If using rosettes, it will probably take about 130 cuttings to fill the frame. Once a frame has been chosen, it is time to decide what varieties of succulents are to be used. Now I like to work with many other varieties to create other looks. Historically, I have worked with rosettes 90% of the time, throwing in a few sedums and crassulas here and there. There are many varieties of succulents that work well in my living pictures. If properly planted, the plants cover the entire surface of the wire mesh, preventing soil erosion. Once fully rooted, the soil is held in place by the network of roots behind the wire. As roots form, they move into the soil behind the wire. Once the frame is full, cuttings are placed on the top of the mesh. While holding the screen up, use the other hand to repeat the process of moving the soil through the screen. Pulling up too hard can result in pulling the screen out of the frame - be careful. ![]() Using a fork or nail, carefully raise the screen to allow soil to fall through the screen. ![]() This is only necessary when the stem will not push in. Gently push the fork into the area where you want to insert the stem and it will make it easier to insert it into the hole. The fork or nail can also be used when a stem is difficult to push into the soil. Clippers and a nail will work just as well. Place succulent mix over screen in small amounts and gently move through screen by running your fingers over the screen and soil. The idea is to fill the frame with succulent mix through the wire mesh. Because of the wire mesh front, rooted plants cannot be fit into the planting area. This style of frame is, planted with cuttings only. Gardening with Robin’s Living Picture Frame The following is an attempt to describe each system and how to use them from planting to hanging and maintenance. There are some differences and similarities when gardening with each of these types of frames, or systems. Some of the primary issues would include uniform watering, soil slump, ease of mounting and ease of removal. This frame anticipates some of the issues for vertical gardening on a large scale. Each panel has 45 slanted pockets that allow water to flow from pocket to pocket. This is the high tech system, which is designed to accept drip and is scalable to whatever size is desirable. The other system I use is a plastic panel 19.5”x19.5”x2.5”, specifically designed for vertical gardening. The frames can be modified to accept a drip system, especially with today’s wide array of drip materials available. These frames are low tech and do not incorporate watering systems, so they must be removed from the wall or hung on a hinge system to make it possible to flatten each frame for watering. Placing a grouping of these frames on a wall can solve the problem of attractively filling a larger wall space. The most common sizes I have used in this type frame are 6x12, 12x12, 12x18, and 18x24. Once you exceed that size, the frame becomes awkward and needs quite a bit of modification to prevent things like soil slump. This frame is designed for smaller applications where the individual frame is not built larger than about 18” x 24”. The frame is built like a picture frame with a wire mesh front. The first is a frame I developed in the early 1980’s. I have settled on two types of containers for vertical gardening with succulents. To accommodate plants growing on a wall, it is necessary to decide what kind of container would work best for the type of plants being used and for the structure the containers are being grown on. This ability to eke out a living in little soil makes them pretty good candidates for vertical gardening. Succulent plants are often found growing on cliffs in the crevices of rocks or on the cliff edges, clinging to what soil they can find purchase in. Of course there are variations in the slope, but by and large, traditional gardening has been horizontal. ![]() I never thought about gardening on the ground or in pots as gardening horizontally, but that is exactly what you are doing. In order to garden successfully with plants growing on a wall, it is important to recognize the difference from traditional gardening.
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