Climbing the Walls: Mario Batali's Edible Vertical Garden
A few years ago the urban garden moved from the ground floor to the rooftop, and now it's climbing the walls. Just a few days ago Mario Batali unveiled the edible, vertical garden he commissioned for his Los Angeles restaurant, Pizzeria Mozza.
Covering more than 72 square feet of outside wall and filled with more than 20 types of herbs, it will serve more as art than garden for the busy pizzeria. In fact, Batali acknowledged that there was no way such a small space could furnish even a fraction the greens needed for his wildly popular restaurant. But, I wonder, how about an urban family of two, four or six?
I think the vertical garden is a game changer. Some say it's simply a passing fad. What do you think? I want one filled with herbs and petite edible flowers. How about you?
--Tracy Schneider
Debbie on April 15, 2010 at 04:48 AM
Those of us who love to garden but only had balcony space have been gardening "vertically" for years. I have not used the wall system in this video, but have used tomato cages to grow things like cantaloupes, pumpkins, etc. for years. It will be interesting to see if the wall continues to live and if the mint takes over. I wouldn't have put mint in there unless it was totally contained. Yes, you can feed a family with very little space. The Backyard Vegetable Factory (I think it is out of print) is a good one to tell you how.
Peregrine John on April 16, 2010 at 12:10 PM
I, too, have been growing vertically for a while, based on things come up with "Square Foot Garden" guru Mel Bartholomew and his community of followers. Saves amazing amounts of space.
KLH on April 16, 2010 at 04:19 PM
Just last year I was thinking of building the same thing in my backyard using pressure treated 2x4s and 4x4s. A vertical garden is great for people with small areas
Luddy on April 17, 2010 at 02:12 AM
Great idea (but high maintenance). I use 'swags' of plastic tarp - make a tube, fill with growing compost and punch holes where you want to plant - to festoon my outside walls with plants such as herbs, tomatoes and strawberries. Once the plants are grown, you can't see the tarpaulin and it looks really nice. You do have to be careful to keep them watered and fed.
Sandy on April 17, 2010 at 06:03 AM
Do not use pressure treated lumber in or around your garden. The process uses heavy, toxic metals that will then leach into the ground.
Midge on April 17, 2010 at 10:01 AM
From espaliered fruit trees to patio troughs, tiny gardens that produce large quantities are really not new, just "new" again. If you have a good South facing wall you can grow anything on it. Old pantyhose make good slings for tying and "hammocking" heavy fruit, such as melons. High-nutrient and low-weight soil, as described in the "Square-foot-Gardening" series is a real helper. Please don't use pressure treated wood, as it is heavy in Arsenic that leaches especially into root crops.
jordan 13 on November 07, 2010 at 07:39 PM
So interesting posts,you wrote the headline you gave,and the meaning was so excited.I am sure people who all like them,and better then,good luck!
visvim on March 15, 2011 at 01:13 AM
I have always loved everything I've seen/read by Roy Lessin. Thank you
for so much spiritual beauty!
vegetable fertilizer on May 11, 2011 at 02:05 AM
There are indeed so many styles of gardening this time. Unlike before, where in directing planting to land and through pot that people can have their garden, as of now, we have the rooftop gardening and wall climbing. Those are all awesome. Well anyway, that is what we call as art. It just depend on how the gardener presents his garden. Anyway, whatever our style is, we must have to assure that our plants are growing good.