Grow Zucchini Vertically to Save Space And Boost Harvests

[@cajunman9997]

My grandfather was doing this 50 years ago. He also did this with his tomatoes and peppers. We was a tall man, 6’ 11” so it was common for him to have 10 foot single stem tomato plants. People asked why he did it that way, he said because he had no pest, no virus trouble and had a big family to feed. He could put more plants down a row.

[@Nono-hk3is]

And less bending over

[@marcelfischer1081]

Im doing this with my Tomates and Cucumbers too. They grow to my Neighboor that lives above me

[@kackmalwieder]

@@marcelfischer1081 haha lucky neighboor

[@trishdavi7049]

Sensible back saver

[@bakerwannabe4435]

@@marcelfischer1081that’s awesome. I only have a small balcony space and have neighbors below and above me. Do you plant yours in a container?

[@flatcreek4665]

I stuck a big tomato cage over my zucchini this Spring when I planted it and it’s doing great and climbing right up it.

[@dalepres1]

One of the most useful squash videos I have seen in a long while.

[@alcogito8287]

Terrific! I only have 72 sqft of raised bed garden so I need to find ways to grow UP. This is just what I needed to learn.

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

I tried this a few years ago and felt like I was constantly fighting the plant with no reduction in mildew. Growing zukes from the edge of the bed onto the path works better for me. 💚

[@MrMockigton]

yeah it is just how the plant wants to grow most of thr time. here in germany we have a rather common variety called a climbing zucchini. they grow straight up on their own and dont really need any support.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

That's what I do as well. And I just looked at my zucchini plants. The stalks are nowhere near as thick as the ones in the video. With my luck, I would break the stem trying to stake them up now and that would not be at all epic 😁 I may try just one next year to see if there is a difference.

[@FunCon15]

​@@MrMockigton Why do Courgettes Get Dieases So Quickly

[@MrMockigton]

@@FunCon15 because they are little sissies. in our climate it is usually no problem though, even when they are full of milldew they still produce. just cut the diseased leaves and you are good.

[@MyFocusVaries]

@@jeannamcgregor9967 I got an organic anti mildew spray that's working great for mildew on my zucchini, cukes AND I'm using it very successfully on salvia that was developing mildew.

[@Brisee76]

Started this method here in Perth , Western Australia and I love it !! A fabulous tip ! Easy to keep control and I’m doing it in big grow bags !! Love the result ❤

[@WhytePip]

I think i will try this method. The advantage that I see is that rainwater isnt as likely to pool in the pocket that is created when the hollow leaf stalk is cut off when it gets powdery mildew. You get a bit of breeze there which probably helps keep the plants dry too. I love how soft the soil appears when you almost effortlessly push the stake in the raised bed. Thanks for the ideas.

[@mirrorimages822]

can I use a trellis and tie it up the same manner

[@grandmothergoose]

Brilliant! Why isn't this common knowledge and the normal way to grow zucchinis and similar? Why did I not know of this until today? I am definitely going to use this method in the future.

[@meettheworld6241]

Lots of us have been growing everything vertically for years now... it kinda IS common knowledge at this point, lol

[@kathageeck1566]

There are even special climbing zucchini varieties such as 'ola escaladora', mine is growing up a rose arch.

[@sharonhoffer3599]

I’ve known this for a few years. We know what we know when we know it 😅

[@GaiaCarney]

It’s new to me, too!

[@123loveyourland]

Yeah this is totally new to me this year as well. I’ve never heard of anyone doing this method until a few months ago. Not common knowledge at all. But SUPER cool!! ❤

[@kackmalwieder]

I really like the aesthetic look of it and it frees up space underneath for beneficial plants or lettuces

[@leewolfe3895]

I've been doing this for years with squash and zuch....works great.

[@Angebaby1237]

Ahh. Perfect timing for this video. I’m a newbie veggie gardener and I planted my zuc’s way to close to my Brussels sprouts and leeks. This will help a ton. I do have pests that are the cauliflower but never touched the squash!! So yay!! Thank you for your awesome videos!!! ❤

[@carter_1]

FINALLY a channel that gives the right amount of info ❤

[@arthurzackaryabrin]

I'm growing Zucchini for the first time in my life. Due to space issues I wanted to do it vertically in a container and oh my gosh it works wonderfully. I have harvested already like 2 kilos worth of zucchini and my family love them!! I'm amazed at how fast they size up and the size of the flowers (and th eleaves honestly haha) is jaw dropping

[@Sssmaug]

Me too! Most of .my veggie garden lives in big tubs now, much easier to set up & maintain - especially if you have garden soil like mine that's just a mass of tree roots. 🙋🏼

[@tinkernaut8736]

Ive grown crookneck and zucchini on metal fence post before. It was a lot of work to keep it tied up. I eventually went back to growing it on the ground.

