Hey! By the way… TheEdibleTerrace is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission and as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks in advance for your support!
If you have limited outdoor space, you might want to make the most out of the garden by growing things vertically and limiting the size of flower beds. Trailing plants are not only beautiful, but they can also provide you with the shade you need on hot summer days. Below you will find a few tips on how to make the most out of your vertical garden and still grow loads of organic food at home.
Trailing Varieties
First, you will have to choose trailing varieties of plants, if you can. They will be able to support themselves without you having to tie them up. Cucumber is very easy to grow vertically, if you have the right place for them to climb onto. Likewise, peas and beans can run up a post, a fence, or even a tree or any other garden structure. You can grow your pumpkins in containers and make them climb up a supporting bamboo cane.
Trellis
If you are looking to create more shade and get a colorful vertical garden, you might want to make them climb the trellis. Decorate your walls with runner beans or other plants that will spread vertically and be able to support their own weight and the fruit or vegetables. You might be able to create your custom trellis to make it the size you want it to be, using a saw often used to cut trees as well as timber.
Climbing Plants for Pergola
Image via Milada Vigerova
To create a romantic and rustic garden and get more shade, you can make your plants climb onto a pergola. From grapes to kiwi and melons, there are plenty of things you can choose to grow, depending on your climate, the position of your pergola, and your taste. If you love passion fruit, you might be happy to find out that they can also be grown vertically. Some varieties of tomatoes can also be grown on pergolas.
Ladder Design
If you don’t have the space, only a small paved patio, you can still grow some fruit and vegetables. Get an old ladder and stack your pots of strawberry plants on it. They will benefit from more sunshine and grow better if you put the ladder in a sunny spot. Alternatively, you can create your own ladder design or step design garden that doesn’t take up more space than one square yard.
Clay Pots on A Rod
In case all the space you have is your balcony and you don’t want to give up your seating area, you might want to hang your clay pots on a rod and get some shade that way. Grow lettuce, cauliflower, peppers, chilies, tomatoes; anything that likes loads of light. This will not only be decorative, but also tasty, thanks to the direct sunshine your plants get.
Small space should not hold you back from creating a garden. Put these vertical gardening tips to good use, and you will be able to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the season.
