One of the best ways to make efficient use of space in a vegetable patch, especially in a small space garden, is to make the most of the vertical space available. Allowing vines such as cucumbers and other sprawling plants such as indeterminate tomatoes to lie on the ground can be unhealthy for the plant, allowing soil-borne organisms and dampness to damage the plant as it bears fruit. Building supports for climbing vegetable plants eliminates these risks to the plant, and adds a lot of interest and shape to the garden!
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Supports for climbing vegetable plants can be fashioned from all kinds of different materials. Although wood and bamboo are traditionally used, keep an open mind and consider using some non-traditional materials to construct interesting climbing structures. For example, old, brightly painted broom handles make excellent stakes when the old broom head is cut off. Old-fashioned tomato cages are super supports for eggplant and peppers, too. Use pipe cleaners, twine, yarn, Velcro, old strips torn from t-shirts or nylon stockings to tie stems to the stakes.
A tall tripod is a functional and beautiful support for climbing beans. Wrap twine around the legs of the tripod to add additional support to the structure, and provide additional surface area for the tendrils of ornamental or edible pea plants to cling to. Push bamboo posts deeply into the ground, and bind them at the top with garden twine or wire. Sow runner beans and peas directly around the base of each pole, encouraging them to climb as soon as they begin to emerge.
Stakes are ideal for supporting tomatoes, eggplant and peppers. Old bits of lumber also make excellent stakes if one end is cut into a point. Use a hammer or mallet to drive the stake into the ground, ensuring it is sturdily embedded. Heavy plants can pull a weak stake out of the ground. Use bamboo, broom handles, thick, fallen branches or pieces of pipe for stakes. If esthetics are a concern, rest assured that as the vegetable plants grow, the stake will become hidden by greenery.
A piece of fence lattice is inexpensive to purchase at local building supply stores. Affix a portion of lattice to a fence, and allow climbing vegetable plants to scramble up. Consider allowing runner beans to climb the downspout. A trellis can also be created by hammering nails into the bottom and top of a fence, then wrapping jute or garden twine around the nails, creating a web for climbers to wind around.
Old pieces of furniture, when left out to weather, are wonderful supports for climbing vegetable plants. An old wooden ladder, placed strategically in the garden, is perfect for supporting climbing edible nasturtiums or fruiting gourds. An old rocking chair would be a charming place for a growing pumpkin to ripen!
Providing support for climbing vegetable plants is not only healthier for the plant and growing fruit, but more visually appealing. Supporting climbing vegetable plants allows the gardener to take full advantage of the space he or she has to grow plants in. Visitors to the garden will exclaim their delight at the originality shown when clever use is made of unusual structures.
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