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12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants You Can Grow in a Vertical Position

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Are you planning to add some climbing fruit plants to your garden? Do you need to know which fruits are the best options for a vertical position?

If the answer to both questions is yes, then you are fortunate!

It’s understandable that some gardens may not accommodate as many plants as you want. For limited space, climbing fruit plants are definitely a great alternative and solution to that.

And the best part is that you get to harvest nutrient-packed fruits for personal consumption or extra income.

Here’s a list of fruits that you can plant and grow in a vertical position through the use of trellis, wires, fences or other related gardening support.

Best 12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants

1.Grapes

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Grapes
via Pixabay

Grapes are one of the easiest climber fruit plants to grow. This is due to the fact that they can tolerate warm and cool weather as well as dry or well drained soil.

It is common to plant grapes in a vertical or hanging position. The only consideration is an open space as it needs full sun.

The fruits start producing after three years. There is absolutely a need to be a little patient. But it’s worth every effort and time spent for sure, especially if you have picked the best seedlings and variants available there is.

One more thing to keep in mind is to regularly prune the vines. This is pivotal in controlling the growth so that it produces good quality, tasty grapes. Overspread of vines can lead to poor fruit production.

2. Dragon Fruits

A unique looking fruit that is easy to grow as well is the dragon fruit. Also known for its cactus-like appearance, this fruit is typically a climber.

Thus, it needs support like fences or trellis rather than the regular clay pots for it to grow. Usually, the setup is horizontal but you can also grow this vertically.

Dragons fruits require sufficient heat and humidity. It needs temperature that ranges from 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

This kind of fruit is considered a subtropical fruit as it thrives well in countries with dry season, such as Latin America and Southeast Asia.

3. Kiwi Fruits

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Kiwi Fruits
via Flickr

Kiwi fruits have that sumptuous look that make you just want to get some bite. This perennial and climbing fruit plant has a small hairy brown peel with bright green flesh on the inside.

They grow well in warm areas and with a short period of winter. You can grow this fruit plant in a vertical position. A single vine can spread and reach as high as 20 feet. Therefore, it’s a good solution for vertical climbing setup.

4. Passion Fruit

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Passion fruit

Thriving well in subtropical climate areas, passion fruit is another tasty fruit to take as a dessert or drinks. It is green once it grows from its vines then turns into dark purple that indicates it is ripe and ready for consumption. It usually takes after a year to 18 months before the fruits start appearing.

Furthermore, this fruit is produced by climbing vines, which make a good vertically positioned plant. It needs full sun and adequate watering.

As precaution, remove weeds and other plants from below that grafted area to ensure good quality and abundant production of fruits.

5. Raspberries

Raspberries Climbing Fruit Plants 1
via Pexels

Among the fast growing climbing fruit plants you may want to add to your garden is the raspberries. This is best planted during the season of spring. However, fruit harvest is typically in summer or fall and it takes about 6 weeks before its first batch is produced.

6. Blueberries

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Blueberries
via Pixabay

Like raspberries, blueberries have similar plant anatomy and structure making it a good vertical climber plant to grow in a limited space garden. Naturally, this grows as tall as 3 feet to 6 feet. But it takes 24 months or 2 years for it to produce fruits.

7. Blackberries

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Blackberries
via Pxhere

Another climber fruit plant you can grow vertically is the blackberry. This plant grows with thorny vines and can turn into weed-like. Thus, it is best to grow in a vertical position using a sturdy trellis or fence. It also produces fruits after 2 years.

8. Strawberries

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Strawberries
via Pxhere

Strawberry is one of the plants that require a lot of space for abundant growth and fruit production. But for gardeners with insufficient room, vertical planting is a good solution.

Most grow strawberries in horizontal rows, but if through a vertical growing system it can also provide some advantages. When picking the fruits, it lessens the need to bend over and harvesting is much easier and faster.

9. Gooseberries

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Gooseberries
via Pixy

Often mistaken as currants, gooseberries are plants that have small light green fruits. They are sour or sweet but most make jams, pies and other desserts from the sour ones.

If you are looking forward to growing gooseberries to your limited space garden, it is definitely a good idea. In addition, this plant is self-pollinating, which means you only need to plant one to be able to produce enough fruits.

The downside is that this is easily taken by birds. Adding proof netting can help prevent birds from getting the fruits.

10. Cantaloupe

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Cantaloupe
via Pixy

Cantaloupes are heat-tolerant climbing fruit plants that you may also grow in a vertical position. But since the fruits are heavy, a much sturdier, thick trellis or wooden fence is needed to install.

Also, a single fruit itself needs weight support throughout the process of growth. Nevertheless, with the right sun exposure, water amount and soil type, harvesting cantaloupes can be fun.

11. Honeydew Melon

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Honeydew Melon
via Pixabay

Similar to cantaloupes, honeymoon melons can be a climbing fruit plant you can grow vertically with extra and stronger weight support. You may plant this anytime, but if it’s a cooler season, planting seeds indoors and later transplanting to the garden is recommended.

Harvesting honeydew melons may begin before they are ripe but it must be at the right time as it can discontinue to ripen after being picked.

12. Watermelon

12 of the Climbing Fruit Plants Watermelon
via Pixabay

One of the few of the heaviest and climber fruit plants is watermelon. The average weight of the fruit of this popular summer plant is between 20 and 25 pounds.

Yet, surprisingly and remarkably, this can be grown vertically. Just use a larger, thicker and sturdier support in order to support the weight.

This fruit plant requires a warm climate. After just 3 months, round to long oval shaped striped green fruits are ready for harvest.


Conclusion

These are climber fruit plants you may absolutely add to your garden regardless of how limited the space is. You can build a trellis, fences, wires or other similar alternatives to help support the vines, stalks and fruits and maintain normal growth.

Using a Trellis for Climbing Fruit Plants

The use of a trellis is a wonderful and recommended option to grow some fruit plants when a garden has a limited space.

Although there are other ways, if trellis is present there is no need for additional support, regardless of some circumstances, such as when the fruits are too heavy or the trellis itself is not sturdy enough.

To ensure a productive growth of climbing fruits plants with the help and support of a trellis, here are some tips to consider.

1. Choose the right materials.

First of all, you need to make a list of the materials needed to build a trellis. The main material is either wood or steel. Either way, it must be very sturdy, weatherproof and unquestionably high quality. You may paint or treat wood, while you may powder coat and galvanize steel.

2. Create a pattern

The addition of trellis can give a new look or enhance beauty to your garden. One of the benefits of DIY gardening projects is that you can be creative.

In this case of building a trellis, you may consider structuring an arch type vertical growing system, an A-shape one or other ideas you have in mind. The plants climbing along trellis can display a decorative effect.

3. Select which climber fruit plants to grow

The size, shape, weight and other features depend on the type of plants you intend to grow on a trellis. This enables you to have an idea of how high, how wide and how many trellises need to be built.

Take a look of these video clips for more ideas on how to build a DIY trellis for gardens.

Apart from saving space, growing climber fruit plants in a vertical position makes it much easier and more fun to pick fruits during harvest season.