20 Veggies & Fruits You Should Grow Vertically

Growing fruits and vegetables vertically is an excellent way to maximize space, enhance garden aesthetics, and improve yields. Trellises, arbors, and other vertical structures can transform even the smallest garden areas into productive and beautiful spaces. This method helps manage plant health and ease of harvest and adds a lovely visual element to your garden.

Imagine walking underneath an arched trellis with foot-long beans or butternut squash hanging overhead. This adds a whimsical and aesthetic aspect to your garden alongside the extremely practical. And it’s not just for small spaces, though small spaces absolutely need to grow vertically to maximize efficiency.

Discover the best varieties of fruits and vegetables that thrive when grown vertically, and learn how to make the most of your garden space.

What Is Vertical Gardening?

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Vertical gardening is a technique in which crops are grown upwards rather than horizontally across the ground. This method utilizes various structures such as trellises, towers, and stacked containers to support plant growth.

While often associated with small urban spaces where traditional gardening is limited, vertical gardening also offers significant advantages for those with ample space. It allows for more efficient use of large areas, enabling gardeners to diversify plantings and increase yield per square foot without expanding their plot size.

Our 3-acre homestead is big enough for a massive garden plot that can grow all the vegetables and fruits my family needs. However, we still utilize vertical growing and trellises significantly because the benefits extend way beyond space.

Benefits Of Growing Vertically

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Maximizing Space: One of the primary advantages of vertical gardening is its space efficiency. This approach allows gardeners to produce a significant amount of crops in a limited area, making it ideal for small balconies, patios, or urban gardens. For those with larger plots, it means the ability to grow more in the same space.

Easier Harvesting: Vertical gardening raises plants off the ground, which makes them more accessible. This height advantage reduces the need for bending and stooping, making harvesting less physically demanding. It’s also easier to see the vegetables off the ground and not hidden by leaves and vines.

Reduced Pest and Disease Risk: Elevating plants helps reduce their exposure to many ground-borne pests and limits the spread of soil pathogens. This can result in healthier plants.

Aesthetics: Have you ever seen a beautiful arched trellis loaded with growing plants? It’s beautiful. Vertical gardens can also enhance a space’s visual appeal and make our gardens beautiful places to spend time in. They can be used to create living walls and green facades, adding a touch of nature to urban environments and sprawling homesteads alike.

Let’s get into the best vegetables for vertical gardening and trellising.

Pole Beans & Bush Beans

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Pole beans are an obvious choice as they will grow very long vines that really need trellising.

Pole beans flourish on tall trellises or teepee structures, ideally 6 to 8 feet high, made from sturdy materials like wood or metal. Three bamboo stakes in a tee-pee formation are a popular and effective choice. These vigorous climbers need sun exposure and consistent moisture to produce a bountiful harvest. Trellising pole beans saves space, simplifies picking, and reduces pest and disease issues by improving air circulation around the plants.

Unique varieties like Chinese red noodle beans, which can grow to a foot long, look especially striking if allowed to grow across an arched trellis.

Bush beans can be grown in vertically stacked containers on your patio, balcony, or garden tower. I like to grow bush beans in every spare bit of space I have because they’re low-maintenance and productive—on top of being delicious and useful food.

Recipe: Rustic Green Bean Soup {Mahuna}

Cucumbers

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Growing cucumbers on a trellis makes a lot of sense for this plant, which has massive vines and long fruits and is more susceptible to disease when allowed to sprawl.

Cucumbers require a strong trellis with large openings, about 5 to 6 feet tall, to support their weight as the fruits grow. They thrive in full sun and need regular watering, especially when forming fruits. A vertical setup helps prevent diseases like powdery mildew by keeping the leaves and fruits off the ground and improves the quality of the cucumbers by preventing them from curving.

Some varieties of cucumber (pickling types) are short and stocky and do best in a cage or staked.

See Also: How To Grow Cucumbers In Raised Beds and my recipe for German Cucumber Salad which I will make all season long — it’s so good.

Cucamelons

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A tiny fruit resembling a mini melon that tastes like a cucumber (sorta), the cucamelon grows incredibly long and bushy vines that can quickly get out of control. Grow them vertically instead.

