Grow up: Go vertical with your garden by Beth W. Orenstein, The Morning Call

Grow up: Go vertical with your garden By BY BETH W. ORENSTEIN SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL | JUN 09, 2017 | 3:01 PM

Question: Do you want to start a garden but have little backyard space? Answer: Think vertical.

You can use vertical space to grow flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs and even root crops, says Rick Carr, compost production specialist at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown.

Vertical gardens also can be a great idea for those with physical limitations, says Lori Metz of Nazareth, a landscape designer and Northampton/Lehigh County Master Gardener. You won't have to bend over as much to work in your garden or to harvest the fruits of your labor when your plants are off the ground.

And if pesky animals are an issue for you, hanging baskets make it harder for them to steal your hard work, Metz says. You also have less disease and fewer insect problems "because the plants are off the ground and have better air circulation," Metz says.

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