University of Vermont Extension
Department of Plant and Soil Science
Spring News
Article
GROW
VERTICAL VEGETABLES
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension
Professor
University of Vermont
If
you have a small space for gardening, or if you just want to add a
vertical
element to gardens, have less time to garden, or have limited
mobility, then
consider growing vegetables vertically. Growing
vegetables upright not only saves space, but makes weeding and of
course
harvesting easier. You don't have to stoop to cut fruit from the
vines. This could be quite a saving for older gardeners or ones
with back
problems.
Upright
vegetables also add an architectural interest. The garden ceases to
be
just ordinary and utilitarian, and becomes aesthetic as a
well-planned
perennial border might. They also can be grown on fences to hide
ugly
chain link ones, or to screen undesirable views.
Pole
beans (make sure you don't get the bush varieties) will climb up
just about
anything, even other plants. Native Americans used these in their
traditional "three sisters" plantings of beans, corn, and
pumpkins. The corn stalks provided support for the beans, and the
pumpkins
(or other squash) provided a groundcover or living mulch below.
Just make
sure if using this method to give the corn a head start, or the
fast-growing
beans wont have anything to climb!
Pole
beans can also be grown on bamboo teepees, trellises, or over an
arbor.
The scarlet runner bean is old-fashioned, and has attractive red
flowers.
There is even a variety of this now with yellow leaves-- a nice
contrast with
the red flowers. I like to add these beans on an upright,
attractive blue-sprayed
wire support. Pole beans don't just add
a vertical accent, but they keep producing longer than bush beans,
fruiting as
long as you keep picking the pods.
Gourds
and winter squash are cousins from the same family, with very long
vines-- up
to 25 feet for the gourds and up to 10 feet for the squash. Both
take a
long season to mature, so in the colder northern gardens, give these
a head
start indoors in peat pots that can then be planted out. Heavy
fruits of
winter squash, such as butternut, should be individually supported
by cloth
(strips of used panty hose works great too) tied to the trellis or
fence on
which the vines are trained.
For
tying these and other heavy vertical crops to their supports, avoid
string
which can cut into stems. Use a soft rope or cord such as cotton
clothesline, or one of the thick and soft gardening ropes made just
for this
purpose. Make sure the supports for these, even for smaller plants
such as
tomatoes, can hold all the weight of mature plants and their heavy
fruits.
Melons
can be grown similar to winter squash, and their fruit similarly
supported with
cloth twine or even slings made of old towels, sheets, or rags. Use
old-fashioned or patterned fabric for an additional decorative touch
to the
vertical garden.
Cucumbers
(the traditional vining types, not the newer bush types) also can be
grown up a
trellis, or on an A-frame structure as made from 2x4-inch lumber.
You can
also make a cage of the heavy wire used to reinforce concrete. A
cage of
wide-mesh fencing will need additional support, such as wooden
stakes or iron
rods. I prefer the latter as they don't rot and will last outdoors
almost
forever. They can be found at many complete hardware stores.
If
using stakes of bamboo, decorative rods, or the rusty-colored iron
rods, make
sure and purchase "cane toppers". These can be plastic or
ceramic, just a ball or a decorative structure.
They don't just
add to the aesthetics, but also function to protect your eyes when
working
around them. Less attractive, but
functional, safety toppers for canes are small pieces of garden
hose.
Peas
of course are a favorite early season, upright crop suitable for the
vertical
garden. Choose the edible-pod or snow peas that produce longer
vines than
most shelling, or English peas. And since they produce early in the
season during cooler weather, combine them with later maturing vines
such as
beans or cucumbers. Or you may sow peas again in late summer for a
fall
harvest. Attractive purchased iron or wood patterned trellises work
well for
peas, as does a lower and higher horizontal wire with twine strung
up and down
between these. Make sure to keep pea
roots cool by mulch or planting behind taller plants.
Tomatoes
that have stems that keep growing-- the indeterminate varieties
(check the seed
packet or description for this feature)-- perform much better grown
upright
than sprawling over the ground where the fruits can be damaged by
disease and
insects. You'll need a sturdy stake for them, and tie them to it at
intervals with soft twine. There are also many types of sturdy wire
or metal
supports you can buy to support tomatoes, some being in bright
colors.
A
recent twist on vertical vegetables, tomatoes in particular, is
growing them
down from hanging baskets rather than up from the ground. Look for
small-fruited determinate varieties
listed for this, as well as hanging containers for this purpose.
Small-fruited peppers also can be used in
hanging baskets, particularly if they are low enough to be seen and
tended.
More
ideas on this and other gardening topics, as well as new varieties,
are
available from the National Garden Bureau (www.ngb.org).
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