Care & Maintenance of a Living Wall

Weed and Disease Control

• Indoors, weeds are rarely a problem. Outdoors, a living wall may absorb airborne seeds that sprout into unwelcome weeds. Carefully pull any weeds that appear among the plants on the living wall. The denser the plants growing on the living wall, the less light is available for weeds to sprout. Rockwool, a type of spun mineral, is one growing medium that prevents weeds altogether since the seeds have to be inserted into the rockwool before they can germinate.

Water

• Living wall kits are widely available at garden centers, nurseries and online. Most come with built-in drip or mist irrigation systems. Whether you use a kit or build your own vertical garden wall, irrigation should come from the top so that it will trickle down the wall to the rest of the plants. Plants near the bottom of the wall will receive more water than those at the top. Make sure excess water can drain away at the bottom of the wall. Excess moisture around the roots of the plants at the base of the wall can cause root rot, while moisture draining too fast at the top can cause wilting.

Fertilizer

• Use a liquid fertilizer heavily diluted with water to feed the living wall's plants. If you plant a living wall with different species of plants, each type will have different fertilizer needs. Consider using a spray mister filled with diluted fertilizer to give extra nutrients to plants that are heavy feeders instead of adding fertilizer to the whole wall at once.

Pruning

• Depending on what species of plants make up your living wall, some may need regular pruning while others need little to none. Use pruning clippers as needed to keep vines from getting out of control. If the living wall is outdoors, check the growth of upper plants and prune as necessary if their growth shades the lower plants too much. During the dormant winter months, prune out dead limbs or twigs so that new growth can fill in the gaps in spring.

Plant Replacement

• Indoors, dead or diseased plants can be replaced year-round. Outdoors, it is usually best to remove dead plants in winter and replace them in early spring if that is the usual planting time for the type of plant you're growing. At the same time, fill in any gaps in the growing medium as needed.

Pests and Diseases

• Monitor the living wall regularly for signs of disease or pest infestations. Watch for leaf spots, mottling and wilting that may signal a problem with the roots -- often a sign of too much or too little watering. Look for ragged holes or skeletonized leaves that may be a sign of insect activity. Spider mites, aphids and beetles are among the many insects that can attack a living wall indoors or out. Since the plants are so close together on the wall, problems can spread quickly. Keep all of the plants healthy to avoid problems, and treat infections or insect attacks quickly. The local cooperative extension service office can usually offer guidance on appropriate treatments.