Gardens are not just about the area.
Those who don’t have the luxury of space, can still grow a lot by going vertical.
Now there is a new interest in having a living wall by hanging plants in pockets.
That is for another day!
But for backyard gardens and container gardens, adding another dimension takes intensive gardening to another level.
Problems with spreading vines
Letting the vines spread in the ground is not efficient. It simply wastes space.
Think pumpkin!
Then the problem with slugs on the ground, making holes.
harvesting is another headache for smaller fruits, hiding in the bush.
Without good airflow, all diseases spread in the wet leaves.
Yes, vines on trellises block the sunlight. So having them in north side is a good idea.
But for all the plants that bolt in the hot summer, like lettuce and spinach, trellises give shade and keep temperatures low. So you can harvest them all summer.
So going vertical brings so many benefits.
Walls and fences
Most gardens are naturally equipped for vertical gardening.
Of course, all gardens have fences and walls.
From beans to peas, tomatoes to melons, cucumbers to squashes, you can let all the vines to climb the fences.
Yes, it may lead to border disputes.
I had one the other day. My squashes took the liberty go to the other side and pollinate.
First, two were turned over to my side with the vines.
Then third one was pulled off the vine and landed on my side like a cannonball.
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For the container gardens, we have walls.
And for both, we have poles.
Poles can be as simple as branches from trees or as elaborate as trellises.
My neighbour takes all the branches from my trees and saves them for years. Beans are like a jungle in his garden.
Old 2 x 2s take care of tomatoes that grows more than six feets.
This summer he had an italian long squash on a peach tree that grew to more than 7 ft.
I was thinking long term and found a place to buy half inch galvanized pipes cheap.
And I found something efficient.
How to use Trellis Netting
That is trellis netting.
They are made of nylon. Hang them or tie them to poles and posts.
Let the vines grow on them.
Make the posts strong and put the netting overhead.
Now you have an arbour and can put your Muskoka chair under and relax.
Container gardeners can hang them on the wall and let the vines climb and make a green wall.
Or put poles inside the containers and run the netting between two poles. Now you a green wall blocking hot sun and peeking neighbours.
How to buy trellis netting
They are made of Nylon and tangle-free.
They come in white, green and other colors. I find white is easy to see in the garden.
They are strong enough to hold mid-size pumpkins. Plants will grow strong stems to support the hanging fruits.
They normally come in 15 and 30 ft in length and 5 ft high, though you can find other sizes as well.
Mesh sizes are between 3 inches and 8 inches.
You can’t put your hands through small meshes to pick that melon. So bigger mesh size is preferable.
Some of them are not rectangle, so it is hard to run them through posts.
How to hang them?
To put up trellis netting, you can tie them to your supports.
If you are using pipes, like me, hang and stretch them by running the pipes through the meshes by the side and up.
Stretch and fit them tight, so they don’t hang loose.
Loose nets will distribute the weight unevenly and collapse your supports.
You can cut them to size easily to suit your needs.
Taking care of netting
To get them last long, a little bit of care goes long way.
Do not leave them outdoors when not in use. Because they are made of artificial fibers, it will deteriorate in ultra violet rays of sun.
You can still grow vertical without netting.
But netting reduces annual work. They are one productive tool in your arsenal.
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Spread the word and share the love for gardening!
Please share this article with your garden-loving friends.
(Did I say we sell those trellis nettings in our store?)
Vertical gardening with trellis netting added by George R.C on
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