Vertical Gardening: 10 Vegetables that Love to Climb
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.
- Learn how to grow winter squash here.
- Read the pumpkin growing guide here.
- Learn how to grow butternut squash here.

More Vertical Gardening Inspiration
Looking for more ideas and support structures for vertical gardening? Check out these helpful resources:
- Using Ladders in the Garden
- How to Use a Ladder Mesh Block Trellis
- 10 Ideas for Vertical Gardening
- 10 More Ways to Grow Vertically
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.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it. I’d love to hear about your favorite vegetables to grow vertically — leave a comment below.
Thanks so much for all of your awesome info here! I have an approx. 4 foot trellis that I would love to use in my garden. is this too short for malibar spinach? or would it be better off used for something else?
You’re welcome. Four foot is fine, you may need to keep it trimmed or cut back a little, but it should cover the trellis fine and give you plenty to harvest.
I planted patio cucumbers last year in a half barrel container on our east patio. The plant grew like crazy and had a lot of blossoms. Unfortunately the blossoms never produced cucumbers. Any idea why?
They may not have been pollinated. Keep an eye out for the female flowers (they look like small cucumbers) and pollinate them with a male flower (flower on thin stem, not bulbous). I usually remove the male flower and gently pass the pollen onto the female flower if I’m finding fruits aren’t developing.
Fantastic
What a great idea! I have a grape arbor but have given up on the grapes due to the constant leaf spot. Only thing is it does not get full sun, only half. Is there a vining vegetable that would do okay with that – even if it meant getting less of a harvest? Thank you!
Malabar spinach does better with less sun. That could work there.
Love this site and started a garden after I found you. One question – I have a couple of Cherry Falls tomatoes in my garden and they are SO bushy that the little tomato cages I have around them aren’t doing them any good. How can I keep them off the ground? Should I grow them in hanging containers next time?
I hadn’t heard of that variety, it looks like a fun one to grow. Yes you may want to put it in some sort of a container that it can cascade down over. Hanging baskets can be difficult to grow in hot, dry climates.