness and life to any space.
• Productivity: You can grow herbs, salad greens, certain types of small fruit or vegetables, or edible flowers — perfect for home cooks!
• Well-being: Taking care of plants is great for mental health and relaxation.
Of course, to make your vertical garden a success, your plants will need more than just light and water.
Urban setups tend to have limited root space, which means fewer nutrients are available to plants. That’s why using a liquid, certified organic fertiliser like VGN is highly recommended — especially if you’re growing edibles for yourself or your family.
And if you’re growing for self-consumption, what you feed your plants matters just as much as where you grow them.
What You’ll Need to Build Your Vertical Garden
Creating a vertical garden is easier than it seems. Whether you’re hanging planters on a wall or building a tiered structure with pallets or shelves, the basic supplies are simple — and totally customisable.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
✅ 1. A Structure or Frame
You can buy a ready-made vertical planter or DIY one using:
• Wooden pallets
• Hanging shoe organisers
• Stacked pots or modular boxes
• Wall-mounted shelves or trellises
Just make sure the structure is stable and allows for good drainage.
✅ 2. Containers or Pockets
Use pots, fabric grow bags, recycled containers, or built-in pockets. Choose breathable materials, if possible, especially for herbs or salad greens — they help avoid soggy roots.
It’s a big plus if you can reuse materials, such as plastic bottles. In the image below, they have used a pallet as a frame and plastic bottles as containers and just look at the great result!
✅ 3. Good Quality Potting Soil
Urban gardens are only as healthy as their soil. Go for a light, nutrient-rich potting mix that retains moisture but drains well, for that purpose Janeco-Light-Mix stands out.
You can even mix in coco coir for improved structure and better water retention. If you live in warm climates, in this case Bi Grow Mix works wonders.
✅ 4. Watering System
A simple watering can work for small setups, but for larger vertical gardens, consider:
• Drip irrigation
• Self-watering planters
Tip: Make sure the top rows don’t hog all the water — gravity does its thing!
✅ 5. Organic Fertiliser
This is where many first-time growers go wrong — vertical gardens often have limited root volume, which means plants run out of nutrients fast. That’s why liquid fertilisers like VGN by Atami are ideal.
Why VGN?
Edible plants need a steady supply of nutrients to grow strong and tasty.
And if you’re going to eat them, it makes perfect sense to use certified organic fertilisers.
Atami’s VGN – VEGANIC Fertilisers are perfect for this type of garden because:
• Are made from natural ingredients – Certified as Input for Organic Farming
• Easy to apply with a watering can or sprayer
• They’re safe for food-growing at home
• Designed for soil and universal potting mixes.
VGN fertilisers also support a thriving soil life, thanks to their richness in diverse organic molecules.
The higher the content of complex organic compounds, the more food there is for beneficial soil microbes — leading to healthier plants, fragrant flowers and flavourful fruits. Taste and feel the difference for yourself!
Which products are in the team?
• VGN 5-2-2: Helps your greens grow lush and healthy, with an extra nitrogen boost
• VGN 2-2-4: Adds more potassium for strong, vigorous growth
• VGN 1-4-4: Encourages impressive blooms, with a focus on phosphorus and potassium
• VGN CalMag: Delivers calcium and magnesium for firm cell walls, better cell production and photosynthesis
Tip: Combine all four products and adjust according to your plant’s needs — consult our online grow guides: simple and effective!
If you’re growing food, the fertiliser you choose matters — and VGN helps you grow cleaner, healthier, better-tasting crops.
So… What Now?
With your structure set up, your substrate ready and everything in place, it’s time for the best bit: choosing what to grow!
Next, we’ll give you ideas to fill your vertical garden with flavour and colour. Keep reading!
What to grow in an urban container garden
Well, this just depends on your climate, the amount of sun your space gets and the space you are allowed to use!
But don’t worry if you have a very limited space or not too much sun, there are loads of options that thrive on balconies, terraces and patios.
The key is choosing the right varieties for your local climate and light conditions.
Very sunny spots (6 hours or more of direct sunlight a day)
If you live in a mild or warm climate and your balcony gets sun most of the day, these plants will love the abundant light:
• Cherry tomatoes, small peppers and baby carrots
Perfect for larger, deeper pots. They need plenty of light but reward you with a generous harvest.
• Strawberries
While they tolerate some shade, they’ll produce sweeter, juicier fruit in full sun. Ideal for smaller spaces, can be perfectly grown in a pot or planter!
• Mediterranean herbs like rosemary, oregano and thyme
These sun-lovers thrive in direct light, and their flavour intensifies when grown in full sun.
Partially sunny spots (3–5 hours of direct sun a day)
This is common on east- or west-facing balconies. Great options for these conditions include:
• Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, rocket and chard
They’re not too fussy about light. They prefer cooler temperatures and do really well in autumn and winter, even with fewer hours of sun.
• Chives, parsley and coriander
They enjoy a bit of protection from strong sunlight – ideal for partial shade, especially in summer.
• Edible flowers like nasturtiums and pansies
They add colour, attract pollinators, and some varieties are edible too.
💡 Important: These areas are not ideal for tomatoes or sun-loving fruits, but they are perfect for leafy greens and herbs.
Bright corners, but without direct sunlight or indirect light
If your space only gets a few hours of filtered or indirect sunlight (like an inner courtyard), don’t worry – there’s still hope. Try:
• Mint
Loves humidity and partial shade. Best kept in a separate pot as it tends to spread.
• Watercress, shade-tolerant arugula (rocket) and some spinach varieties
These can cope with low light, especially when temperatures aren’t too high.
• Microgreens
A quick, easy win to jazz up any recipe: mustard, radish or basil sprouts harvested young – perfect for low-light spots.
Easy crops for beginners (and with good yields!)
If you’re just starting out, we recommend combining some of these hardy and productive varieties:
• Lettuce (fast cycle and good in almost any location)
• Arugula
• Chives
• Basil
• Strawberries
• Radishes
• Nasturtiums (edible flowers and leaves)
With VGN 5-2-2 and VGN 2-2-4 from the early stages of growth, you are assured of a more abundant harvest. With VGN 1-4-4 you will get plants, flowers and fruits with better aroma, colour and flavour.
To wrap up…
Growing your own at home isn’t just possible – it can be easy, rewarding, and seriously tasty. All you need to do is:
• Choose the right crops based on your space and how much sun you get.
• Use pots or containers with enough room and good drainage.
• Go for a light, fertile, living substrate.
• And of course… feed your plants with a fertiliser that matches your growing ideas.
💚 If you’re all about homegrown, healthy food and looking after the planet, VGN has your back!
Certified organic, sustainable plant-based liquid fertilisers – and they couldn’t be easier to use. What more could one ask for?
Give your vertical urban garden what it deserves, try VGN and you will taste the difference! Feeling inspired to grow your own?