[@eigleenalegri2664]

Marvelous video, Kevin. A tip for using pipe: put an s hook on the top and you can tie twine to it and pre cut twine, attach and adjust the support system without needing to fetch twine and a blade. You can put an eye bolt through a series of pipes and anchor them to a fence post or something with fencing wire.

[@Mangstas]

I went outside just after watching this a few minutes ago and did this!!!! amazing and so much more room plus my pollinator flowers will get more sunlight

[@sosgardening]

Great video, especially showing that you can fix plants already sprawling. I found this method a few years back and have been experimenting whether I can also pot them and use tomato cages... you can but I would recommend more than one for the support these monster need!

[@trahtrebor]

Did this with my crookneck squash. Rascals were at least 7 foot tall. Nine plants in a 7ftx7ft bed. It was great! Easy to maintain and harvest.

[@MommyShareSpace]

Oh thank you! Planted zucchini for the first time this year. New gardener👋🏾. Got two nice ones , but then was trying all the wrong methods to help them to stay upright and I think I'll have to start over. This was very helpful!

[@Joes_Home_Garden]

I used tomato cages this year to do vertical, i might try this out next year!

[@Madchris8828]

Tomato cages are so useful for many different vegetables

[@glenn-perthwesternaustrali5916]

Brilliant - I love this idea and had never thought this could be done. The best thing about it is that the leaves are off the ground which will make that powdery mildew so much easier to control

[@garthtimmins2852]

A little tongue-in-cheek humor: Where I live, the Midnight Skulker leaves excess zucchini on people's porches in the middle of the night. Apparently he isn't concerned about boosting his harvest! LOL

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

The big advantage to staking squash is that you can soak the stem in Bt every week to prevent vine borers.

[@ruthrichardson1013]

Thank you 😊

[@tomrobards7753]

What is Bt ?

[@jannicegreenway1666]

What is bt?

[@TheBargainista101]

​@@tomrobards7753 Bacillus thurigenesis. It's a bacteria that kills caterpillars like the vine borers larva. Since it only harms caterpillars, it's considered safe for organic gardening and sold in places that sell gardening supplies.

[@wandaacat]

love this - am going to do that in my garden tomorrow :-) As to powdery mildew - I decided to spray with milk (1 part milk to 2 parts water) as soon as the plants started getting going, rather than wait for any mildew to show up - from past experience that is too late... I spray with organic milk every 2 weeks and have no sign of mildew... in the past it has been like a fur coat! I plan to try this approach with my peas next season - spray from the get go... crossing my fingers...

[@biolibraryfield9885]

Thanks for your tips. Appreciate them. A while ago I learned that you can add two minerals to the soil to get rid of the most common diseases. It is molybdenum and sulfur. I Tried it on my plants and after two weeks they were completely healthy.

[@eunifleur]

I love how simple and helpful these videos are. Thanks for the info!

[@abernathyrah3513]

Learned this trick 4 years ago from next level gardening and have been using it since.

[@mendynoma4272]

Me too! I actually had so much fun growing zucchini that year that my family rebelled and made me stop growing them!

[@suekelleher2786]

This is really good for Scotland where we don’t get as much sun. We call zucchini courgettes tho 😊

[@IvanSbavni]

Italian: Zucchine (plural). The "e" not the "i"

[@suekelleher2786]

@ sounds far more refined 😊

[@tpen891]

It great growing squash and zucchini up have done it for years. I use a tomato cage for mine, but then again I grow it in the fall when the vine borer is gone. Cutting off leaves in the spring here in the deep south open a calling card for the borer. However, growing up will help you find pest and get a harvest.

[@RebornBlueHaze]

I grew my squash and zucchinis vertically this year. They did well for my first time growing at all.

[@MikeOrazzi]

It may be too late for ours this year.

[@GrayHand-jz6ie]

Just to clarify, cutting the lower leaves is the trick. It forces the squash to grow upward. I've grown a ton of squash but I didn;t know that trick. I had a Cushaw attack a bush once. I had 15lb squash growing all over this bush. Thanks, I'm going to try that one. It frees up the grow space under the squash by letting in the light. The downside is squash shade weeds so it means more weeding doing it this way.

[@Pummers38]

I've been doing this for a bout 12 yrs, I use a 8' length of 5/8" rebar. I drive about 18"-20" into the ground and go from there.

