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11 of the Climbing Vegetables That are Easy to Grow and Harvest

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If you have been planning to grow your own foods or make an extra income through planting, you should consider climbing vegetables. These are definitely a good option in terms of fast growth, effortless maintenance and bountiful harvest.

Most climbing vegetables are vines, which make them easy to place in a container with support so they grow vertically or through a wired or wooden fence or even trellis that you may build and install on your own. This idea is beneficial in terms of saving some space.

Regardless of your objective, this list of climbing vegetables and some fruits revealed below is something you need to look at.

Top 11 of the Climbing Vegetables

1. Chayote/Mirliton Squash

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest - Chayote Mirliton Squash

From salad to pot cooked, chayote is a delicious and healthy ingredient to use for various meals. Also known as mirliton squash, this is one of the easiest climbing vegetables to grow by both homeowners and commercial gardeners.

For abundant growth and harvest, this vegetable needs a moderately cool climate. It thrives well in regions wherein a short period of summer occurs. Generally, they are best cultivated in subtropical environments.

If you decide to plant chayotes in a pot or container, moving them is much easier. This is helpful when the temperature turns cool as you can just grab them and place inside your home or an enclosed greenhouse.

It is also a great idea to grow them via a trellis or fence. Since it is a vine, the plant itself climbs up and spreads wide.

2. Cucumbers

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Cucumbers

There are different varieties of cucumbers, but all of them are climbing vegetables. You can surely add to your list of new plants to grow, especially if you decide a vertical garden.

Since the long oval shaped fruit is a bit heavy, adding support is recommended. This also controls the width of the plant and maintains a vertical position.

Cucumbers are very versatile climbing vegetables. They can be eaten raw, fermented to become pickles. These are also used as a beauty regimen and a home remedy.

3. Lablab Beans

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Lablab Beans

Beans do grow as vines, that’s why they are a good option to plant for a vertical garden. But among the low-maintenance, easily grown beans is the lablab bean.

This may be a less popular type of bean to some people, but a well known variety in Southeast Asia. This only means it thrives best in both tropical and subtropical regions.

Considered as short-lived perennial, this plant can be grown in a container. You can plant as many containers as you need. Besides, the more plants there are the better harvest to gain.

Lablab bean has other known names. These include Indian beans, Australian bean, Hyacinth bean, and Seim bean.

4. Malabar Spinach (Basella Alba)

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Malabar Spinach Basella Alba

Leafy greens are among the excellent climbing vegetables to grow as well. To save you some time from picking the best leaves, malabar spinach is an ideal choice. This grows enough and quickly, giving you plenty of supplies for regular meals or organic foods for commercial purposes.

This kind of spinach is classified as a tropical perennial. It means it is very adaptable in tropical regions and can tolerate a warmer climate. However, this also thrives well in areas with milder temperature.

It is suggested that you start planting the seeds in a container and keep it indoors. Once the last frost has arrived, you may move it outside.

Remember that this becomes overly spread and bushy, so picking the leaves may be required as early as you think. In addition, the more you harvest leaves the better growth it becomes.

5. Nasturtium

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Nasturtium

When it comes to luxe and Michelin-star like gourmet, nasturtium is a decorative edible ingredient you can use for a variety of recipes.

This plant features beautiful flowers in orange red and yellow colors that are not only good as ornamental but also edible. The tasty peppery petals can make any food look more stunning and scrumptious.

This plant is one of the climbing vegetables in a floral form that you may consider. Once mature, the flowers start blooming from 4 to 6 weeks. You can pick them to add to your foods, whether be salads, desserts, soups or entrees.

6. Pole Beans

Pole Beans - Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest

For a vertical position, pole beans are a great option. This vine can grow as tall as 10 feet. You may plant via containers or trellis depending on what you think is best as far as personal preference and garden space are concerned.

But what most gardeners do is start growing them in a container then transfer into a much wider space, or in a sense, a fence or trellis with support.

Pole beans tolerate a warm climate, but they can also survive in a cooler temperature. They just need to grow with a sturdy support and sufficient amount of water and sunlight.

7. Peas

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Peas

One of the easy to grow climbing vegetables are peas. The green pods quickly appear hanging through the thin stems.

This plant doesn’t require a lot of care and attention, but fertile soil and regular watering are the basic keys. Whether in partial or full sun, it thrives well in any area with cool climates.

Since peas are climbing vines, they better be grown in a vertical garden. You can use trellis or wires for support. But you can also cultivate them in containers.

Like most vegetable plants, there are numerous species and varieties of peas. You may want to plant all types of peas. They are typically different in terms of size and color.

8. Pumpkin

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Pumpkin

As long as you have moist soil with sunlight, pumpkins are easy to grow. As one of the climbing vegetables, this plant can grow in a vertical position.

Depending on the variety, you may need to start planting them in a small or a much larger container. When autumn arrives, it is surely fun to pick some pumpkins for Halloween decoration or consumption.

9. Runner Beans

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Runner Beans

Another type of bean that you can easily grow is the runner bean. In fact, it is considered as one of the most productive climbing vegetables since plenty of beans can be harvested within a few weeks. The leaves are also edible.

For runner beans to grow abundantly, the soil to use must be fertile, lots of water to use, and full sun is required. This best thrives in mild climates too.

10. Squash

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Squash

If pumpkins are grown as climbing vegetables, so are squashes. This plant provides a delicious ingredient for various recipes from soups to entrees to desserts. In addition, it also serves as pretty decor to a garden for their vibrant yellow colored fruit.

Growing this in a vertical position requires a sturdy support. And whenever a fruit appears, a stretch sling must be attached to the trellis or wired fence.

11. Tomatoes

Climbing Vegetables Easy to Grow and Harvest Tomatoes

Another plant among the easiest growing and most productive climbing vegetables is tomato. Whether you opt containers, trellis or directly on a field, growing this fruit requires low maintenance.

It only takes a few weeks before you can start harvesting green or ripe tomatoes, and that’s the fun part of it.

Since there is a wide range of varieties, choose the right tomato that you need. Of course, it depends on other basic gardening factors, such as soil condition and garden space.

Tomatoes are ideal in so many ways as far as food consumption is concerned. You can eat them raw, slice some for sandwiches or burgers, blend for puree or juice, and a lot more.


Conclusion

There is no experience required to grow climbing vegetables. You do not even need a lot of money to make your own little garden at home. The only imperative that must be considered is dedication. To have the passion in growing and maintaining such plants is very ideal.

From this list, you may agree that these are great choices. Little to no maintenance is needed for these to produce the best quality vegetables and fruits.

Have you tried growing one or some of these foods? Which of these climbing vegetables would you add to your garden?