How to Train Zucchini on a Trellis to Grow Vertically
Train zucchini on a trellis to grow vertically and maximize garden efficiency.
Zucchini is one of the easiest vegetables to grow in your home garden. They grow fast, taking roughly 3 months from the moment you plant the zucchini seeds to benefit from your bountiful harvest. Zucchini is also a versatile vegetable. They are not too picky about where they grow as long as you meet optimal growth conditions. Gardeners with small spaces can enjoy zucchini by growing them in containers or pots. If you want to continue your growing season and harvest zucchini all summer long consider vertical gardening. This is where the idea of zucchini trellis comes in. This article is a comprehensive beginner’s guide on how to grow zucchini on a trellis.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure policy.
Why Do You Need to Trellis Zucchini?
The zucchini plant does grow quite well on the ground. However, growing the vegetables on the ground exposes the fruits to potential fungal diseases, like powdery mildew when they come into contact with the soil. This also makes them susceptible to insect damage, such as cucumber beetles and vine borers.
There is also a misconception among many beginner farmers that zucchini is a vining plant. There are several summer squash and zucchini varieties that climb trellis but the common varieties you find everywhere do not do that without some form of support. Examples of the climbing varieties of zucchini, are Italian Trombone, Graybeard, Thunderbird, Black Forest, and Tromboncino.
Zucchinis develop tendrils at node points but these tendrils are not strong enough to support the plant on a vertical structure. These squash plants need a bit of a support system. You will need to tie the zucchini vines of the plant to the trellis. Growing zucchini on a trellis is a good idea when you do not have a lot of space. Another advantage of growing zucchini on a trellis is that the structure allows for good air circulation and exposes the flowers to pollinators who help the plants to grow more fruits.
Trellis also saves gardening space. The best way to grow zucchini in a small space is with a trellis. Some zucchini varieties tend to grow large and the trellis controls how much the zucchini you can grow in a given space. Since growing Zucchini on a trellis is not a complicated or expensive venture, why not offer your zucchini plants the best chance to bloom uninterrupted?
What is a Trellis and How Does it Support Zucchini?
Generally, a trellis is a wooden or metallic structure that supports climbing plants. These plants wrap onto the trellis (using their tendrils) or get supported by tying the main stem to the structure and grow upwards. Trellis structures provide vertical support and have different uses in the garden. Some people use them for decorations and others use them to expand their gardening space. Trellis structures support zucchini and summer squashes allowing them to expand and grow without limitations. An easy way to trellis zucchini is to use a tomato cage in your vegetable garden.
How High Does the Trellis Need to be When Growing Zucchini?
There is no standard height for trellis for growing zucchini. Create a structure that allows easy access to the fruits when they flower and are ready for harvesting. Aim for something close to 6 feet. This height is perfect to allow your zucchini plants ample space to attach themselves to the trellis and also give you easy access to the fruits. You can heighten or shorten the trellis as needed or use a ladder to reach the ones at the top. Since zucchinis love the sun, grow them facing the sun but ensure they do not block the other plants in your garden beds.
Steps for Growing Zucchinis on a Trellis
Can zucchini climb trellis? Remember that zucchini is not a naturally climbing plant. But you can train zucchini on a trellis and get them to climb with a few simple steps.
To train the zucchini to climb a trellis pick up the vines, put them on the trellis, and train the ends to shoot up as they grow. You may need to tie the stems using strings or gardening wire. Once the plants start growing tendrils at the nodes they wrap themselves around the trellis structure.
With time, the healthy plants form fruits and as they mature, the fruit becomes heavy. Provide extra support for the zucchini fruits as well if you do not want them pulling the structure down. Some farmers use nets or chicken wire to keep the heavy fruits intact and reduce the pressure of the weight pulling down on the structure. Cut leaves when they start to grow so that the plant can concentrate on delivering the nutrients needed to make the fruits grow large instead of struggling to keep the leaves.
Harvest frequently so that more fruits grow. Remember that zucchinis have a short growing period and you would want to get maximum yield within this span. Harvest zucchinis while young as they contain more flavor, are tender, and more delicious than when they are old. Target harvesting when the fruits are about 6-8 inches long.
What Type of Trellis is Best for Zucchinis?
Zucchinis will grow well on either wooden posts, metallic trellis, or vinyl trellis. The benefit of a vinyl trellis is that it won’t rot the way wood does. You can visit a store to purchase pre-built ones that are easy to assemble or download free frameworks online and go the DIY way. Here are a few options online for ready made trellis:
- Bamboo Trellis – 3 Pack Mini Bamboo Trellis
- Metal Trellis – 6ft Tall Metal Trellis for Climbing Plants
- Trellis Netting – Trellis Netting
- A Frame Trellis – A frame Garden Trellis for Climbing Plants
- Vinyl Trellis – Vinyl Trellis
Whatever method you choose to train zucchini on a trellis will be influenced by several factors including the cost, availability of materials, design, and garden space. A metallic trellis will be more expensive however, they are more durable and more reliable than a wooden trellis. The only downside is that sometimes these metallic trellis get too hot in the summer and this makes harvesting or taking care of your zucchini garden uncomfortable.
If you have some pieces of wood lying around your home you can create a wooden trellis fast using a hammer and a few nails. You can also use simple but sturdy sticks and strong strings to build a good support structure that will last the season. You can also work with tomato cages to grow zucchinis vertically. If you are too pressed for cash find poles, drive them into the ground, and support the zucchini veins by tying the stems onto these poles as we do with tomatoes.
You can also purchase trellis netting to easily create your own trellis. Trellis also come in different shapes. The common one is the A-shaped structure loved by people without a lot of space. As long as the structure allows you to grow your garden vertically you are not limited by shape or design.
Ensure you install the trellis before sowing your seeds. This allows the plants to grow their root system around the trellis and this also minimizes the risk of damage to the plant when installing trellis after the plants have matured. Train zucchini to the trellis when they are young plants and do it often.
Other Tips for Growing Zucchini on a Trellis
The location:
Zucchinis love full sun. Since zucchinis love the sun plant them in a south-facing location that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. This location will keep the plants protected from the harsh high-noon sun. Zucchinis and summer squash do not do well in shaded areas or indoors. They may thrive in containers but access to direct sunlight is critical if you want a bumper harvest.
The soil:
Ensure the garden soil is fertile and well-drained for better yields. If possible use organic matter or compost to grow organic fruits. You can control the drainage system of your zucchini garden by building a raised garden bed.
The variety:
Vining zucchini varieties are the ones that thrive on a trellis. Usually, a vining variety grows many small fruits that do not weigh too much and thus keep the pressure on the plant minimal. Other varieties grow wide and produce many large fruits.
Planting time:
You do not need to buy zucchini seedlings. Simply sow the seeds outdoors when the soil is warm. Ensure you have good spacing between the seeds as zucchinis grow large and wide. Water well after planting. If you are growing zucchini in containers find large ones that will allow the plant roots to grow deep and the plant to grow wide. You can get zucchini seeds online here to start your zucchini garden :
Subscribe to find out what’s new in the garden and in the kitchen. Sign up today!
