DIY: Help your child make his own green wall project

Living wall or green wall is a great way to maximise a small garden space. You can create it in one weekend morning involving kids, and this garden will bring in that dose of nature into your life that we all so badly need. Here’s our one-page cheat sheet on creating a wall garden.    

What you will need  
You are going to need some very simple, cheap and abundantly available components to assemble this garden. You can get all of the above at most markets, flower shops, and in online stores. 

• Drill, screws, metal holders / wide hooks (for attaching pots to walls) 
• Hammer and nails (you might need them) 
• Vertical wall / hanging garden pots for plants (decide on the number according to the space you have)   
• One plant for each pot (more on plant choice below) 
• Garden soil for planting, water and a packet of organic pesticide (optional) 

How to build the green wall  
Help your child follow these steps to make the DIY vertical garden a reality.  

Choose the spot: Is there a shady wall or balcony corner ideal for delicate shade-loving flowers and creepers? Or do you want a sunny herb garden near the kitchen? Is the spot humid or dry? Choose the spot with care. Your choice of plants will be dictated by which wall you choose. Just make sure it’s accessible for daily watering and easy maintenance.  

Prepare the wall surface: Living walls can get damp and damage your wall. You can cover the wall in hard wall plastic sheet, vinyl, oil paint (as in kitchens and washrooms), or even a coat of tar. Tiles are not such a great idea since you will have to drill them in too many places.  

Fix the pots: Drill the metal holder or hooks into the wall at regular interval. Don’t crowd them; the plants will need growing space. You may need to use the hammer and nails for wooden surfaces.   

Choose and plant: First plant the shoots into the pots filled with garden soil. You may use organic insecticides if the plant shop suggests it. Once they are ready, mount the pots on the hooks in the order that gives each plant space, air and light.   

Irrigation and maintenance: For hand watering, start with the top plants, then the whole wall will get soaked. Otherwise you can use a sprinkler nozzle hose to gently water your garden. Keep the floor below it dry and clean, and don’t forget to weed out dead plant, replenishing them with new ones.  

Green walls can change a house forever, purifying the air, making it everyone’s favourite spot, and a part of a child’s growing up process.