Tomato Cages For Zucchini

kayjay · Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:19 am

Just wondering if anyone does this. I think I might next year, for a few reasons. One is that a few weeks ago, I was lifting a leaf on the plant and the whole thing fell over the opposite way!

I'm lucky the stem didn't snap. Two, I have so little space that I'd like those leaves to grow just a liiiiiittle more upward. It's shading my swiss chard (even though that's probably a good thing). As well, I'm a fan of keeping things as off-the-ground as possible, though I have no idea how important that is for zukes.

PaulF · Mon Jul 13, 2015 9:39 am

For as long as I can remember I have grown bush style zucchini. It still takes up space (about three feet..or a meter or so across) but stands up fairly well and like most zucchini produces like crazy. This year I have dark green and yellow varieties, one plant each, and that is plenty unless you want to grow enough for the whole neighborhood. Some leaves and fruit will be at ground level but they don't seem to mind. No cages necessary here.

CharlieBear · Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:35 am

tomato cages will not stop the problem you are referring too unfortunately. I cage them so I can poly tunnel the row of summer squash so I can plant them out sooner. If anything some of the leaves bend over the rungs of the tomato cage and some snap. So, I would definitely go with the bush varieties.

GardeningCook · Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:52 am

I've always grown the bush varieties, but do know that many folks DO trellis the standard vining types. I imagine that large-enough/tall-enough tomato cages would work just as well.

I would think that you would have to be extra careful during training the vines upwards due to their brittle nature, & you'd also want to be sure to keep a good eye on the developing fruits to be sure they don't get so large that they break off - but then summer squashes are better fairly young anyway.

Next time around, why not plant a couple of bush types along with a couple of caged vining types & let the results decide for you?

6sparkpug6 · Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:48 pm

A few days ago, my zucchini plants fell over due to the wind. I put a few sticks in the ground around them to prop them up, and it seemed to do the trick.

Taiji · Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:10 pm

I know about the zucchini taking over. Always wondered too, if one could train them upward somewhat.

It's typical for mine, (they are bush type) to get 6 feet in diameter. I find myself after a while pruning off some of they outer leaves when they start encroaching on other stuff. Doesn't seem to affect them much, I still have lots of yield. Leaves make good mulch!

I have limited space too, my entire garden is inside a high enclosure.

kayjay · Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:41 pm

Thanks, all.

I forgot to mention, yes, this IS a bush zucchini. Your run-of-the-mill "Dark Green".

GardeningCook · Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:44 pm

Ahhh - well then I don't think trying to train a bush variety of squash is going to work or worth the effort trying. Folks who train summer squash upwards are doing so with the standard vining types.

lexusnexus · Thu Jul 16, 2015 5:17 pm

Whatever you use it will have to be pretty substantial. What type of cage are you thinking of? I'd think the square ones with the grid supports would be a good choice. Hadn't thought about using those circular ones because they would seem to be problematic trying to get the vines to train them around the circles. Plus, the growing stems aren't all the long.

jal_ut · Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:53 pm

I have never trellised zucchini nor crookneck. I just plant 5 seeds in a hill and let them sprawl.

GardeningCook · Sat Jul 18, 2015 7:03 pm

jal_ut wrote:I have never trellised zucchini nor crookneck. I just plant 5 seeds in a hill and let them sprawl.

Ahhh - but not everyone lives in Utah - lol!! Many of us have space restraints - even with large gardens.

jal_ut · Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:11 am

Hope this pic works. Had some trouble ........... Punkin Patch

OK, I am giggling at GardeningCook. Ya, I do have the wide open spaces.

................ nope, how the heck do you post a pic in this weird software?

Third try!

kayjay · Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:56 am

I would LOVE a huge space to just let squash sprawl!

This is what I have to work with, though, in the asphalt wasteland of suburban Toronto:

I would definitely love a vining zucchini. I should shop around for some seeds over the winter for next year. The fence is the best area for getting sun all day. That pic was taken at 10:30 am. The sun moves to the left of that pic and the shade of the tree creeps toward the fence.

Taiji · Tue Jul 21, 2015 11:31 pm

Is that the great pumpkin I see rising up out of the pumpkin patch...?

I didn't know there was such a thing as a vining zucchini, I've never seen them anywhere.

applestar · Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:46 am

I love that picture of jal_ut!

...I believe he is a tall man, too. If I was in there, you may not see me.

...SVB just took down 2 of the summer squash I was growing ONLY to use up the 2008 seeds -- I had NO high expectations -- I got ONE yellow crookneck. We'll see how long the others last. After that I'm done with C. pepo types. Going to concentrate on experimenting and IDing from tasty SVB resistant alternatives like Tromboncino, maybe other C. moschata eaten as immature fruits and immature gourds like Cuccuza, luffa, etc.

jal_ut · Thu Jul 30, 2015 1:32 am