Below are some tips on how to grow your squash vertically. Squash is one of the most common plants in a vegetable garden because it is easy to grow. Yet, it is also known as a gangly gangster in any vegetable plot. Its sprawling stem spills out everywhere and dominates the patch that gives a little room to other crops in a plot. However, as a gardener, you can avoid this case; remember the classic terms about nurture over nature.
Choose the Support for Squash Trellis
Trellising the squash is both beneficial to the plant, and it creates an aesthetic value to your garden. It is vital to select the right kind of support that will add to the architectural elements of the garden. Besides, putting a trellis on the squash ensures that the plant will grow quickly, and the fruits will become safe. When choosing the type of support that your squash needs, take the strength and the height for consideration. By knowing this, you can pick the perfect structure for the squash as it grows so that the squash will grow ideally.
Train the Squash Upward
How to grow the squash vertically. Train the Squash to cling vertically, and the easiest way to do this is by using a trellis. Secure even a single trellis for the squash to grow in an upward manner. As the squash started to grow, gently weave its shoots to the trellis. You may use a sift string to steer the stems wayward in the right direction. A lot of squash produce tendrils that support the skyward path to the peak. Squash is a prodigious feeder, so make sure to water and feed the soil with nutrients.
Provide Standing Support for the Squash
You may add a wigwam trellis in the structure of your garden. You can begin by leaning four-strong battens of wood at about 5 cm or 12 inches wide and about 180 cm or 6 feet long. Push under the ground to make sure it’s buried at least 30 cm under or 12 inches to make it rigid. Secure this on top and tie or nail the slats in a regular interval at about 20 cm or 5 inches from the ground. Continue with the same distance until you reach the top of the teepee. Apart from the trellis, you can also use a standing screen of the trellis. You may add braces at the bottom to make it more stable.
Support the Heavy Fruits
A squash like an acorn does not require additional support, but more giant squash such as butternut will need one. Large fruits can strain the stem and cause a crashing back down, so it is essential to create a sling for each of the fruit that will serve as a solution. You may use your old pantyhose or tights by tying it to the trellis or wires and ease the fruit to one of its legs. While the fruit grows, that pantyhose or tights will stretch, giving a handy cup for the squash fruit.
Read my other article on small vegetable garden.
