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Vertical Gardening: 10 Vegetables that Love to Climb

By: Angela Judd | April 28, 2025

Vertical vegetable gardening is one of the smartest ways to garden, especially when space is limited. Growing vegetables vertically saves room, improves air circulation, helps avoid pests and diseases, makes harvesting easier, and even adds beauty to your garden.

But which vegetables grow best with a little support? Here are 10 vegetables that love to climb, plus helpful links to learn how to grow each one.

Vertical Gardening_ 10 Vegetables that Love to Climb

Bonus: I’ll also link to some of my favorite vertical gardening ideas and YouTube videos at the end!

1. Peas

Pea tendrils naturally seek out a trellis and climb without much help, quickly stretching as high as you’ll let them. A sturdy support system makes all the difference for a successful pea harvest.

→ Learn how to grow peas here.

Green pea pods growing on a vine, climbing up a rusty metal trellis—a classic example of vertical gardening vegetables—surrounded by various other plants and greenery in the garden background.

2. Tomatoes

Tomatoes thrive when grown vertically. Keeping the plant upright prevents heavy branches from breaking and helps reduce disease by keeping the leaves off the ground. Plus, harvesting is much easier when tomatoes are easy to see.

My favorite way to trellis tomatoes? These tomato cages from Garden in Minutes.
→ Learn how to grow tomatoes here.

Raised garden bed with young tomato plants supported by metal cages, a classic choice for vertical gardening vegetables. Green leafy plants and tall onions or garlic grow nearby in this sunlit outdoor garden.

3. Loofah

Loofah gourds grow on vigorous vines that can easily stretch over 10 feet. Growing loofah vertically not only saves space but also helps the fruit stay long and straight. Give loofah plenty of room and a strong trellis for best results.

→ Learn how to grow loofah here.

→ Learn how to grow cucuzza gourd here.

Several long, green gourds hang from leafy vines in a lush garden, illustrating which vegetables love to climb and thrive in vertical gardening vegetable setups, with more plants and garden beds visible in the background.

4. Melons

Melons love to sprawl — but you don’t have to let them take over your garden! Growing melons vertically saves space, improves airflow, and keeps fruit off the soil, reducing the risk of rot and pests. Larger fruits like watermelons may need a little extra support with a hammock or melon sling.

→ Learn how to grow cantaloupe here.
→ Learn how to grow watermelon here.

Large cantaloupes hanging from green vines inside a garden trellis, with sunlight streaming through the leaves—showcasing how vertical gardening vegetables thrive, especially those like cantaloupes which love to climb. A fence is visible in the background.

5. Tomatillos

Tomatillo plants are sprawling and heavy — but their branches are also brittle. Growing tomatillos vertically keeps them off the ground, makes harvesting easier, and helps you spot pests earlier. Use trellis clips or gently tie branches as they grow.

→ Learn how to grow tomatillos here.

Green leafy plant with small yellow flowers growing outdoors in a garden setting—an example of which vegetables love to climb, thriving vertically among soil and garden structures in the blurred background.

6. Yardlong Beans

Also called asparagus beans, these long, vigorous vines climb easily up tall trellises (6 feet or higher). Growing yardlong beans vertically keeps pests like potato bugs at bay and makes harvesting the dangling beans a breeze.

→ Learn how to grow beans here.

Bonus: Other climbing beans like pole beans and borlotti beans also love a vertical structure!

Two types of yardlong beans, one of the best vegetables to grow vertically, are seen here: dark red beans with a purple flower on one side and green beans among leafy plants, all thriving in a vertical gardening vegetable setup.

7. Malabar Spinach

Looking for a heat-loving, vining green? Malabar spinach is your answer. This tropical spinach alternative thrives in summer and can climb 10–20 feet with little effort. A strong trellis helps keep vines organized and easy to harvest.

→ Learn how to grow Malabar spinach here.

8. Cucumbers

Cucumbers are classic vertical growers. Grown up a trellis, cucumber vines produce straighter, healthier fruit that’s easier to pick. Encourage young vines to find the trellis, and they’ll do the rest with their curly tendrils.

→ Learn how to grow cucumbers here.

→ Learn how to grow Armenian cucumbers here.

Two images of a lush cucumber plant growing vertically on a garden trellis—a great example of vertical gardening vegetables. The left shows close-up leaves and yellow flowers; the right displays the entire vine covering the trellis.

9. Cucamelons

These adorable “mini watermelons” thrive when given something to climb. Cucamelon vines are delicate but vigorous and quickly latch onto a trellis. Growing cucamelons vertically keeps their fruit clean, easy to spot, and simple to harvest.

→ Learn how to grow cucamelons here.

A lush green cucamelon vine, one of the best vegetables to grow vertically, climbs and covers a metal garden trellis, surrounded by other plants and trees in a vibrant, well-maintained backyard garden.

10. Winter Squash

Vining winter squash plants (like pumpkins and butternut) can stretch 20 feet or more! Training squash vines up a trellis saves tons of space and helps keep pests and diseases at bay. Strong tendrils latch on, but you may want to sling heavier fruits as they mature.

Lush vegetable garden with trellised squash plants showcasing the best vegetables to grow vertically—hanging butternut squash, leafy green vines, and a wood-chip path running through the center; raised beds and other plants are visible in the background.

More Vertical Gardening Inspiration

Looking for more ideas and support structures for vertical gardening? Check out these helpful resources:

Watch my YouTube videos for tips and inspiration on growing vertically!

Final Thoughts

Vertical vegetable gardening is a beautiful and practical way to maximize your garden space. Whether you’re growing peas in the spring, Armenian cucumbers in the summer, or winter squash in the fall, providing your crops with a structure to climb helps them stay healthier, easier to harvest, and more productive.