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Building a wooden trellis for a vegetable garden to maximize growing space.
Video:
https://www.marthastewart.com/916719/building-trellis-vegetable-gardening
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The Vegetable Plants for a Trellis
Vegetables like beans, cucumbers, melons, peas, squash and tomatoes grow well on trellises.
Planting vegetables vertically using a trellis offers advantages to gardeners beyond saving space. Managing pests and harvesting are easier because vegetable plants are more accessible. Fewer vegetables are wasted because ripe fruit are not hidden behind lush foliage, and trellised vegetables can be used to hide less attractive garden spots. Varieties of common garden vegetables are well-suited to trellis planting.
Beans and Peas
Peas and pole varieties of beans are natural climbers, making them excellent choices for use with a trellis. Tendrils from their plants easily twine around trellis supports, which can be fashioned from lightweight netting, wire or compostable cord made of untreated cotton, hemp or sisal. When selecting pea plants for trellising, look for varieties that produce longer vines, such as edible-pod or snow peas, rather than shelling or English peas. Any pole, or runner, bean plant will grow well on a trellis; scarlet runner beans are one recommended variety because of their attractive red flowers. An added bonus is that trellised pole beans produce longer than bush varieties.
Cucumbers
The cucumber is another traditional vine vegetable that grows well on a trellis. In fact, cucumbers grown on a trellis can have cleaner, straighter fruit than plants left to grow on the ground. Because of their small size, cucumbers do not require additional support beyond the trellis itself. However, the trellis must be sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the vines as well as the fruit. Gardeners should look for trellises with wire or mesh support reinforced with wooden or iron stakes.
Squash and Melons
Squash and melon plants, which typically require a lot of garden space, can be grown vertically using a trellis, provided that small fruit-producing varieties -- with fruit in the 4- to 6-pound range -- are used. For example, small squash varieties like acorn or delicata need no additional support besides the trellis. For varieties that produce larger, heavier squash or melons, individual slings or hammock-like supports are required to keep fruit from breaking off the vine. These additional supports can be made from cotton or nylon cloth, diapers or pantyhose. Trellised squash and melon plants have fewer problems with mildew and other disease because sun exposure and air circulation are improved.
Tomatoes
Tomato plants are not natural climbers; however, indeterminate varieties will continue to grow and sprawl throughout the growing season, which makes these tomatoes good choices for trellising. Vertical support must be strong, sturdy and well-staked because fruit-laden tomato plants are heavy. In addition, wire or twine may be needed to tie stems and branches to the trellis frame. Like squash and melons, tomato plants benefit from vertical growing, as fruits are less likely to rot on the ground. Trellised tomato plants also have fewer problems with slugs, insect pests and disease.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/vegetable-plants-trellis-51001.html
Video:
https://www.marthastewart.com/916719/building-trellis-vegetable-gardening
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The Vegetable Plants for a Trellis
Vegetables like beans, cucumbers, melons, peas, squash and tomatoes grow well on trellises.
Planting vegetables vertically using a trellis offers advantages to gardeners beyond saving space. Managing pests and harvesting are easier because vegetable plants are more accessible. Fewer vegetables are wasted because ripe fruit are not hidden behind lush foliage, and trellised vegetables can be used to hide less attractive garden spots. Varieties of common garden vegetables are well-suited to trellis planting.
Beans and Peas
Peas and pole varieties of beans are natural climbers, making them excellent choices for use with a trellis. Tendrils from their plants easily twine around trellis supports, which can be fashioned from lightweight netting, wire or compostable cord made of untreated cotton, hemp or sisal. When selecting pea plants for trellising, look for varieties that produce longer vines, such as edible-pod or snow peas, rather than shelling or English peas. Any pole, or runner, bean plant will grow well on a trellis; scarlet runner beans are one recommended variety because of their attractive red flowers. An added bonus is that trellised pole beans produce longer than bush varieties.
Cucumbers
The cucumber is another traditional vine vegetable that grows well on a trellis. In fact, cucumbers grown on a trellis can have cleaner, straighter fruit than plants left to grow on the ground. Because of their small size, cucumbers do not require additional support beyond the trellis itself. However, the trellis must be sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the vines as well as the fruit. Gardeners should look for trellises with wire or mesh support reinforced with wooden or iron stakes.
Squash and Melons
Squash and melon plants, which typically require a lot of garden space, can be grown vertically using a trellis, provided that small fruit-producing varieties -- with fruit in the 4- to 6-pound range -- are used. For example, small squash varieties like acorn or delicata need no additional support besides the trellis. For varieties that produce larger, heavier squash or melons, individual slings or hammock-like supports are required to keep fruit from breaking off the vine. These additional supports can be made from cotton or nylon cloth, diapers or pantyhose. Trellised squash and melon plants have fewer problems with mildew and other disease because sun exposure and air circulation are improved.
Tomatoes
Tomato plants are not natural climbers; however, indeterminate varieties will continue to grow and sprawl throughout the growing season, which makes these tomatoes good choices for trellising. Vertical support must be strong, sturdy and well-staked because fruit-laden tomato plants are heavy. In addition, wire or twine may be needed to tie stems and branches to the trellis frame. Like squash and melons, tomato plants benefit from vertical growing, as fruits are less likely to rot on the ground. Trellised tomato plants also have fewer problems with slugs, insect pests and disease.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/vegetable-plants-trellis-51001.html
