vertical cup garden

20 years ago

Hi, I recently got an idea for a compact garden layout. Using large 32 ounce styrofoam cups and cheap plastic cup holders, I have a dozen plants arrainged into a vertical layout. There are three clusters of four cups, Each level is off-set by 45 degrees. The cost is less than $10 dollars for the materials. The cup holders are available at wal-mart priced at 1.65 for a set of 4. They are 4 inches wide, but can expand to 5 inches on the top. I used dry wall screws through the tab normaly used to hook over the car window frame in normal use. It extends 2 inches out from the frame of the holder. This allows the bottom of the holder to be swing in to the vertival support to cause about a 15 degree outward pitch of the cup axis allowing the plants to grow away from the vertical support. I used a 1 inch pvc pipe for the my vertical support, but will be using a plain old 2X4 on the next one. The bottom end of my support is buried, but I might try setting one in a bucket of cement so the whole array can be moved around when needed. I have some pictures via the link below. I found the large 32 ounce cups at a sams club, but any resturant supply store should have them. I punched holes around the base of the cups for drainage. I got this idea from a commercial strawberry grower design, but it was very expensive, but very nice. The best thing about this cheap version is that the cups can be removed from the cluster without having to disturb the plants. chuck

Here is a link that might be useful: vertical grower design

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Comments (3)

fognight
20 years ago
I like this idea protible and modular. Rather than setting this in a bucket of concrete you may be able find a mount for the pipe to a perpendicular plane and juse use a sheet of plywood. Or anything like a Christmas tree stand would work. When you say use a 2x4 for the next evolution would you rip it in half or use full width? I see this working well with a hockey stick shaft or PVC, both of which I have onhand.

I may adapt this for my use come summer. I have but a small balcony (4'x13') off my second floor apartment so this would hang well over the edge and only have cups/pots on three sides.

How much do you find that the 32 oz cups limit the plants. Most of what I grow is in larger pots but I see that you have a flowing water/nutrient source.
chuck
Original Author
20 years ago
Hi fognight, I have had good results with the 32 ounce cups in some hydroponic systems, but this is the first time I have used them with dirt. They have a 4 inch diameter on top, 3 inches on the botom, and 6 1/2 inches deep. You might also be interested in a hanging trough design that I tried recently for use as an emergency growing system. It is something like a hammock made out of raincoat material. EMERGENCY GROWING SYSTEM chuck
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fledglingardening
20 years ago
Hmm. If you used the pvc pipe as support, and a 5 gal bucket as part of the base, you might be easily able to use wick watering to keep it going. Run the wicks up the pipe to the cup bottoms. The water weight would help anchor it. Not sure how you'd anchor the pipe to the bucket & keep water tight. Maybe an x shape off pipe that fit into the bucket?