[@Fulkersons]

I have been growing my squash and zucchini this way for a couple of years now. What a game changer. I use PVC pipe because it's what I had. When I water I fill the PVC. The one's with PVC stakes grow better than the ones I used wood stakes. I think it's the deep watering?

[@gypsy1111]

Yes some people say put a pipe next to the zucc when planting and water into the pipe instead of surface. Stops mildew from evaporation hitting all the lower leave

[@gypsy1111]

Some people say bury a vertical pipe 6 inches deep next to the zucc when planting and water into that. Prevents evaporation from the surface getting soaked into the leaves causing mildew. I grew zuccinis 7 months straight and only pulled them because I moved out

[@NerevarRain]

Gonna give this a go today! I've only got about 1.5 meter gap to grow my courgette in, so this is going to help a lot! Thanks for the video :)

[@MyFocusVaries]

I usually use a tomato cage or other trellis, but hadn't thought of using a basic stake. I like it!

[@P2Z_ColdBeans]

Man didn't realize how much I missed your old school simple videos. Hah I've finally gotten over pruning plants watching you hack away at them 😆

[@thebrunts1939]

This will help with getting rid of the old hide and seek the zucchini routine. I always miss one or two and end up with thumping torpedoes!! Lol

[@MalaMala-os2no]

me too haha having the same issue now

[@geoffb108]

You can scrape the insides out and make a caravan. I've always called the hidden monsters ....caravans.....😂

[@mickzammit6794]

I do this plus plant different varieties side by side. Heaps of zucchini every time. They also produce bi colour fruit by cross pollination.

[@genv8428]

I can't wait to try this, I keep seeing this. It makes more sense to keep it off the ground. Thanks for sharing!

[@LKerrTxn]

Yes it works. Not new to some of us. Enjoy

[@SusanMcMahon-n3q]

tried this and it worked so well that the plants out grew the stakes. will do again with T post and a wire to trellis. also will space the plants wider on the rows then past.

[@BAM-jc7uy]

white PVC pipe about same diameter or larger as ur metal conduit works for easy staking of tomatoes or end frame poles to use vinyl green or metal garden fencing for beans, cukes or other climbers....we women quilters/gardeners also use our narrow scrap strips of fabric for ties.

[@HMC1960]

I found your video easy for me to follow and do myself. I appreciate your instructions. I have grown before and never knew this. From Australia. I am going to grow this way in future. THANK YOU 👍🙏😊

[@kezzaobee1462]

Yeah I’m in Queensland and just put in 4 2 weeks ago, will try this method as well.

[@LisaF-d9e]

I did grow my zucchinis vertically this year. It was a success 😊👍

[@Modeltshinn]

I’m absolutely in love with this idea, I’m totally going to do this!!! Thanks Kevin!!

[@royhughes2854]

DUDE! I like this very much!! I am going to do this to my zucc's this year for sure. Thank YOU for showing us this trick!

[@danielshade710]

I need to boost my zucchini harvest is a thing no one has ever said.

[@Luna-kh1gb]

Yeah. I don’t get the need to grow things like zucchini because my farmers market has them at 50c per kilo 😭

[@rustic35]

​@Luna-kh1gb because everything tastes better in your own garden, it's pesticide free and generally higher in nutrients.

[@stephenrose4582]

I used to think that, but squash vine borers have become prevalent in my area so it has become difficult to sustain my crop of zucchini & summer squash.

[@trishdavi7049]

I need to control it has been said

[@jenniferclarke3622]

I live in PEI. In the summer, if you go to visit anyone, you have to lock your car otherwise when you go to leave, your car will be full of zucchini.

[@morgan0598]

I've seen a few other gardeners test this and the pest that goes after the base of the stem seems to avoid the tall ones more.

[@cook-with-Margarita911]

Amazing idea thanks so much for all the info Question my zucchini this year I didn’t started with seeds I get it at the garden centre and every time my plant get a flower get just a little flower just fail off the plant with not any reason do you have an idea what this happened???

[@heikek2134]

Hard to tell without actually seeing the plant, but zucchini have both male and female flowers. The male flowers appear first, but only the female flowers grow into fruit. male flowers have thinner stems, while female flowers have thicker stems that look like a mini zucchini already. So if your plant started flowering only recently, it might simply not have produced a female flower yet. If the plant lacks water or nutrients or has a disease, it can happen that the female flowers fall off as well, because the plant "knows" it isn't strong enough to make a fruit. Hope it's the first and you'll get a great zucchini harvest soon!

