Vertical Vegetable Gardening
There is a significant savings in space to be made with vertical gardening and it can be quite interesting to harvest pumpkins from ten feet in the air.
Strong Support
The trick is in making the vertical vegetable gardening support system very strong. And I mean strong. It is quite surprising how much a mature tomato plant or pumpkin plant can weigh when it reaches maturity and starts producing fruit.
2 x 4's
Well-braced 2x4’s are likely strong enough if supported with cross bracing at the ends. The top bar should be another 2x4 on edge (so the 4” part is vertical) and joined either by securing it the tops of the uprights or through a joint that supports the weight. Merely nailing or screwing the support to the uprights is not secure enough. The weight is then transferred to the nails and friction between the boards instead of from the board to the upright and to the ground.
Bamboo
I have used three bamboo poles lashed together (thank you boy scouts for that skill) and fixed to cross braced uprights to support 4 tomato plants. The weight of the plants bowed the poles even though I thought they were adequately supported. Do not underestimate the weight of plants. It is much better to overbuild than to have to watch your structure collapse and take the plants and fruit with it.
Netting / Support
The second thing you require is a strong netting or support system on which the plants will grow. I use twine and bamboo poles for my tomatoes. A good friend uses old wire fencing for his peas. Strong plastic netting can be used for lighter vine crops but if you’re going to try to grow heavier crops, you need to move upscale and invest in a heavier plastic such as snow fencing.
Wood lattice is fine if the joints are well-secured. The material you can purchase cheaply in chain stores is stapled together and will not hold the weight of large crops. (well maybe for the first year but definitely not the second)
What Crops Suit
After you have the structure, you simply require the crops.
If the plant is a tall growing or vine type of plant, it can be grown in a vertical vegetable gardening system.
Tomatoes require some care as you’ll have to tie them to the support or twine them around/through the support.
Peas climb quite nicely all by themselves.
Cucumbers, pumpkin, squash and all vine types of crops do very nicely when grown up a strong trellis. A pumpkin ten feet off the ground is a great conversation starter along with a harvesting challenge. You may have to ensure the vines get started up the support but once started they only require periodic assistance in getting a firm grip to climb.
Shorter vegetables and grain crops such as corn are not candidates for a vertical vegetable gardening system although them may be candidates for square foot gardening systems if your space is limited.
Do you have a question about Vertical Vegetable Gardening?