Climbing veg / fruit

Hi all.

Ok - I've got my herb garden started but still have an ugly bare brick wall behind it.

Can anyone recommend a fruit or veg that I could plant to climb up the wall?

I bought seeds for a climbing runner bean but they can't sow them until end of May (according to the packet).

You can sow your runner bean seeds indoors now and plant them out when frost is no longer an issue. You could also sow [broken link removed] - you can get purple varieties which are quite striking and turn green when cooked. Also look at [broken link removed] beans - they have a very distinctive mottled pink pod which would look good against your wall. Beans will need something to cling to, either wire mesh nailed to the wall or individual canes at the foot of the wall. Plant about 12 inches from the foot of the wall. Mr. Middleton in Mary Street has loads of types of french beans - a packet of seeds will cost about €3.

Other edible things to hide the wall would be sunflowers - again, you can sow them in pots indoors now and then plant out when there's no chance of frost.

Beans and sunflowers will grow incredibly quickly so will cover up your wall in no time.

Thanks a million for that tip Sherman.

If anyone else has any suggestions I'd be glad to hear them.

Someone suggested trying to grow Kiwis to me - not sure if anyone here has tried that.

Runner Beans are a must, or any beans really. You can start them off on a windowsill or propagator now, and sow them out in a few weeks.

Climbing melons, courgettes, marrows, squashes, peas and cucumbers are all available too. Tomatoes, Pumpkins and Aubergine too.

Excuse my ignorance (I'm new to all this) but do all courgettes & aubergine plants climb as I've planted both of these lately but just thought they grew to a foot or so in height.

Maybe there's specific ones that climb.

Again - excuse my ignorance!

If you spike them, you can train them to grow upwards, they're known as climbing vegetables.

frash said:

Hi all.

Ok - I've got my herb garden started but still have an ugly bare brick wall behind it.

Can anyone recommend a fruit or veg that I could plant to climb up the wall?

I bought seeds for a climbing runner bean but they can't sow them until end of May (according to the packet).

Click to expand...

What is the aspect of the wall ?

Does it face south ?

Is it drafty ? or sheltered ?

Is it sheltered from frost ?

Spike?
Does that mean using something like a bambo for it to grow up?

My ignorance is showing again!

The wall faces north (ish) but actually gets quite a fair bit of sun later in the afternoon.
It's quite a breezy garden on a windy day but the upside is that there isn't any frost.

olddog said:

What is the aspect of the wall ?

Does it face south ?

Is it drafty ? or sheltered ?

Is it sheltered from frost ?

Click to expand...

frash said:

Spike?
Does that mean using something like a bambo for it to grow up?

My ignorance is showing again!

Click to expand...

Yeah sorry I couldnt think of the correct word! Stake!

As in use something to allow it to grow upwards.. something to help raise it off the ground.

Smashbox said:

Yeah sorry I couldnt think of the correct word! Stake!

As in use something to allow it to grow upwards.. something to help raise it off the ground.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Smashbox.
Do you know how high I can expect the courgette & aubergine plants to climb once they've got the support they need?

Courgettes should climb 2-3ft, Aubergine about 3ft-4ft

Smashbox said:

Courgettes should climb 2-3ft, Aubergine about 3ft-4ft

Click to expand...

Thanks for the help Smashbox.
The courgette & aubergine plants are now staked so hopefully they'll climb ok. I also got some bean seedlings & planted them yesterday evening so will have my fingers crossed for them.

I got myself a seed progagator too so will start more beans & some tomatoes off in that.

Thanks for the help.

I hope it works out for you. Beans are excellant climbers, so you shouldnt have any problem at all with them.

I'll expect an invite over to sample the delights when they're ready