[@fewferfev]

If they don't get fertilized they just fall off.

[@olivia.be.7234]

Kevvy... You rock my gardening world.. thanks for all your great advice 💓

[@gendoll5006]

I swear man, you and GIC put out videos every time of what I’m struggling with! THANK YOU!

[@KBischopHawkeye]

I planted my squash seedling recently [ grew them form seeds ] so i needed this thank you

[@MarkLadwig-p3h]

For vining plants put them in hanging baskets. One basket keeps me in cucumbers all summer. Plus you can start them about mid to late February and be way ahead of the game

[@AE-ii7fk]

Ive found this to help with squash borers too, which have devastated me until I grew vertically. They don't seem to like the airflow.

[@itsnotmeitsyou-r6b]

I came to ask how to deal with borers. They devasted my crop this year

[@suz-k6n]

Thank you for the awesome video. Looks like the conduit might make a great deep soil watering system too. Just put a funnel on top to get the water to the roots? Maybe.

[@nanbero3148]

This is so awesome! Thank you Kevin! I just met you yesterday in Illinois and am a new subscriber and this really helps me with my zucchini!

[@TrackOfAllJades]

I've been avoiding uncoated metal stakes because I thought they'd get too hot. This opens up my staking options. Thanks!

[@Chet_Thornbushel]

I bet it helps with pollination as well. Those blooms aren’t hidden on the ground under a network of floppy leaves- they are so easily visible, not getting splashed with water, and not getting eaten by pests that are at the soil level.

[@StuWNZ]

This is very interesting I will give this a go. My seedlings are growing in my beds at the moment. Thanks for the idea

[@susandailylife]

Your farm is a true oasis of peace and abundance

[@GreenSemester]

I had no luck this year with my Zucchini, I don't have enough sun in my backyard, because of the trees. I will try this method to see if I can save some of them. Thank you for posting this video. Stay awesome!

[@carter_1]

They might not be getting pollinated

[@tres_almas]

the other day in my mum’s garden I realized how much zucchini plant reminds me of a papaya and there you go, you reshape it into papapa tree 😅 wow

[@lunadailylife88]

The countryside offers such peace and beauty.

[@njd2342]

Good idea > I'm going to give the vertical zucchini a go this summer. Thanks.

[@Sssmaug]

Great to see this technique with squash! I usually grow them in a big tub & let them droop over the sides. Our season in Canada is quite short so they seldom have time to start trailing on the ground. If the variety is very vigourus i will add a cage made of cattle fencing & let them poke their leaves through the holes for support. Q: Have you had any trouble withe cord you're using cutting into the plant stem? It looks quite thin. I have good luck with cloth strips, small bungee cords or even old pantyhose, lol. Thanks again & happy gardening. 🙋🏼😮

[@dondoron5377]

Just wondering if it would be useful to use a pipe to support the plant and use it to water the roots directly?

[@isiIwen]

Totally gonna try this with our zucchini plants. We're experincing an extremely wet summer and the slugs are all over the place. I'm hoping having fewer or no leaves touch the soil will give them less access....

[@PaulaLloyd-l3p]

Great post. Straight to the point. Thank you for taking the time to show the progressing growth.

[@beckymartinez9926]

I grow all my summer squash that way. But I use a t post because they can get tall and really heavy. Cut off all leaves from the bottom up as you harvest.

[@meadowmade]

I started gardening w/this technique and have found it to be very hard to trim the bottom leaves. I would love to see more of how you got to the tall point. Looks good!

[@closetrunner]

I was just remarking to my husband about trying to grow my squash vertically along cattle panels. Now I may try the conduit route.

[@dollysandor5377]

I use cattle panels for my squash and cucumbers. It works very well.

[@Chet_Thornbushel]

It would be rough with vining squash because they branch out in a million directions and get much larger than zuccs. But if you have any “bush” varieties with smaller fruit it would definitely work out.

[@closetrunner]

@@dollysandor5377 ohhh thank you for the feedback! I have a small garden space so I am always looking for ways to optimize it for better production.

[@dollysandor5377]

@@closetrunnerthis year to help train the squash, I did gently tie up some of the vines. The cucumbers are much easier as the tendrils begin to wrap around the wire of the cattle panels. Mine are in an arch shape because I only have 3 raised beds but my sister-in-law just used a straight up panel. I also do remove my lower branches/leaves. Good luck.

[@tessobrien8364]

Brilliant... Do ppl there not hop over the fence n steal your veg... It happens a lot here in my town in nz... My garden was stripped by a neighbour... I was heartbroken

[@RosemaryMtetwa-n8s]

Thank you so much.

