The Value of Vertical Gardening

By Trisha Gedon, Oklahoma State University

First posted on 05-10-2011

If your gardening space is limited, you might just need to look up in order to expand.

One way to maximize your fruit and vegetable production is to go vertical, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension consumer horticulturist.

“If you use the air space above your raised garden bed you can really maximize your production,” Hillock said. “Plants grown vertically can be planted more closely together and produce more in the rich, friable soil of a properly managed raised bed. Vertical plants take up only a few inches of the surface soil so your raised bed can be intensely planted with low-growing vegetable plants.”

Be sure to orient the raised beds on a north-south axis to ensure the plant-laden trellises do not block the sun from lower growing plants as it moves from east to west across the garden during the day.
Cucumbers, pole beans, lima beans, peas, tomatoes, squash and melons are good choices for vertical gardening.

The one thing that will make or break your vertical gardening venture is the trellis system. While free-standing systems provide flexibility in placement, they tend to collapse part way through the season from the weight of the maturing crops.

Hillock suggests attaching the trellis to the planks that enclose the raised bed.

“This can make setting up and taking down the trellises quick and easy,” he said. “They also make it possible to have a flat trellis system that runs along either side of the bed that is stable, yet easily reconfigures to facilitate crop rotation.”

One tried and true method of fastening trellis poles to the wooden planks of boxed beds is to fasten foot-long lengths of PVC pipe, 1.5 inches to 2 inches in diameter, with plumber’s brackets at 4-foot intervals along the insides of the long sides of the bed. Dig the PVC pipe into the soil so the opening is flush with the top of the board. Sturdy vertical poles, wooden or PVC, up to 8 feet long, fit easily and quickly into the PVC pipe fixtures for instant stability.

“The first 12 inches sit in the raised bed below the soil level so the trellis is actually 7 feet tall, which is about the maximum reach for most adults,” Hillock said.

Next, cut 4-foot lengths of furring strips or similar 1 by 2 inch slats, to make crosspieces to make panels of trellis which fasten to the vertical poles at the top and bottom. The trellis itself may be hand-strung with wire or twine, or commercial netting made of nylon or plastic. Mesh with 4-inch or 6-inch holes allows for easy access when picking larger vegetables such as tomatoes.

Fasten it to the crosspieces with a staple gun to form panels that are easily mounted and removed from the vertical poles. This allows for easy removal and the netting can be rolled up and stored for next year.

Drill holes at the ends of the crosspieces and at the top and bases of the poles for attaching panels of trellis netting with screw bolts and wing nuts.

“Oftentimes people who want to put in a garden feel that they can’t because their outdoor space is very limited,” Hillock said. “Fortunately, with a raised bed and trellis system, you can enjoy fresh produce all summer long.”

Share | |