Florafelt Compact Living Wall Kit - Instructions

About | Design Ideas | Instructions

 

Placement Considerations

Lighting

  • Appropriate lighting is as critical as water to grow plants

  • Choose plants that thrive in the existing conditions

  • Place the plant wall across from a windowed wall

  • Add halogen or High Power LED spotlights, if your plants need more light

Waterproofing

  • The Florafelt Living Wall Compact Kit rarely leaks, but you can minimize potential damage

  • Choose a location with waterproof flooring

  • Place the tank on a tray with sides

Safety Notes

  • Keep safety in mind when using an open water tank around children and pets

  • Cover tank with a grate, if necessary

  • Use non-poisonous plants

Parts List

  • Florafelt 8-pocket planter (folded)

  • 3-gallon tank

  • Water tube, attached to panel

  • Water pump, with 6’ cord

  • Timer, 110v grounded

    • Interior use only

    • Instructions included in packaging

  • 2 Wall Mollies

    • Screw into drywall with phillips screwdriver

  • 2 L Hooks

    • screw into mollies in drywall

    • use directly when mounting in wood

  • Florafelt Root Wrappers

  • Rubber bands

Wall Mounting

Measure

  • Measure 62 inches up from the floor

  • Choose center and measure 5 inches on each side

  • Mark hanger locations 10 inches apart

  • Make as level as possible by eye, or with a level

Wall Mollies

  • For installation in drywall only

  • Using provided wall mollies:

    • Place pointed end on mark

    • Use a hammer to partially start

    • Use a phillips head screwdriver 

    • Using a phillips head screwdriver, push and screw firmly to the right until flush with wall

    • If drywall is weak or damaged, molly will not hold. May require drywall repair or another type of wall molly

  • Concrete requires another type of connector

L-Hooks

  • Screw L-hook into wall molly

  • If wood, drill 1/8” hole then screw in L-hook without wall molly

  • Use your own hanging system, if you prefer

Hang Planter

  • Locate nylon hanging tabs at the top of the planter

  • Place hoops over the L-hooks or other hanger

  • Make sure planter is hanging straight

  • Relocate wall mounts, if necessary

System Preparation

Stretch Open Pockets

  • The planter ships with the pockets flat

  • Before hanging, use your fist to stretch open every pocket

  • You may pull very hard to stretch open completely

  • Use the handle of a hammer for easier stretching

Place Tank

  • Place tank directly below the planter

  • Position the planter bottom 1-2 inches inside the tank

  • Planter will drip on your floor if not inside the tank

  • Adjust planter height, if needed

  • To ensure extra waterproofing, put tank on a tray with sides 

Connect Water Tube to Pump

  • Locate the tube at the base of the planter

  • Plug tube into the pump

  • Place pump at the bottom of the tank

  • Roll excess tubing into the tank being careful to not cause kinks

Set Timer

  • Locate the timer instructions in the Florafelt box

  • Read the instructions carefully and set timer

  • The timer provided is for indoor use only

  • Outdoor timers can be purchased separately

  • While the timer is sufficient for most gardens, your project may require another timer

Watering System

Plug In

  • Plug the timer into a grounded outlet or plug into grounded extension cord

  • Provided timer is intended for indoor use only

Fill Tank

  • Add fresh clean water to the tank

  • Fill to just below the bottom edge of the planter

  • Do not add water to the tank while the pump is on

  • The eco-friendly design recycles water. Wait at least 30 minutes after the watering cycle ends, or when water stops dripping into the tank, to assess how much water to add. Adding water too soon could cause an overflow.

Check Flow

  • When the water tank is full

  • Turn on the manual timer switch

  • Observe water flow from the top of the planter

  • Peek behind the felt at the top edge

  • Locate the tube that is taped in place about halfway down the pocket

  • Notice that water is flowing from the tube

  • Feel inside each pocket to make sure the bottom crease feels moist

  • If water is not flowing from the tube

    • Make sure the timer is plugged in

    • Check that the the plug is working

    • Check the timer is turn to the manual on position

    • Check there are no obstructions in the tube

    • Feel the tubing behind the felt for kinks, pinch to unkink

    • Check the pump is working properly while disconnected

    • Still no luck?

    • Call us so we can help (770) 406-6330

Planting

Wrap Plants

  • The fun part!

  • A Florafelt Root Wrap is provided for each pocket

  • You can combine multiple plants in each wrapper

  • See our online how to videos: http://florafelt.com/video-library

  • Use the Florafelt shipping box as a tidy place to wrap

  • We strongly recommend using Root Wraps

    • Contains the soil to prevent air gaps

    • Much less messy

    • Makes changing plants easy

    • Roots grow through the felt preventing root binding

    • Plants breathe which is better for the soil and roots.

Using Root Wrappers

  • Start with a diamond shape

  • Fold the top corner down to create your top soil line

  • Place your plant facing forward and spread the root ball flat

  • Fold the bottom corner up

  • Fold the bottom edge up

  • Hold down the edges and fold in the tips

  • Use a rubber band to hold it together (optional)

  • See our How-to-Videos at plantsonwalls.com/videos

Root Wrap Tips

  • Hold the felted bundle together and secure with a rubber band.  Like putting a diaper on the root ball.

  • If you don’t get it right the first time, try again.

  • Pre-moisten the Root Wrapper for sensitive plants

Plant Your Garden

  • Simply insert the wrapped plant into the pocket

  • Make sure the pocket is stretched open completely

  • Stuff it down nice and tight so it touches the bottom of the pocket

  • If it’s too large, unwrap and remove some soil

  • If it’s too loose, unwrap and add some soil

  • It’s easiest to start at the bottom and work up

  • The planter tends to be wetter at the bottom and dryer at the top, plant accordingly

  • Run the water when you first plant to help moisten new roots

Maintenance

  • Top off tank as needed

  • Do not fill when running or dripping

  • Keep plugged in

  • Observe plants and act quickly

  • Check water flow

  • Clean pump regularly

    • Unplug and detach tube connector

    • Remove from tank

    • Wipe pump clean

    • Remove pump cover by pulling from the sides

    • Remove impeller cover by twisting with pliers

    • Remove floating impeller, pull out with pliers

    • Clean all parts with fresh water and vinegar

    • Reassemble

    • Reconnect tube connector

    • Insert into tank

    • Plug in to timer

    • Remove debris from tank

Maintenance Tips

Don’t Overwater

  • In low light plants use very little water

  • Soaking plants will cause root rot and mold

  • Most interior plants should slightly wilt before needing water

  • Turn off timer / switch on manually as needed

  • Use a weekly timer

Hard Water Deposits

  • A white stain will appear on the felt

  • Spray with vinegar/water solution to dissolve

Fertilizer

  • Add small amounts of fertilizer to the tank

  • We prefer organic fertilizers such as MAXSEA

    • Less salts build up

    • Keeps soil alive

  • Use very little fertilizer

  • Only add when plants look pale

  • Too much will cause excess sugars and attract insects

Share Your Garden

  • Email us photos: info@florafelt.com

  • Hashtag on Social Media: #florafelt