As a small-space gardener, I am in a constant search for the efficient use of space. My solution: a squash trellis.

I am also in a constant battle with my own urge to grow large vegetable plants. Sure, I could plant my entire garden plot with leafy greens, bush beans, and herbs and have a HUGE harvest. But tomatoes and squash are the sexy citizens of the garden, and I want to grow more than my allotment will allow.

Again this year I have purchased a 6-pack of squash seedlings. And as it turns out, when these small cells were planted, the planter sowed about two seeds in each cell. So, I actually ended up with about nine squash seedlings to transplant into the garden. This is completely unrealistic, considering I’ve only ever been able to grow four squash plants at once.

Yet, I planted all nine, and all nine are doing fantastically well.

As I prepared to plant the small squashes, I hatched an idea of how I could grow this herd with the limited amount of space I had available for them. Instead of allowing them to grow horizontally as they typically do, I will attempt to steer them up. There is plenty of vertical space in a garden plot and it’s time I use it.

Creating a Squash Trellis

I planted the squash about 6-8 inches apart along the long edge of my garden. It has a space roughly 3 feet wide dedicated for their growth, and I have placed 4-foot-tall wooden stakes in the ground at that 3-foot mark.

I then secured chicken wire at the base of the squash plants and secured the opposite end to the wooden stakes. This has created a slanted wall or a lean-to of sorts that is about 5 feet long and will support the squash as it grows.

Squash doesn’t have tendrils that actively climb and cling to supports. It just has a long growing “tube”—let’s call it a tube—producing leaves, flowers, and fruit from its length. I will need to direct this “tube” up the wire, securing it where I can. I envision that once the squash has reached the top of the stakes, it will cascade downward.

What I have done here is taken a 3-foot wide horizontal space and pretty much doubled it by creating a 3D triangular space. Squash Trellis all the way!

I also have created a space under the chicken wire that will be shaded. I plan to plant lettuces—renowned for not loving the hot summer sun—in this shaded area. My fingers are crossed that this garden project will work as planned.