Winter is coming! And the months when we’re less active planting and harvesting are a great time to strategize for next year’s garden. One of the tasks you might plan over the winter (or actually complete, if the weather is forgiving enough) is improving the vertical structures in your vegetable garden.
Growing vertically has a number of advantages, including:
- Saving horizontal space, allowing you to grow more in a limited area;
- Keeping plants off the ground, helping to prevent diseases transmitted via soil;
- Allowing for better air circulation, limiting fungal disease;
- Keeping the harvest out of reach of animals;
- Making the harvest easier for humans to reach without bending.
It can also add visual interest to your garden. Many plants benefit from (or can be persuaded to appreciate) vertical support, including pole beans, cucumbers, melons, squash, tomatoes, and any other crop that has a vine or floppy stem.