Vertical growing?...are you making the most of it??

[Nicos]

We've mentioned this a few times in the past, but I was wondering if peeps are really making the most of their vertical surfaces?
That being fencing, plot boundaries etc....

In the UK we used to grow blackberries along the chicken wire fencing around our plot, and we still make climbing frames for beans .

I just wonder, if we shared ideas, we might come up with more ways of making the most of our growing space be it allotment or garden?

Do please share either piccies of your vertical planting or piccies of ideas which have caught your attention on t'internet....

[Jay-ell]

I have a support down the middle of the garden consisting of 8' tall fence posts with wires every 18" or so. On the bottom are the strawberries which are planted under the gooseberries and red currants. These are trained as triple cordons so they don't stick out. Above the bushes I'm training Kiwi and grape vines across the top wires.

The front fence of the New Territories is also 8' tall with a fenced lower section and wires between the posts with fence mesh on one side - again this will be for grapes and will be trained with vertical split canopies

There's an arch over the middle gate in th Jungle which I'm growing blackberries over, new canes will temporarily be ties onto the fence either side to be brought over the fence in feb. when I prune of the old canes.

Fruit trees and soft fruit under planted with strawberries and chives in the orchard at the front of the Jungle.

[Lumpy]

Climbing courgettes for the arch which has Honeysuckle on it.

Sugar snaps growing down from llarge wall baskets.

Strawbs in stacked tyres - saves alot of space.

[Penellype]

I'll be growing runner beans up my archway again and cucumbers up the fence. I've trays of strawberries on shelving above the brassicas and some strawberries in a hanging basket now that I have found a sensible bracket (it hooks over the concrete fence post).

I'm also planning growing some edibles on my front fence - peas are already in place and I have beans and nasturtiums coming along. I may also add chives and garlic chives depending on where there is room for them.

Spot the peas:



I'll also be growing a cucumber up the shelving in the little growhouse on the right of the fence.

[vixylix]

Love this thread!

My old house had a lot of fence and not alot of ground so I did alot of vertical growing from a combination of shelving, hanging baskets and pots which hung off the top of the fence (similar to P's).

My new house is the total opposite and has lots of ground and zero fencing. I am planning on putting some trellising up for peas and am growing runner beans (with canes) against the front wall of the house.

I will take more advantage of arches, wires etc in due course - but at the moment we're limited by dosh - and also by digging!

[Baldy]

I'll take a few piccies tomorrow but I'm going vertical baby...

My pergoda is a thing of wonder! (as in 'I wonder what the heck he's doing there?)

[Nannysally99]

We've got a bean frame attached to our neighbouring fence, conveniently 6' high and east facing

[Guest]

A year or so ago Hubby showed a pic of my veg patch to someone at work and they were amazed by the height of things. It is not something I have thought about or gone out of my way to do it has just been a knock on affect of other things. (We have allotments near us that only seem to be grown on in summer and are traditional rows with things growing to knee and waist high with a token net or tepee of runner beans - such a shame) Anyhoo

trained fruit along fence. Some teepees of sweet peas. Underplanted with perennial flowers.



Blackberry tunnel



Then the bean trees. They are a bit rustic this year.



Strawberry wall planters in the patio area. There are also some hung gutters of strabs in the gh.



There are several arches in the patch as well for squash, achocha etc.

[sparrow100]

Don't forget your sheds. I grow achocha up one wall of mine - it's south facing and sheltered so they have a whale of a time and produce basket upon basket of fruit.

I grow up wherever I can. Tayberries make great living fences and I am also training fruit trees as espaliers and fans around the plot boundary to make more productive 'walls'. The ends of beds either have small munties for beans or a small fence of mesh for something to scramble up. And my path has 3 arches for beans and sweetpeas.

[happyhumph]

Growing up can be tricky here due to the wind, but I have my new apple trees trained as cordons along a sheep net fence between the lawn and boat yard, achocha will be going along the fencing at the front between us and the neighbours (more sheep net!).

I have an arch over the path for peas & 2 more to go in, & a large a frame for beans & peas. Will be doing a few wigwams for beans and peas in the front as well.

Winter squash are going on top of the bank between us and the field the other side.

Have a long side of a garage that gets shade in summer so a long term project at some point in the future will be guttering for salad all along it...