Vining and other climbing plants are great for beautifying entranceways, and filling out arbors, pergolas, and trellises.
If you can find a vining or climbing plant that can offer you food and medicine, then all the better. These kinds of plants are often quite hardy and can be left to their own devices, making them great for novice gardeners.
That said, a climbing plant can start to take over the place, so it’s always best to know what you are dealing with before you end up with a giant beanstalk leading to who knows where!
Check out these OGP articles that give loads of tips, ideas, and advice on growing some of the best vines and climbing plants.
1. Edible Vines
There are a lot of edible vines from which to choose or at least something for most environments, and many of them are amongst our favorite foods to snack on. Another great advantage for those who plan well and garden lazily (a positive thing) is that many of the choices are perennial, meaning that, once successfully cultivated, they’ll provide food for years to come. (Here are some more perennial plants to include in the garden.) In other words, not including climbing vines in a home garden would be missing out, so take a look at these and get them in the ground soon. Here is a list of 7 Edible Vines to Use for Vertical Gardening.
2. Passionfruit
As with tropical passionfruit, temperate climate passionfruit, aka purple passionflower, grows on vigorous vines that are extremely voracious climbers. The plant has stunning flowers, uniquely shaped foliage, and tasty fruit. It can be grown as an ornamental, scaling arbors and covering them without missing a bit, then sending out a flurry of flowers in mid-summer. It can be grown as food, each vine producing a huge bounty of berries about the size of a chicken egg filled with sweet pulp. Read on to learn all about Growing Passionfruit at Home.
3. Vining Green Beans
Greens beans are a great veggie to have growing in your garden. They are really quick to germinate, are not too fussy, and usually offer an enormous harvest. Green beans are a vining plant and need something to grow up to keep their tendrils off the ground and from climbing up and around other plants in your garden. This doesn’t mean that you have to have some elaborate climbing frame or your beans to grow up. A few canes and a bit of string or wire with have you set for creating some teepees for your beans. Look here to learn How to Make a Teepee for Growing Vining Green Beans.
4. Climbing Plants
There is no prettier way to frame the entrance to your garden or front porch than with a beautiful climbing plant. Though climbing roses are a sure-fire favorite, and for good reason, there are many other equally elegant climbers that you can grow up your arbor or archway. You could try for a purely ornamental vine, or even grow something that will give you a bit of a harvest. If you have a bare frame that is crying out for some climbing greenery and vertical interest, check out this list of ornamental, edible, and medicinal climbing plants that will have your garden looking stunning. Have a look at these 4 Climbing Plants to Grow Up Arbors, Trellises, and Archways.
5. Melons
Cultivating melons at home is much more of an undertaking than sniffing them (is that how we know they are ready?) at the supermarket. First of all, there are far more species to choose from, and secondly, choosing the right species may mean the difference between success and failure. But, they are a lot of fun to grow. They are magnificent sprawling vines that can take over a garden space or drape themselves on a trellis. They have pretty flowers that attract bees, and watching the young fruits develop into treats is so rewarding. With the right attitude and information, melons could be a part of almost anyone’s edible landscape or annual garden. Get The Lowdown on Growing Various Types of Melons right here.
6. Plants that Spread
There are edible plants that will not only provide food but spread themselves around like weeds. There are lots of good eats that will grow and grow and grow. These are plants that don’t necessarily belong in a garden with others but in a semi-wild edible landscape where they can run wild. In other words, these are great foods to grow, and they are exciting in that they can potentially provide more food than a gardener knows what to do with. Then again, they are also going to be there to stay, and the task will be keeping them contained rather than worrying about nurturing them to production. Take a look at this list of 11 Edible Plants That Spread and Grow Like Crazy which includes vining plants.
7. Scarlet Runner Beans
Beans for plant-based eaters are often a primary source of protein, a medium that can be molded into homemade burgers, tofu, and tempeh. There is also bean-and-rice, highly regarded as the combination to create a complete protein. If we think of bean plants, we might picture something in a garden plot tickling up a trellis. But that’s selling them short. There are bush beans, vining beans, and even bean trees. Some, like scarlet runner beans, put out flowers so beautifully that they are grown as ornamentals. But, scarlet runner beans offer up a lot more than those signature red flowers. Learn all about why Scarlet Runner Beans Are Beautiful Plants and Beautiful Beans. You Could Be Growing Them!
8. Scuppernongs and Muscadines
When it comes to grapes native to the United States, the selection decreases dramatically. But, that’s not to say these grapes are lacking in any way. They have a rich cultural history in the warmer regions of the US, particularly the southeastern states. Muscadines were used by Native Americans (dried to make raisins) as well as colonialists (wine). Muscadines and scuppernongs (a popular variety of muscadine first discovered near the Scuppernong River in North Carolina) can be used as table grapes, but they do have tougher skin than supermarket grapes and seeds to boot. They are most revered as juice, jelly, pie filling, and homemade wine. Learn all about Cultivating Scuppernongs and Muscadines: America’s Wild Grapes.
9. Hops
Any enthusiastic beer drinker or microbrew sampler knows that there are a variety of different hops, many with their own unique flavor, particularly in beer. And, hey, if a good crop of hops is growing at home, it might be worth trying some homebrew. But, as a gardener, this plant can offer much more. In addition to being a vigorous bind (vines that die back to the ground in winter) and more than willing to climb stuff to provide a shady sitting spot, the plant has usefulness in the kitchen, both as food and non-alcoholic beverage. Not only are these plants suitable for growing in most of the continental US, but also they are well-suited to both rural, suburban, and urban gardens. Read on to find out all about Growing Hops at Home: They Aren’t Just for IPAs.
10. Grapes
Grapes are not only easy to grow, but they are also a perennial source of food. Once established, they’ll provide nourishment for decades. Keen grape growers can enjoy both the berries and the leaves, as is done in many Mediterranean areas. That’s two crops for the price of one. The other great thing about grapes is that, compared to many other crops, the deciduous vines can be used to produce a shady patio in summer and then trimmed back to let more sun in during the winter. In other words, for the home gardener, grapes ought to be on this year’s list. Here, you will learn The Ins and Outs of Cultivating Grapes.
11. Kiwis
Kiwifruits have not been known in the US for very long. They were introduced in 1962, with origins in Asia (they are sometimes called Chinese gooseberries). They also have a reputation for growing in New Zealand, so much so they are mistakenly credited as the reason New Zealanders are lovingly referred to as “kiwis,” which is actually in honor of the flightless bird endemic to the island. Whatever the case may be, kiwi, the fruit, is held in pretty high regard these days. Most of the time it’s something we find in supermarket produce sections. However, the fact is that the bulk of the United States is well-suited for growing delicious kiwis, and wherever they grow, they tend to fruit in abundance. If that sounds interesting, find out How to Grow Kiwis in the US.
12. Jasmine
You may enjoy the odd cup of jasmine tea for its floral fragrance and touch of sensuality. Supermarkets are certainly a place to pick up a box, or you might be lucky enough to have a bulk food store nearby that lets you purchase herbs, spices, and loose teas. But, like with a lot of things it seems, you can grow enough jasmine at home perfectly well and provide yourself with all the jasmine tea you could desire. Pure jasmine tea exists, but traditionally, jasmine tea is a simple green or black tea that has been infused with the scent of jasmine. It is very doable, and if you are in the right climate, you could even grow your true tea plants (Camellia sinensis) as well. Then, you’d be on to a winner! Take a look at How to Grow and Use Jasmine for Tea Making.
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