Growing vegetables vertically is one of the cleverest ways to maximize space in your garden. With a little planning and thought, you can grow an abundance of healthy veggies without taking up too much room on ground level.
Here are 14 easy-to-grow climbing plants that will provide bountiful crops while maximizing every inch!
Fresh, homegrown vegetables are not only delicious but also good for your physical and mental health. That is why many people love growing their own in space of the home recently! So even if you don’t have a large garden to plant them there, it’s worth looking into getting some kind of trellis or support system that will let you grow plants on an outdoor patio or balcony.
The climbing vegetables that you can grow in your own garden will give the best of fresh produce, which is not available at any supermarket or grocery store. Let’s get started today!
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a great plant for beginners because they don’t require much care, and can grow up on trellises or wireframes. If you plan to put them in pots or containers instead of the ground then make sure that your design includes sturdy supports once the plants become heavy with fruit.
2. Cucumber
Cucumbers grow well in a vertical garden, but they are more susceptible to pest and disease problems without oversight. This is why you should try growing cucumbers on trellises for easy harvesting that will not harm the plant’s health as much.
3. Beans
Beans are so easy to plant vertically! You just give them a trellis and they take care of the rest.
4. Malabar Spinach
Malabar Spinach thrives in the soil, walls, and trellises to grow vertically. It can be propagated from seeds or cuttings which will provide ample food for years to come!
5. Nasturtiums
Nasturtium is excellent for accessorizing balconies. Train them up trellises and poles, or tie their vines to railings so the flowers can spill over!
6. Hops
Hops are a fast-growing vine that can be planted in containers to grow. If you’re ready to take on your new green thumb, hops are one of the easiest plants for beginners!
7. Bitter Melon
Bitter melon’s unique flavor and vibrant color make it a nutritious choice for your garden. With its climbing vines, bitter melons are easy to grow on trellises or pergolas that you can build yourself!
8. Melons and Watermelons
Melons are often thought of as a summertime staple, but few know that you can actually grow these fruits vertically. You just need to find the right support, such as trellis or netting!
9. Luffa
Luffa is a great climbing plant that grows the best in warm climates. It needs sturdy support to grow well, so it’s not an ideal garden specimen for many people who live in temperate zones.
10. Snowpeas
For a taste of summer in the middle of winter, plant snow peas. These cool-season vegetables are surprisingly frost tolerant and can be grown on trellis or wire to maximize their yield.
11. Chayote
Chayote is a small pear shaped climbing vegetable. It’s native to warm tropical or sub-tropical climates, but can be grown in some more temperate regions if you give it enough water and sunlight. Chayotes are most often eaten raw with dip as part of an appetizer platter; they have a mild flavor that goes well with dips like hummus, guacamole, salsa verde and chimmichurri sauce!
12. Gourd
Gourds are great for bringing a different texture and aesthetic to the garden. Growing gourds over an arbor or pergola can be especially beautiful, but these plants prefer warm climates like southern Arizona where they may take up to 6 months before being ready for harvest.
13. Perennial Cucumber
This vegetable is best grown vertically. Once the delicate vines reach a trellis, they cling to it easily and continue their climb skyward.
14. Pumpkin
Growing pumpkins is not always easy. Some will need a sling or hammock to support their weight while others can grow in containers with the right soil and sunlight conditions.