The popularity of vertical gardening is continually increasing by the day. This gardening technique has a plethora of advantages and allows you to save space.
If you plan to start a vertical garden, there are numerous support systems you can use.
They include walls, cages, arbors, lattices and trellises. Fortunately, these support systems accommodate different plant varieties.
Growing various plant types in cages and trellises
Growing beans:
One common plant to grow in cages and trellises is the bean plant. Beans are short plants that grow quickly. However, pole beans are different.
Their shoots can grow up to 20 feet long. When growing pole beans on a trellis or cage, it is best to construct three bamboo poles on the trellis.
Doing this provides the perfect support system for them. Alternatively, ensure the trellis is long enough to support the height of the plant.
Consider growing different bean varieties in a cage or trellis. This way, you’ll be able to obtain an abundant harvest.
Growing cucumber plants:
When growing cucumbers on your trellis, it is best to mix both male and female species. This is the only way you’ll be able to see fruit. Also, make a few plantings at the end of spring towards mid-summer.
If you wish to obtain a plentiful harvest on your trellis, it would be best to plant climbing cucumbers. However, note that cucumbers are heavy.
Therefore, you need a strong cage or trellis to prevent them from falling. Use an A-frame trellis for the best support. Cucumbers are more susceptible to mildew.
Therefore, get a large trellis or cage that facilitates proper aeration. Position the trellis in an area that receives plenty of sunlight.
Growing melon plants:
Although bulky, you can grow melons on a trellis or cage. Nonetheless, the trellis should be strong enough to handle the weight of melon vines.
Melons also have clingy tendrils, and their fruits can fall off due to their weight. In turn, you’ll harvest less. But you can solve this problem by creating a sling for each fruit.
All you have to do is get stretchy fabric, cradle the melon fruits in the fabric and attach them to the edges of the trellis.
Consequently, your melon fruits will stay intact. Even so, a trellis or cage cannot support many melon fruits. If you are growing melon fruits, grow them in a regular garden.
Growing pea plants:
Gardening experts discourage growing peas on a trellis or cage. These plants mature quickly and don’t grow tall.
So, it may not be worth it to plant them on a trellis. Nevertheless, certain pea species can grow up to eight feet long.
Consider growing such pea types on a trellis. Peas are not bulky plants; thus, you don’t need a strong trellis to support them. Taller pea plants take longer to grow but produce an abundant harvest.
Growing squash and pumpkin plants:
Pumpkins and squash plants are large and bulky. So, you need a strong cage or trellis if you plan to grow them vertically.
The benefit of growing squash plants or pumpkins is that they’ll save a lot of ground garden space.
You may need to support pumpkin fruits with a cradle. Use stretchy fabric to attach them to the edges of the fabric. This way, you secure them to the trellis and prevent them from falling.
Summer squash grows well when planted in rows on a trellis or cage. Besides, they are less bulky and provide a plentiful harvest.
How do I attach a plant to a trellis?
Step one:
The first thing to do when attaching your plants to a trellis is to evaluate your plants. In particular, know how your plant climbs.
This way, you will identify the best trellis structure to use for your plants. It is best to conduct thorough research on how the plant grows.
Luckily, there’s a wide range of information on the internet that shows you how different plants grow.
Generally, plants like melons and pumpkins need stronger trellises since they are heavier.
Step two:
Once you identify how your plant grows, choose an appropriate trellis. Plants with tendrils often need a narrower trellis.
On the flip side, plants that climb using adhesive disks thrive on trellises incorporating natural materials like stone.
Step three:
Next, put up the trellis structure before you start planting. Ensure the trellis is firmly held onto the ground.
Consider installing it against a wall or building. It should have a strong foundation that supports the weight of your plants.
Step four:
After putting up the trellis, it’s now time to plant your vine. There are many ways you can attach the plants to the trellis.
Some people prefer using hanging baskets, while others prefer mounting garden pallets on the trellis.
It all depends on what you want. Create sturdy hooks that can support your planting pots and containers.
What vegetables can grow on a trellis?
A trellis does not accommodate all vegetable types. Remember, not all plants can grow vertically while others can do well as houseplants.
Let’s discuss some of the best vegetables you can grow on a trellis.
Cucumbers:
A popular vegetable you can grow in bags or vertically is the cucumber. Cucumber plants are good climbers. Thus, growing them on a trellis will enable them to thrive.
