Growing Up

I spent the weekend assembling trellises for my vining vegetables. The tomatoes are doing so well (so far) that I added additional supports. Fingers crossed, especially after the abysmal tomato summer we had last year! I already feel an impending sense of doom about them. But for now, they are producing, with the first currant tomatoes picked this week (a bird got the first ripe one, as always)..

I tried to get creative with the twine for the trellis for the Mexican sour gherkins, but this was likely not the most efficient solution.

I used this wooden ladder-type trellis (below left) for my delicata squash last year, and it worked quite well. Unfortunately the delicata were not as resistant to the squash vine borer as these tatume squash seem to be.

It may be wishful thinking to suppose these black eyed pea plants (above right) are mature enough that the rabbits won't eat them. I just let the twine dangle and the vines will eventually latch on.


For my lima beans and small red beans, I purchased these plastic poles for a teepee trellis, which will get wrapped in twine.

And last but not least is my passion flower wall, which saw the addition of two new trellises (you can tell because they are not weathered). I can't wait for it to be filled with that unruly vine. I screwed them to the wall instead of sticking them in the soil, as they get that high and more, plus the plants at the base obscure the bottom.

Growing vertically is a great way to maximize space, also ensure air circulation for healthy plants, and make harvest easier. I also like the way it adds structure to the garden.