Growing vertically in the garden can make the best
use of small gardens. Trellises and arbors can become stunning displays
when covered with a climbing rose or a clematis. A chain link fence can
be a thing of beauty covered in Confederate Jasmine, and the scent when
it is blooming can be sublime.
Vertical gardening is often
overlooked in the vegetable garden but in a small vegetable garden it
can increase the production. Tomatoes are normally staked in the garden
but there are many other vegetables which are candidates for growing
vertically, pole beans, lima beans, peas, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins,
and winter squash are a few. Pumpkins, melons and winter squash may
need additional supports because of the weight of the fruit. There are
also some varieties of tomatoes that grow very tall and will produce on
vertical supports.
Many different materials can be utilized to
make supports. Keep in mind the final size of the plant when choosing
the support. I remember when I was growing up my uncle cut small limbs
and stuck them in the ground down a row where he had sown a type of
pea. When the peas started growing they twined around up through the
twigs and limbs, which helped support them.
Cages for tomatoes
can be bought or made from sections of welded wire. They can also be
staked to metal, wooden or bamboo stakes. I have an neighbor, who has a
large stand of bamboo (like fishing poles are made from) who lets me
cut all I want. A local commercial tomato grower uses two rows of
stakes about a foot apart on each side of the row with stakes spaced
about ever 2 foot down the row. As the tomatoes grow they put string
down each side of the rows attached to the stakes.
Using 4 wooden
or bamboo poles about 8 foot long, a tepee can be made by tying all the
poles together at one end and standing it up like a pyramid. Then,
tomatoes, pole beans or some other vegetable can be planted at the base
of the poles.
One of my favorite supports for sugar snap peas and
pole beans is to place a tall post a each end of the row. Then about 6
foot from the ground suspend a heavy wire between the posts, also put
one about 6 inches from the ground. Sow your sugar snap or pole bean
seeds below this lower wire. Now starting at one end attach a heavy
string at the bottom wire of one post. Now take the string up to the
top wire and attach it and come back down to the bottom wire about 6 to
8 inches down the row. Keep going up and down until you get to the
other post and secure the string. As the plants grow they will twine up
the string and you can harvest the sugar snaps or pole beans without
bending over.
One thing to keep in mind plants on tall supports
cast a shadow, so place these structures on the north side of your
garden to keep from shading shorter plants.
