Living Wall 2 construction, by Juan Carlos Vela

Week of July 29^th to August 2^nd

Using the plants that were wrapped the previous week, we managed to complete the entire new living wall. Granted, it took several hours of hard work and labor, but seeing the end result made it all worth it. However, while working on the wall, we did notice that some of the plants had undergone a lot of stress and a few had already wilted beyond repair. One of the reasons we thought of for this problem was the lack of sufficient water during the day. Because this is perhaps one the hottest times of the year, many plant species require frequent watering to survive. One other possible explanation for this could have had something to do with placing the plants in the pockets too soon after transplanting them from their original containers. Upon further inspection, though, we determined that the issue was most likely associated with lack of water since many of the irrigation lines were trapped beneath the plants, hence blocking the flow of water. Fortunately, we were able to correct this by simply pulling the irrigation lines from underneath the plants; thus, allowing the water to flow freely again. As such, it is important to ensure that irrigation lines are kept free of any impeding factors so as to avoid blockages and plant stress.

 

Living wall #2 near completion.

Living Wall 2 construction, by Juan Carlos Vela

Week of July 22^nd to July 26^th

When working on a project this large and complex, it is always best to have a decent-sized group to work with so as to get things done in a timely and efficient manner. Fortunately for us, we were able to enlist the help of some very eager and hard-working Master of Landscape Architecture students this week to help with the wrapping of plants. After showing them how to wrap the plants, we spent about three to four hours wrapping up as many of them as we could. By noon, we had managed to wrap up most of the plants that were sitting out in the greenhouse.

First year Master of Landscape Architecture students.

Plants wrapped and stored in the green house until the following week.

Living Wall 2 construction, by Juan Carlos Vela

Week of July 15^th to July 19^th

After wrapping up a few more plants this week, we continued planting the second living wall, which seemed to be doing pretty well despite the harsh summer heat and dry conditions. While wrapping up the plants, we made sure to include enough soil to sustain the plant over time. We also did our best to maintain a balanced ratio between the roots and shoots on each plant to avoid stressing them out. Without this balanced ratio, the plants run a high risk of going into a state of shock when transferred from their original pots to the harsh climate outside; thus, causing them to die off.

TAMU Living Wall #2

The second living wall on the Langford Building at Texas A&M is now complete! This living wall system uses very little soil, but has a moisture absorbent fabric wrapped around the roots made from recycled water bottles. Since the plants …