By Peppercat45
United Kingdom 
I have some heather plants and the ericasious soil to plant them in, but I want to plant them in a container that will stand vertically or almost vertically, and I would like to know if this has been done before and how I can keep the soil in against the pull of gravity. I thought perhaps with the use of chicken wire, or pea netting. Can I have your opinions please. I have seen this method used with small flowering plants in New Zealand very successfully, and I have a small garden and lots of plants
18 Apr, 2015
Answers
I don't think your heathers are going to be very happy in an upright container. As Stera has already asked - how do you plan to water? Any vertical garden needs to have a watering system built into it somehow.Heathers are plants of moorland and used to quite damp conditions, basically they grow in peat.
19 Apr, 2015
Another thought if you need to use vertical planting. Why not use a series of pots of decreasing sizes one on top of another like a wedding cake? Your heathers would be happier like that and it would be easier to water.
19 Apr, 2015
Happier yes Stera but definitely not happy! Peppercat look at how heathers grow in the wild... you are NOT going to get anything that looks good by growing them vertically! Go find some annuals you can make a display out of... or recognise you are going to kill the heaters very rapidly.
19 Apr, 2015
Do you mean you are planting in a trough and then upending it? How are you planning to water it?
18 Apr, 2015