Courgettes up the pole

[piskieinboots]

I heard that you can grow courgettes up poles in a wigwam kind of way. Anyone done this? What height canes are needed?

I've just planted out three courgettes at base of three canes which are approx 3' high and meet at the top. Any good or am I way off beam?

[HeyWayne]

I think they firstly need to be sprawling varieties - not sure it'd work with bush types. I thought you had to provide a trellis kind of setup as they have tendrils much like peas which will grab the structure...

I guess it works with squashes too?

Again, I'm probably way off, but it sounds sensible in my head.

[Janna]

You can do any of the trailing ones, I love vertical gardening and have tried it with manby things.
Have you tried tromboncino? My mum gave me some last year, they climb great up a wigwam with some wire or string around it for a bit of purchase. They are like corgettes but look a bit rude! I had a great crop and they were hilarious to give to friends too. (Childish Janna!)
I did some of those tiny pumpkins too, I didn't get many fruits(I had no idea what I was doing) but they looked fab and tasted great.
I'm trying to climb loads of different squashes this year, I have so much fun experimenting in the garden. Let me know how it goes?

[Two_Sheds]

Don't know. All the courgettes I've ever grown have been bush types, which don't climb or need support.

[Harry T]

Well this year I am going to try cucumbers climbing up a wigwam. But courgettes? won't they be a bit heavy? This will need a sturdy structure surely?

[TonyF]

You can grow any of the vine type veggies/fruits on frames, up wigwams etc, all you have to do is to make sure that the structure is high enough and robust enough to take the weight.

At Wisley the RHS grow small melons up frames and that's what I'm doing this year, along with butternut squashes (in a fruit tunnel), cucumbers and courgettes but the round ones.

Suzie, if the courgettes are the climbing/sprawling types, they need to be 6' high and you need to be able to get at the fruit and pick regularly and while they're young because of their weight and size.

[mcsee]

I grew Japanese Climbing Cucumbers during our season which has now finished, but like Two Sheds, have only seen bush type Courgettes.

My cucumbers grew up a trellis about 1.2 metre high and managed quite well.

[valmarg]

The courgette variety Black Forest is a climbing variety. It grows up netting and trellis. We have bought our seed from Mr Fothergills, but I understand T&M now stock them as well. Can recommend them.

valmarg