Growing vertically in a small garden requires careful planning to avoid shading out other plants and hindering their growth. Today I’ll share 6 easy tips that we follow to optimize vertical growing, while allowing other plants to get the sun they need.
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6 EZ Tips to Minimize Shading when Growing Vertically in a Small Garden
1) Place trellises on the north side of garden beds facing due south. This prevents vertical crops from shading out other plants in the same garden bed.
2) Arrange plants from shortest to tallest, with the tallest plants on the north side of the bed. This prevents plants in front from shading out the ones in the back.
3) Use trellises that don’t cast much of a shadow. Early in the season, before vertical crops have taken off, I want plants behind the trellises to benefit from full sun.
4) Plant sun-loving crops far enough away from vertical crops to avoid shading. Plant long season sun-loving crops at least 4 feet away from vertical crops.
5) Plant shade tolerant crops behind vertical crops. A distance of 2 feet will allow the shade tolerant crops to get sun early in the season and shade later in the season.
6) Intentionally plant early season cool weather crops like lettuce directly behind vertical summer crops to take advantage of the shade provided in summer.
Featured Videos:
1) 2 Min Tip: EZ DIY Trellis to Grow Tomatoes, Watermelon, Squash & Pumpkins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RPLtYpWkg8
2) How We’re Growing More Food this Year than Ever Before! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GBBob5AYdI
OYR is all about growing a lot of food on a little land using sustainable organic methods, while keeping costs and labor at a minimum. Emphasis is placed on improving soil quality with compost, mulch, and compost tea. No store-bought fertilizers, soil amendments, pesticides, compost activators, etc.
are used.
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