The best thing about growing cucumbers in a trellis is that you can easily monitor the plant.
It is much easier to spot cucumber fruits on a trellis than on the ground. Also, cucumbers grown on the ground are more vulnerable to pest attacks and diseases. Growing these plants vertically makes it harder for pests to reach them.
Tomatoes:
Did you know you can grow tomatoes in a cage or trellis? Typically, tomatoes are vines. Growing tomatoes on a trellis enables them to receive maximum light and aeration.
But ensure that the trellis is robust enough to accommodate the weight of tomatoes, especially when they start bearing fruit.
Peas:
The pea plant comes in different varieties; some include garden peas and snow peas. You can grow all these varieties on a trellis.
Most pea plant species have short plants that grow quickly. However, some pea species can grow up to 20 feet high.
Such pea plants need to grow on a trellis. Peas do not need any special kind of trellis. They are not bulky; hence, a standard-sized trellis will work for them.
It is essential to note that peas thrive in colder regions. If you live in warmer areas, grow them during spring or fall.
Watermelon & cantaloupe:
You can always select smaller melon plant species to grow in your vertical garden. Growing large melons and cantaloupe on your trellis can damage the fruits.
When growing these plants, ensure you have a strong support system. Otherwise, you may end up losing your harvest. Additionally, use a cradle or sling to secure the fruits to the support system.
Growing cantaloupe and melons in your vertical garden enables them to obtain proper aeration and stay free from pests and diseases.
Green beans:
Another vegetable you can grow in a trellis is green beans. Green beans thrive when grown vertically.
Unlike other types of beans, they can grow up to ten feet high. Ensure you plant them on a strong trellis since they love climbing beans.
The main advantage of growing green beans is that you can harvest them all year round. It would be best to grow different bean plant varieties. This way, you’ll obtain an abundant harvest.
What grows well on a trellis?
Pumpkins:
Contrary to popular belief, you can grow pumpkins in a vertical garden. Even so, it would be best to grow baby pumpkins.
They are much smaller; hence, don’t put too much strain on the trellis. Growing big pumpkins can put too much weight on the trellis if it’s not strong enough.
But you can secure the fruits using a cradle or sling. Keep in mind, when the fruits fall, they get damaged.
Winter squash:
You can also grow winter squash plants on a trellis. Unlike most squash plants, winter squash does not need an extra-strong trellis.
Most winter squash plants are small and put too much strain on the trellis. Some of them include the honey nut and the winter acorn.
Nonetheless, note that plants like spaghetti squash are bulk, and you’ll need a strong support system. Consider using a hammock to support heavy squash plants.
Summer squash:
Growing summer squash plants on the ground can be challenging since they need a lot of space. In turn, you won’t be able to grow other plant types, especially if you have a small garden.
Growing summer squash plants vertically helps you save space in your standard garden. However, you’ll need to build a large trellis that supports all the plants.
Also, note that it is often difficult to grow summer squash plants on a trellis since they are excellent climbers. You may require customizing the trellis so that it accommodates the plants.
Moreover, you can use hammocks to provide extra support to the plant. As the fruits grow, they eventually become heavier.
And this can put extra strain on the trellis. So, look for a strong trellis and consider using hammocks.
What vegetables grow upwards?
Gourds:
Gourds are one of the most difficult plants to grow on the ground. So, consider growing them vertically.
When planted on the ground, gourds take up too much space. As a result, they affect the growth of other plants. These plants can grow up to 30 feet.
So, if you are not careful, they’ll choke the rest of the plants in the garden. If you have small garden, gourds are not ideal options for you.
So, consider creating a vertical garden for them. Here, they can climb as high as they want to. But you have to make sure your vertical garden is long enough to support its height.
Nasturtiums:
These plants are excellent climbers. Thus, they thrive best when grown vertically. Nasturtiums grow up to ten feet high and can transform your backyard into a serene haven. They produce flowers with a wide range of colors, from red to orange.
Hops:
The hop plant can also grow well vertically. They grow as high as ten feet. Hence, growing them in a normal garden might choke and suffocate other plants.
Other alternative growing systems
Ultimately, some plant species grow best when planted vertically. Some include pole beans, tomatoes, peas, and cucumbers.
So, if you have a small garden and limited budget, consider planting in a cage or a trellis.