We Started Growing Our Vegetables Vertically & This Is What Happened
Melissa K. Norris - Modern Homesteading・19 minutes read
Vertical gardening is a space-saving and disease-preventing method, using structures like hog panels and metal T-posts for support and growth of various crops like cucumbers, tomatoes, and pole beans. The system also allows for multiple crops in one space, such as brussels sprouts and black cherokee beans, and is ideal for areas prone to fungal diseases like high tunnels converted from carports.
Insights
- Vertical gardening maximizes space efficiency and reduces maintenance, preventing fungal diseases in plants like cucumbers and tomatoes by increasing airflow and utilizing protective coverings.
- Implementing a sturdy trellis system using hog panels and T-posts is crucial for successful vertical gardening, supporting various crops like pole beans, tomatoes, and grapevines effectively while allowing for multiple crops in one space.
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Recent questions
What are the benefits of vertical gardening?
Vertical gardening is advantageous for individuals with limited space or dealing with fungal diseases. It allows for efficient space utilization and reduced maintenance, preventing issues like downy or powdery mildew on plants such as cucumbers and tomatoes due to increased airflow. Additionally, vertical gardening enables multiple crops to be grown in one space, maximizing productivity.
What materials are used for an effective trellis system in vertical gardening?
A trellis system in vertical gardening can be constructed using 16-foot hog panels and 4-foot metal T-posts. These materials provide sturdy support for plants like pickling cucumbers, pole beans, and tomatoes, ensuring proper growth and preventing damage from fungal diseases.
How can pickling cucumbers be supported in vertical gardening?
Pickling cucumbers can be planted on the outside of a trellis system and supported using bailing twine or jute twine. This method helps the cucumbers grow vertically, maximizing space and reducing the risk of fungal diseases like downy or powdery mildew.
What crops can be grown behind trellises in vertical gardening?
Behind trellises in vertical gardening, crops like brussels sprouts and black cherokee beans can be grown. This allows for efficient use of space and provides additional yield from the same area, enhancing the overall productivity of the garden.
What structures are recommended for areas prone to fungal diseases in vertical gardening?
High tunnels, such as converted metal carports with greenhouse plastic, are recommended for areas susceptible to fungal diseases. These structures provide an ideal environment for crops like tomatoes, offering protection against issues like blight and ensuring successful growth and harvest.
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Summary
00:00
Maximizing Space with Vertical Gardening Techniques
- Vertical gardening is beneficial for those with limited space or battling fungal diseases, allowing for more efficient use of space and reduced maintenance.
- A trellis system using 16-foot hog panels on 4-foot metal T-posts is effective for vertical gardening.
- Pickling cucumbers are planted on the outside of the trellis, utilizing bailing twine or jute twine for support.
- Vertical gardening prevents fungal diseases like downy or powdery mildew on plants like cucumbers and tomatoes due to increased airflow.
- Plastic coverings on hog panels protect tomatoes from blight caused by overhead watering or rainfall.
- Pole beans thrive on tall trellises, ensuring proper growth and preventing sliding down with the use of hog panels.
- Metal T-posts are sturdy and ideal for various trellising structures, like welded rectangular fencing for snow peas.
- Heirloom tar heel green pole beans are grown on hog panels, while shelled pole beans are supported on eight-foot hog panels.
- Vertical gardening allows for multiple crops in one space, with brussels sprouts and black cherokee beans grown behind the trellises.
- High tunnels, like converted metal carports with greenhouse plastic, are recommended for areas prone to fungal diseases, providing an ideal environment for crops like tomatoes.
13:25
"Enhancing Structures for Tomato and Grape Growth"
- Due to damage from a windstorm, extra support was added to the structure using additional beams and wire to reinforce the poles.
- Three rows of tomatoes were planted, with cherry tomatoes, Cherokee tomatoes, and San Marzano lungos being grown, all of which are indeterminate and can reach up to six feet in height.
- Trellising the tomato plants by tying them up has proven more effective than using tomato cages, especially for tall and fruit-heavy plants.
- A vertical trellising system was implemented for grapevines, providing shade and space efficiency, with grapes ready for harvest around mid-September, benefiting from protection against fungal diseases in the structure.
