Chicken Food Tower

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Gotcha. I am starting my 1st tower for my garden today using another dog cage! It's gonna be bigger than the one for my chickens. I'll do peas all around the sides and some okra or tomatoes on top (or both). I wonder if you come somehow grow potatoes on the top and let them grow down through the whole tower? I'm gonna experiment some more!

I didn't plant potatoes, as the weather here (in Germany) is no longer the right time for them. Also my tower is a bit too high, growing anything will be very bushy and bear heavy fruits might not be suitable. But dog cage should be totally possible and must be fun!

 

[vintage]

This is such an awesome concept!! I love it!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Look all I'm saying is that I have some extra chicken wire laying around from before I discovered BYC, and some short step in poles to provide vertical supports - I'm building one of these things. Yours appears to be doing so well, I can't not try it myself.

/edit poles and wire in place, need to fill my tower, and start sorting thru my late summer seeds...

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Look all I'm saying is that I have some extra chicken wire laying around from before I discovered BYC, and some short step in poles to provide vertical supports - I'm building one of these things. Yours appears to be doing so well, I can't not try it myself.

/edit poles and wire in place, need to fill my tower, and start sorting thru my late summer seeds...

Great idea!

In the beginning I thought chicken wire isn't suitable as it's not strong enough, but as you said, with some additional vertical support and maybe overlap several layers, also make the tower a bit lower, chicken wire should work.

I kept thinking how to sow on such tower next growing season, as the planting areas are vertical and small (no matter the chicken wire or hardware cloth), sowing tiny seeds will be comparatively difficult.

Seed bomb is one solution, another idea I have now is using the pastry bag, just mixed the soil, water and seeds, and we can somehow "inject the liquid seed serum" (OMG, it sounds so funny) to regenerate a green food tower.

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

08.06 Update for the Vertical Planter V1

Put more seedlings inside, most of them are leafy greens from brassica family.

I also transplanted same seedlings into normal raised beds, later we can see and compare the growth.

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

Some more growth updates

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Great idea!

In the beginning I thought chicken wire isn't suitable as it's not strong enough, but as you said, with some additional vertical support and maybe overlap several layers, also make the tower a bit lower, chicken wire should work.

I kept thinking how to sow on such tower next growing season, as the planting areas are vertical and small (no matter the chicken wire or hardware cloth), sowing tiny seeds will be comparatively difficult.

Seed bomb is one solution, another idea I have now is using the pastry bag, just mixed the soil, water and seeds, and we can somehow "inject the liquid seed serum" (OMG, it sounds so funny) to regenerate a green food tower.

I'll let everyone know how it works. Its uses full height 3 step in poles for vertical support, and has a pretty broad base, so its rather squat. Will get measurements later today as I start filling it. By next season we'll know if its successful.

My suspicions are that the chicken wire will rust out quickly. But I wasn't using it, or the poles, for anything else (used to use them as a temporary divider in my brooder box) so it costs me nothing but my labor to repurpose them)

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

I'll let everyone know how it works. Its uses full height 3 step in poles for vertical support, and has a pretty broad base, so its rather squat. Will get measurements later today as I start filling it. By next season we'll know if its successful.

My suspicions are that the chicken wire will rust out quickly. But I wasn't using it, or the poles, for anything else (used to use them as a temporary divider in my brooder box) so it costs me nothing but my labor to repurpose them)

You just gave me a new inspiration for vertical planter V2

I will make next version more like a wedding cake, so it will have a broad base + support + built-in irrigation pipe, thanQ!

 

[3KillerBs]

You just gave me a new inspiration for vertical planter V2

I will make next version more like a wedding cake, so it will have a broad base + support + built-in irrigation pipe, thanQ!

I would be interested in a built-in irrigation pipe since keeping potted plants watered is such an issue in my area.

I'm eagerly watching to see how this concept works out over time.

 

[Phaedra Geiermann]

I would be interested in a built-in irrigation pipe since keeping potted plants watered is such an issue in my area.

I'm eagerly watching to see how this concept works out over time.

My first idea is assembling plastic bottles, drill some good amount of holes and then put them inside the tower, should be cost effective