Modular DIY Vertical Garden

The living wall project is a DIT (do it together) modular vertical garden workshop tool kit that can be adapted to working with various spaces, climates, materials, plants, and sensors (temperature, air quality, moisture). 

The workshop is an approach to introduce the benefits of natural contact for people in public space. 

The goal of the project is to empower the participants to design and build a collaborative living wall.

The procedure of this module is divided in seven steps:

1. Base preparation
2. Sew the felt
3. Attach the felt to the base
4. Enlarge the pockets
5. Sow the plants
6. Water and let drain
7. Admire your masterpiece

- Plywood for the base of the module

- Medium density felt

- Fishing line

- Large head needle (for the fishing line)

- Screwdriver or Dremel for making small holes in the plywood base.

- Substrate for plants

- Perlite

- Vermiculite

- Earthworm humus

- Scissors

The first component of the kit is the plywood base. This piece is preferably cut in hexagonal modular shape, to allow the combination of several pieces to create a later wall composition. It is necessary to make some holes in the base, according to the diagram attached. This holes can be made with screwdriver and a thin drill bit.

he base has to be sanded on the surface and edges. An optional step would be to use any oil based treatment for sealing the plywood base.

The goal in this step is to create the pockets for the plants. The material used is a medium density felt, that will give a great flexibility inside of the pockets and also support for the plants. Two layers of the same material are needed, the first layer (internal layer) is the layer that prevents contact of the plant and soil with the base. The second layer is the outer layer of the pocket.

It is needed to start with a similar single piece as shown in the FELT PIECE pattern, in such a way that you will have one seam-free side. The size of the folded felt, could be approximately 1/2'' offset from the plywood base shape.

After defining the felt, we will sew the felt itself following the SEWING PATTERN. Using the fish line as thread, start sewing with the needle with single stitches. At the end of this process the two layers will be attached together.

After that, it is needed to make 3 straight cuts, according to the CUT PATTERN. With the helps of the scissors, cut only the external layer of the felt.

Using the holes in the plywood base, attach the sewed felt piece from the previous step to the base. Using the fish line and the needle sew the felt with the base, going through each of the perforations. Do this procedure back and forth, so that the seam is tighter.

Felt is a flexible material and gives the possibility of making it sag a little. With the help of your hands, enlarge the pockets to create a bigger space for the plants.

For this step, is necessary to have the soil and the plants prepared. It is important to work one pocket at a time. Add some soil into the pocket and then introduce the plant. The pocket should be filled to the brim with substrate, so that the plant is stable and safe. It must be ensured that there are no gaps.

The felt does not retain water, so after watering the modules, it should be located in a place that allows the water that the substrate has not retained to drain.

The module is ready! now you just need to place it where you want, it can be hung on a wall, or supported on a surface.

This workshop was developed by Ofelia Viloche Pulido and Sofia Tokumura (Bo.Ve Team)