Zucchinis are popular summer squash varieties that you can find many gardeners growing for their versatility and deliciousness. If you are also looking into growing zucchini plants, then you may have considered growing it vertically and using alternative methods that don’t involve planting it in the ground. You’ve come to the right place, as this article will tackle how one can start growing zucchini in a tomato cage!
Growing zucchini vertically in a tomato cage is possible and doesn’t need a ton of supplies. Read on to learn more about growing zucchini in a tomato cage!
Growing Zucchini in a Tomato Cage
While it might sound complicated, the process of growing zucchini in a tomato cage is quite simple. You can even grow squash in a tomato cage, being a similar species to the zucchini. That said, squash is heavier than zucchinis, so you’ll need to monitor their growth and use a strong tomato cage for this vegetable.
There are various reasons why growing zucchinis in a tomato cage are beneficial, and here are a few reasons why:
- You have more garden space on the ground to make way for more plants
- Harvesting is much simpler and easier to pick
- You have fewer chances of overgrowth of leaves and/or stems, which can ruin the zucchini plant and its crop
- The plant will be more accessible to light, which is essential for growth
- There is more air circulation as zucchini plants will have more space apart from one another. It would also be able to stay dry and lessen the chances of harmful bacteria
- Zucchinis require watering weekly and with the setup of the tomato cage, your plants grow upwards and have less overgrowth, so more water heads to the base and roots of plants, growing better.
With that in mind, there are a few challenges you may face when growing zucchini:
- It is a bit difficult to avoid overgrowth when growing your zucchini plants vertically. The heavy overgrowth would weigh down plants, causing damage and rotting of the vegetables. That’s why you need to maintain your plant more and trim off the excess overgrowth, including the heavy stems, leaves, and damaged/rotten vegetables
- You have to make sure that you guide your zucchini plant properly through your tomato cage. It may be a bit challenging to do so, as the zucchini would spill out of the tomato cage, given the cage’s shape. That said, the fix is easy: Just tuck the zucchini back to its planter with your hands!
Read more: Can You Use Tomato Cages For Cucumbers? The Answers You Need!
How to Grow Zucchinis in a Tomato Cage
Once you weighed the pros and cons and have decided to grow your plants in a tomato cage, here are some tips to get you started and grow them successfully:
- Prepare all the materials you need, which are zucchini seeds and a strong tomato cage, ideally 2×2 feet. Avoid getting a smaller cage, as zucchini plants grow quickly. Use a metal tomato cage to withstand the heavyweight of plants like zucchini and squash.
- When planting zucchini seeds, plant them as you normally would. When planting multiple vine plants with tomato cages beside one another, make sure to dd space between the cages and plants. It’s best to keep plants and cages 28 inches apart.
- Place your tomato cage upside down, with the largest part on the bottom and the smallest part on top. You may want to use stakes on your cage to add stability for the cage to stand upright even once the plant and its fruits have grown.
- As your zucchini plant grows, you have to guide it well and in the proper path. If your plant is falling out of the cage, guide it back inside gently. You need to monitor their growth regularly as they grow fast and would grow unruly if not guided and cared for properly.
- You will need to provide your zucchini plant the typical plant requirements like regular watering and lots of sunlight. It is also best to add extra fertilizer, mulch, and/or nutrient-rich soil mix so your plants grow even better. This will help your plant grow more high-quality and quantity vegetables since it would quicken the growth process.
- When zucchini fruits begin to develop, try supporting it using a piece of cloth so the weight is equally distributed
Wrapping It Up
You can grow zucchini plants vertically and reap the benefits it offers, provided that you guide it well as it grows. It’s very easy and follows similar care requirements as the typical plant needs!
Hopefully, you learned a lot about how you can grow zucchini plants in a tomato cage successfully. There are more advantages than disadvantages to growing them vertically, so why not get started with it today? Have fun gardening!