Question on Vegetable Supports

Hi, all! This is my first year doing veggies in raised beds (SFG). What is the best way to support the following veggies?

peppers (jalapenos, poblanos, Yolo Wonder)
eggplant (Black Beauty)
squash (zucchini, summer and winter)
peas
bush beans
cucumbers

I assume cages similar to tomato cages would do OK by the peppers and maybe the eggplant. I have some eggplant in containers that I may be able to train up the fence around the garden. I am planning on some sort of trellis for the peas and cukes. I'm hoping my squash will just grow over the side of the bed (about 2 1/2' off the ground), but I can trellis it if necessary.

Any suggestions or advice would be most appreciated.

TIA - Kelly (Phoenix, AZ 9a)

I've never needed to support peppers, bush beans, zucchini, oreggplants. For the others, I put a t-post (metal fence post) on either side of the bed (assuming a width of around four feet) and then run across a tight chicken wire. It supports everything I plant. The biggest winter squash I plant is "buttercup". I assume it can support bigger...You're right, you don't have to support the squashes or cucumbers, it just saves space. You can also plant space saver cucumbers which don't vine as much.

Trellis 2 to 4 feet tall (or taller) should work well for any of your crops listed. You can train them in place with some stretchy horticultural tape. You can use wooden trellis or 4-inch square wire mesh. Put your sturdy supports in before planting so as not to disturb the roots once things get growing.

Thank you both for your input and suggestions!!

Have you ever staked tomatoes by putting stakes on both sides of the tomatoes (planted in long rows) then criss crossing twine between the steaks so tomatoes will be able to climb up the twine and be supported on both sides? I'm with a food bank garden that is planting 200 tomato plants. Ellen

For summer squash, there is no problem with letting them run on the ground, right? Mine are planted in a tree ring. They have come up and I am planning to just let them go around, unless I actually need them grow up.

shuggins - Growing them vertically serves mostly to save space. Looking at your zone, your climate is similar to Phoenix. We don't normally have the issues some have with it being too moist with them on the ground, bringing about the possibility of fungus or disease or pests. Unless they take over or you need to save space, I'd just let 'em grow. I have a Square Foot Garden, obviously to save space, but my squash and some others are planted in locations in the beds that they can trail over the side without much issue. Kelly

Wow! As always, I got some great ideas here!
My little garden is still small (like 8' x 8') but it's also like a "test board" of sorts.
I'm learning and growing as my garden will hopefully grow next year.

Upon suggestions from my DG friends, I have my cucumbers on the "bottom" of my bed, so I'm going to lean a support of chicken wire against the fence DH built around the garden for me with the 4" square wire "mesh." I plan to attach the chicken wire with twist-ties to secure it from getting too spongy and ending up on the ground.

I have already put my tomato cages in place over my new little tomato transplants as well as on the mounds where I have planted my bush beans (seeds). I plan to run a line (thanks, Ellen) -- probably twine thru all the cages and secure on either end on the green metal stakes on either side of the garden.

I have a 30" scrap of some sturdy wire fence that I plan to lean from my asparagus long bean plants to the fence and secure it.

I think I'm ready!!!

Thanks Kelly. That is kind of what I thought, but just wasn't sure.

You're welcome.

Cajun2 - good thinking with the chicken wire support. I was thinking something similar to that if my veggies start having any issues with being on the ground. I'm not a piad subscriber (yet - lol), so can't view all the forums and the great ideas!!

Kelly

oh kelly! it's SO worth it!!!

i LOVE Dave's Garden!!!!!!
not just great ideas, but great people!
i've made some lasting friendships on here.

I use the cheap $0.99 cone shaped nesting type tomato cages for peppers and eggplants. And for cukes and some Zucchini and cantaloupe and some tomatoed I use 6' concrete reinforcing rewire.

The rewire must be staked to prevent a full cage from toppling over in rain and wind. Don't ask me how I know this.

This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 12:00 PM

This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 12:17 PM

I use this no tie system for some tomatoes. As tomatoes need support I insert cross pieces of bamboo cut from my bamboo, rebar, cedar stays, old broom handles or just whatever that is about 18-24" long. It is amazingly easy to walk the tomato vines straight up the cage. I have grown cukes, zukes, and beans on the outside of this system while growing tomatoes inside. Works great.

I'm lucky in that we have bamboo growing in the far corner of our lot. My hubby just cuts as many canes as I need to support our tomatoes. The peas grow up a "pea fence" I purchased from Burpee - their tendrils just could not get around the bamboo stakes. Cucumbers grow where ever they please, although this year I'm hoping to tame them into growing up some fencing. I've not had a problem with growing peppers, if the stems are sturdy enough, they'll support themselves.

Thanks for the ideas. I've done tomatoes and am going to try cukes this year. Great space sving ideas.