Cucamelons grow well on netting or any lightweight trellis that allows their delicate vines to climb. These plants benefit from full sun and consistent watering. The small, grape-sized fruits resembling miniature watermelons hang from the vines, making them easier to harvest when grown vertically. A trellis about 4 to 5 feet tall is typically sufficient.

Gourds

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Gourds like loofah are perfectly grown on a trellis.

They are much easier to harvest, and their long meandering vines are easily drawn to the support system of a vertical garden, where they will grow in a much neater and tidy fashion.

Due to the weight of some varieties, gourds require very sturdy trellises. An A-frame or strong wooden trellis at least 6 feet tall can support the vines and the developing gourds. They also need a sunny location and ample space for air to circulate around the fruits, which helps prevent disease and promotes even ripening.

Malabar Spinach

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The vines of malabar spinach can reach up to 20 feet — or more. This plant is also not technically spinach though it does resemble spinach and has a similar flavor.

Malabar spinach is a heat-loving plant that thrives on a simple trellis or vertical wire frame. It prefers full sun or partial shade and ample moisture. As it climbs, it creates a dense leafy coverage. This plant is excellent for vertical growth as it uses minimal ground space and provides abundant leaves for continual harvesting throughout the summer.

Melons

Melon in sling growing on trellis.
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Melons need strong, secure trellises with slings to support the heavy fruits as they mature. An ideal trellis would be at least 5 to 6 feet tall and made of robust material capable of holding the weight of mature melons. Full sun exposure and regular, deep watering encourage healthy growth and fruit development.

Creating slings for the fruit from netting, fabric, or even old pantyhose can help support the weight of the fruit as it matures. This method not only saves space but also promotes better air circulation around the fruit, reducing the risk of disease.

Nasturtium

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Nasturtiums are more flexible regarding the type of vertical support and can grow on light trellises or even cascade beautifully from hanging baskets. They prefer full sun to partial shade and can tolerate poorer soils, which actually encourage more blooms. These plants add a burst of color to vertical gardens and their edible flowers, seed pods, and leaves offer a peppery addition to salads.

Recipe: Make a Pretty Summer Salad of Nasturtium Leaves & Flowers

Peas

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There are different varieties of snap peas and some can grow as tall as 8-10 feet, making them a great vegetables for vertical gardening.

Peas need support like a trellis or netting about 4 to 6 feet tall. They prefer cooler temperatures and can be one of the first plants sown in spring. Regular watering is essential, especially as the pods begin to fill. Vertical growing keeps the pods clean and makes them easier to pick.

Peas are also very well suited to growing on a tee-pee trellis which can be as easy as three cheap bamboo stakes.

Pumpkins

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Smaller pumpkin varieties are suitable for vertical growing with strong trellises equipped with slings for fruit support. These plants require a sturdy structure as the fruits develop. Full sun and ample soil moisture are critical for pumpkin growth, and a vertical setup can help reduce the footprint these sprawling plants typically require.

Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin & Mushroom Risotto

Tomatoes

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Tomatoes are best supported by cages or tall, sturdy trellises that can accommodate their type—indeterminate varieties, for example, can grow quite tall (6 feet or more). They need full sun and regular watering to maintain consistent soil moisture, which is vital for preventing issues like blossom end rot. Vertical growing makes for easier harvesting and better disease management.

Tomato trellising and pruning are an art form in themselves and rife with controversy and strong opinions in the gardening world, so I won’t say much more about them here.

Learn More: 15 Secrets To Growing Killer Tomatoes This Season

Tomatillos

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Tomatillos will do well with vertical support to contain their sprawling growing mass. This is another plant that needs pruning attention, or it may get out of hand.

Tomatillos, similar to tomatoes, require robust support such as cages or trellises around 5 to 6 feet tall. These plants need full sun and regular watering to produce their fruit, which is enclosed in a papery husk. Vertical growth helps keep the fruit clean and reduces the space needed for their typically sprawling growth habit.

Summer Squash

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Summer squash varieties, including Zucchini, Yellow Crookneck, and Pattypan, adapt well to vertical gardening. By using a trellis at least 5 feet tall, you can encourage these plants to grow upwards, which not only saves ground space but also keeps the squash off the ground, reducing the risk of soil-borne diseases and pests.

