Whether you're downsizing your gardens this year or just have less space to work with, plan to grow a number of crops vertically this season. There are a number of vegetables and flowers that grow well vertically that go beyond just cucumbers, peas, gourds and pole beans.
More from Vermont Public: If your garden space is small, try growing vertically
Whether you've got a trellis, an obelisk, a pergola or an arch that gets plenty of sun, grow some things vertically this season for a variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables.
Vegetables that grow vertically
Crops like cucamelons are the perfect example of things that grow well vertically in a small space. They are grape-sized fruits that look like tiny watermelons. You can eat them fresh or even pickle them, and they don't have many problems with disease or insects.
Climbing summer squash like Golden Crookneck and zucchinis like Incredible Escalator are two summer squashes that can be trellised up with plant ties up on a fence. The Italian vining squash called Tromboncino also grows well in our region.
And some winter squashes can also grow vertically, as well. Even greens, like Malabar spinach, can be grown vertically. This one is a tropical green with dark green leaves, red stems and petioles that taste like regular spinach.
Flowers that grow vertically (and attract pollinators!)
If you want to include flowers in your smaller garden spaces, there are many annual flowers that fit the bill.
These can add interest and color to your space, like two in the morning glory family: cypress vines and cardinal climbers. These grow vigorously with serrated leaves, and their trumpet-shaped red flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds.
Thunbergia or black eyed Susan vine is a less aggressive vine than the aforementioned ones, and it grows well in a container, too. This one blossoms into striking white, yellow or golden-colored flowers that bloom from summer to fall.
Another mid-summer to fall bloomer and aggressively growing flower is the cup-and-saucer vine. This one grows 2-inch purple flowers. And the yellow canary creeper blossoms all summer and its flowers have a bird-like appearance that hummingbirds really love.
How to tend a wild raspberry patch
Q: I'm in Bennington and have wild black raspberries. Is there anything I should or shouldn't do to help them along? I'd love to get more this year. - Alex, in Bennington
A: Both wild raspberries and blackberries will produce some fruit for you. The only downside is that a lot of wild berry patches have viruses in them, so the fruits tend not to grow very big or be of great quality, but you can still eat the berries.
Take your mower or rotary cutter and create 2-foot diameter rows in the berry patch.
From there, clean out the rows, remove dead branches and bring in wood chips or compost and lay that down.
Keep the patch well-watered and hopefully you'll get a nice crop. It won't be as good as planting a disease-free, cultivated variety, but you'll still get some berries!
Best materials for long-lasting raised beds
Q: I’d like to build a raised bed for a vegetable garden, but making a wood frame that’ll last years seems expensive. I know we shouldn’t use pressure treated lumber and galvanized bed frames because they can leach into the soil. What would you suggest? - Tom, in Exeter, NH
A: Wood does, indeed, rot and you're right — you should avoid pressure-treated wood, as it contains chemicals that could get into the soil.
For a sturdier, long-lasting wood option, try 2-inch diameter hemlock and spruce boards. They last about 10 years, or try cedar, which will last even longer.
Beyond wood, there are a lot of other material options. You can use stone, brick, cinder blocks, even rocks to make low stone walls for a raised bed.
Metal is also very trendy right now for raised beds, and even some plastic woods used for decking can work well. They are much safer than the pressure-treated ones, and they'll last a long time and continue to look good.
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