Cucurbits, a plant group that includes squash, pumpkins and melons, can be grown vertically. The thin tendrils on the vine grab and cling onto a trellis or arbor. They won’t, however, climb up a flat wall.
This year I tried growing one cucumber up an old trellis plunged into a half wine barrel. So far that one plant is producing lots of healthy cucumbers far away from slimy slugs and wet soil. I worried about how well the heavy fruits would last hanging by a stem but the cucumbers, even the not-picked-soon-enough ones, stayed on the vine fine. I’m guessing heavier pumpkins and squash might require some support. I found at least one company happy to sell slings for such purposes, but the more ingenious and frugal gardener could probably rig something up.
Yes, yes I know: Too late for you this season. But you can look for trellises on end of season sales, and keep this one in mind for next year.
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