Training them up a trellis also makes the fruits easier to spot and harvest when they are ready. Ensure the plants receive full sun and regular watering, particularly during periods of rapid growth and fruit development.

Winter Squash

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Winter squash varieties, such as Butternut, Acorn, and Spaghetti squash, also benefit from vertical gardening. These heavier fruits do require sturdy trellises and support slings to manage their weight as they mature.

Using a strong trellis around 6 to 8 feet tall will help keep the plants supported as they climb. Vertical growing keeps the squash off the damp ground, significantly reducing the likelihood of rot and deterring pests. Positioning these plants in full sun and ensuring they have ample water, especially during fruit setting and growth, will support healthy development.

This vertical method not only conserves valuable garden space but also simplifies harvesting and improves air circulation around the plants, promoting better overall plant health.

How To Support Heavy Fruits On A Trellis

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Start by choosing a robust trellis made of metal or thick wood, which can handle the weight of mature fruits. Cattle or hog panels with t-posts are fantastic and what we use. Ensure it is well-anchored to withstand the load without toppling over.

For fruits like melons, pumpkins, and winter squash, create support slings using soft materials such as old t-shirts or pantyhose. These slings help distribute the weight evenly and prevent strain on the vines.

Attach the slings securely to the trellis and adjust them as the fruits grow to ensure they provide adequate support without constricting the plant. As the plants climb, guide their vines up the trellis and tie them loosely if necessary to encourage upward growth.

Vertical Gardening Systems

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What if your space is extremely limited? What if you live in a condo? Or have a tiny backyard or just a deck?

Vertical gardening is a versatile solution for those with limited space, such as a small balcony or courtyard. By utilizing a south-facing wall, gardeners can attach a trellis to maximize sun exposure for climbing plants like beans and cucumbers. This setup not only utilizes vertical space but also benefits from the wall’s retained heat, which can extend the growing season.

Tower gardens are another efficient vertical gardening system, especially suitable for herbs, lettuces, and small vegetables. These tower setups often incorporate hydroponic systems, allowing plants to grow in water and nutrients without soil, which can be ideal for very compact spaces.

Wall planters provide a way to grow plants on the exterior walls of a home or balcony railing. These containers can be arranged in a variety of configurations, accommodating everything from ornamental flowers to culinary herbs and small vegetables. They make gardening possible in areas where ground space is nonexistent.

Additionally, using existing fences for vertical gardening can transform a mundane boundary into a lush, productive garden area. Climbing plants such as peas, vine tomatoes, and even some types of squash can be trained to grow up fences, making use of space that might otherwise go unused.

7 Bonus Crops To Grow Vertically

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  1. Kiwi Fruit: Hardy kiwi vines require a strong trellis and can produce a large yield when properly supported.
  2. Passion Fruit: Another vigorous vine, passion fruit needs a sturdy trellis to support its growth and can yield a substantial amount of fruit.
  3. Grapes: Ideal for trellises, grape vines produce fruit and create a beautiful and functional canopy over a garden or patio area.
  4. Hops: Often grown for brewing beer, hops are climbing vines that require vertical space to thrive and are ideally suited to being grown on tall trellises. Did you know that the pioneers used to make a sourdough starter leaven with hops to make bread? You do now.
  5. Runner Beans: Similar to pole beans, runner beans also climb and can produce a plentiful harvest when grown vertically.
  6. Bitter Melon: Known for its distinctive flavor and medicinal properties, it grows well on a trellis, keeping the fruits off the ground and reducing disease exposure.
  7. Chayote: This squash variety is a vigorous climber that benefits from trellis support to facilitate easier harvesting and healthier growth.

Vertical gardening is a great strategy for maximizing limited garden space, improving plant health, and simplifying maintenance and harvesting. By growing upwards, gardeners and homesteaders can make the most of small areas, reduce pest and disease problems, and enhance the beauty of their gardens.

It just makes sense.

The Best Survival Garden Crops

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Learn More: Ultimate Survival Garden Guide {27 Best Crops}

Edible Perennials For Self-Sufficiency

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Learn More: 19 Edible Perennials To Grow For Self-Sufficiency

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