[@bobbywilliams2839]

One add on here , mound more soil on the stem to help more roots to grow and make it harder for vine borer to get in.

[@betsygodwin8938]

@bobbywilliams2839 don’t the squash vine boring moths lay eggs on the leafs and stalks as well as at the root near the soil? I have seen them lay eggs everywhere on the plant so I’m not quite sure how this is a winning solution. I am at war with these moths/insects so I am, trying to get answers. Thank you!

[@TonyYouens]

Definitely going to give this a go. Really well explained. Thank you.

[@dustinfisher29]

Thanks for the tipp.... I used large wire mash as a climbing aid..... And if the damn slugs don't eat everything for the 4th time this year I might harvest something.

[@SIMPLELIFEINTHEFARM]

this is a very nice idea, i must try this in my backyard plants

[@rosalynmoyle3766]

A great idea. I am about to plant my zucchini in the ground. This is an excellent idea.

[@omaeve]

I reduce the squash leaves too, but I also sprinkle mine with bloodmeal and make sure I remove all of the damage and diseased parts of the plant so that they’re not still laying around in the garden spreading their terrible powdery mildew

[@jamiaubuchon2837]

I wonder if you could plant marigolds or other flowers close to the bottom to help deter the dreaded squash bugs and vine borers that I deal with in the Midwest? Organic gardening is just not effective against those dreaded bugs. Nothing seems to work, but I think this method may be helpful to make it easier to see the bugs and be more proactive.

[@mmattson8947]

4:24 “…surprisingly flexible…” When I moved around my black beauty zucchinis to try to grow them vertically, all of the stems split open about 3 inches, starting just above the soil. Fortunately, over the last month they kept growing and the openings scabbed up, but it discouraged me from tying as much as needed for vertical growing.

[@trishdavi7049]

What are the pink leaves to your right our left of the zucchini forest??? One of the fastest videos ive seen from you yet. You have inspired me, again, to try what you just showed. That second batch of somewhat diseased zukes has a blossom end rot one worth removing. They produce so abundantly this method will help be able to see the ripe ones before they grow into 2 ft long &6 inches wide monsters hidden beneath leaves! Recipes for zuccini flour yet to try from abundances

[@donarmstrong9281]

makes a lot of sense to me ,it is far better for the plants health when watering or spraying is in volved

[@greenkitty6482]

It seems like a good way to keep the leaves off the ground. I see that you use metal pipes for the purpose. Would that metal heat up too much for the part of the plant that touches it?

[@bobbeduran9277]

Love it! I have my next round of zucchini, round type, that I hope to get some late harvest. I will prop up the my other zucchini that is trailing on the ground.

[@FulaMediaLife]

Great. I need to show this video to my brother. He grows lot of zucchini for salads.

[@david464-h2j]

We want a garden tour video, who agrees with me?

[@bernardwalter6114]

Hi there! As always sooo much to learn.. How do you keep the gophers and voles away from your plants? I am about to give up :(

[@SueBennett-h4w]

I am trying this method

[@poppyfuller27]

Execellent idea I will do this for sure. Thank you

[@Shaun.Stephens]

I might try this this year (southern hemisphere here) but I'd need a longer stake. Last year my zucchini stems snaked along the ground over 6 feet, one was 9 feet. Maybe they'll stay shorter grown vertically? (Although the nodes were all close like these plants so - maybe I need very long stakes, also with more in the ground as there's a bit of wind near my vege garden.)

[@pearl7477]

I tried a staked container zucchini for the first time this year and will never go back to traditional zucchini. Not only did it take up a fraction of the space, it outproduced my other zucchini by a mile. Note here- I use an old bedsheet ripped into 1 inch strips to tie up my plants- much more gentle than twine and can easily be reused.

[@nancynahnigoh5508]

We use stick too to stick any climbing crops, thank you

[@suzannefiesel5734]

I've been seeing this around, and wondered if it was worth trying. Thanks!

[@Chris-op7yt]

thanks, will give it a go. it's definitely a pain point about growing zucchini how they sprawl.

[@martinelongum9921]

And s copper wire spiraling up the pole as well😊

[@helenbagoly9462]

Great we will give it a go.😊

[@EmilioPetronez]

Been using tomato cages because...I have a few. Seems to work once the leaf stems get tall enough to get past the first ring.

[@billkamp3284]

Just what I needed to know exactly when I needed to know it. Thanks.

[@heidihenninger6253]

I use heavy duty tomato cages to grow zucchini vertically, but I might have to try the stake method next year