Research

Planning Your Succulent Living Wall

Written by Grant Leishman | Jun 5, 2019 2:28:43 PM

The GrowUp Modular Greenwall System

A succulent living wall built using the GrowUp modular green wall system will bring years of pleasure to the owner. Its beautiful honeycomb design will keep your succulent collection healthy and show it off in the best possible way. It is so easy to maintain that it is the ideal, hassle free green wall solution.

 

If you want the instant effect without having to wait for the plants to “grow in”, this can be achieved by ordering large plants up front. If you have patience and want to save some money, smaller plants can be ordered and you can enjoy watching them grow into their new homes. The unique honeycomb design creates a great canvas for exploring your creative side. The beauty of it is that you can change the design whenever you like, without buying new plants. Just move the pots around.

 

 

When planning your succulent wall, you need to consider the following factors:

  • Design
  • Weather and sunlight
    Succulents like direct sunlight and the direct sun brings out their colors. Take this into account when selecting your plants. We strongly suggest discussing plant choices with a local expert before making a final selection.

  • The plant layout
    Are you wanting a distinctive pattern or something more random? Both are possible using each plant as an individual “pixel” in your plant canvas. We advise finding some examples you love and then using our planning template to plan it out. Once planned you will know exactly how many plants of each variety to order. One of the many benefits of the GrowUp modular system is the ability to change the design or swap individual plants out without disrupting the rest of the wall.

  • The size of the wall
    The GrowUp modular system allows walls of almost any size to be built using the same standard components. The wall does not have to start at ground level and can be situated anywhere within the desired space. Consider the cost per square foot as well as the visual impact you are hoping for when selecting the size of the green wall.

 

System Considerations

 

  •  
  • Recycling vs non-recycling system
    The GrowUp system can be set up to catch and reuse all runoff water during the watering cycle. This ensures that there is no runoff water around the greenwall which makes it the perfect solution for a deck or high traffic area, where water running on the floor would be unacceptable. This approach is also water wise and saves up to 80% compared to a non-recycling watering system.
    Where the wall is outdoors and runoff water is not an issue, the recycling option can be excluded and the water that runs off can be directed to another garden bed so that it is not wasted.

  • Automated watering
    In both the recycling and non-recycling systems the watering cycle can be automated to ensure your succulent wall receives the right amount of water at the right time. There are a number of automation options that can be explored.

  • System trim / frame
    In order to give the green wall a completed look we recommend constructing a simple trim to hide the side of the pots and the catch tanks, if used. This trim or frame is not a structural element and can be designed to match the design elements throughout the property.

 

 

Mounting the greenwall

For a detailed discussion on various options available for mounting the system see this document.

 

 

Plant Selection and Planting

  • Water needs
    All the plants in a green wall should have similar watering needs. You can supplement your succulent green wall with grasses and other plants as long as all the plants thrive on the same watering cycle.
  • Buying and transplanting plants
    Due to the weight of a succulent relative to its root size we recommend only planting one plant per bag and making sure it has a root structure strong enough to secure it in the bag. Selecting the pre-planted option from GrowUp helps to ensure you get the right size plant that has been properly transplanted. You can check out our succulent plant guide here.

 

Have a succulent greenwall project? We can help. Visit: