Some garden plants grow quite large and take up lots of space, like cucumbers and pumpkins. But summer squash — like zucchini and yellow crookneck — can be grown vertically if you have limited real estate in your garden. If you’re really cramped for usable garden space, or you just want to downsize, many summer squash plants do well if you train them to grow vertically.
Planting and growing in this manner has other benefits besides saving garden space. Your plants will have fewer insect and disease issues, and the produce will be easier to harvest because they’ll be at eye level and not hidden beneath large leaves and vines on the ground.
Summer squash varieties to grow vertically
Look for heirloom yellow and zucchini squash, like the yellow crookneck and the Incredible Escalators, which is a new variety from raised garden seeds. These zucchini plants grow vertically if you trellis them up. Try Trombocino for an Italian heirloom that grows well on a fence producing long, thin fruits.
Your trellis can be made from wire, metal or wood, as long as its sturdy, and use plant ties to attach the vine to the trellis. This method also helps if you’ve planted the squash in a shady spot in your garden; they’ll climb the trellis and find the sun.
You can also grow winter squash in the same way, but with winter squash, take care that you find and plant the “single serving” types — ones like honey nut, butternut squash or some of the delicata squash are good examples. They may need more support.
From All Things Gardening on Vermont Public
