If you’re like many people (yes, I was a few years ago), you probably grow your zucchini plants spread out on the ground, with giant leaves stretching out in all directions.
Even the compact bush varieties of zucchini are not small plants. They take up most of the bed, crowding out other plants and growing so densely that powdery mildew can sometimes occur.
But what if I told you that zucchini, crooknecks, pattypans, and other summer squash types don’t need to be grown this way?In fact, they can be staked and pruned like tomato vines, take up very little space, and grow large, productive plants in just one square foot of soil.
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what actually happens
The first time I staked and pruned my yellow zucchini, I couldn’t believe how healthy the plants had become. The stems were upright, the leaves grew tall, and there were no vines to drag in the soil and cause disease.
I had a manageable plant with room to grow radishes under the canopy and melons next to it. Best of all, growing summer squash vertically has made harvesting easier by eliminating the need to dive into the vines to find fruit. (You know what happens when you turn your back on the zucchini for a moment…!)
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If you haven’t tried this technique yet, here’s how to set it up correctly. (You don’t want to start too late when training the plant becomes more difficult.)
Step 1: Staking
You’ll need one (or two) sturdy 4- to 5-foot stakes to support each plant. I’ve had success using lightweight coated metal stakes and EMT conduit.
The best time to add supports is when sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings to minimize root damage.
Drive the stake 8 to 12 inches into the ground. Seeds or seedlings can be planted right next to the stake and the stems can be tied to the stake as they grow.
If you already have an established zucchini plant, there is no need to wait. You can train them to grow vertically. Typically, I stake plants when they are less than a foot tall. This is because there are fewer leaves to wrap around and the stems are easier to see.
Most zucchini plants have one main stem, similar to tomato plants. If you wait until the plant grows, the stems will be difficult to find if:
However, it is still possible to stake mature zucchini. Adding stakes and starting stem training can be a bit tricky. This is because it takes time for the leaves to turn around and start growing instead of going out. This will look like this:
In my experience, I have found that using two stakes on each side of the stem provides better support for the stem. This depends on the variety of summer squash and local garden conditions. (Does the bed get a lot of wind?)
Check to see if one stake is sufficient at first, and add a second stake if you have trouble keeping the plant upright.
Step 2: Tie the stem
You may not need to tie the stems while the plants are small. In the image below you can see that I simply (and gently) pushed the main stem between the two stakes.
However, as the plant begins to climb and become heavier, it will need more support. Loosely tie the stems to the posts using soft plant ties (such as Velcro, coated wire, or stretch ties). Don’t tie it so tight that it stunts its growth.
Step 3: Pruning
Remove the lowest leaves at the base of the main stem. These are usually the oldest leaves touching the soil. Use clean shears or pruning shears to slice the leaf stalk as close to the main stem as possible.
You can see how the petioles are hollow until they reach the main stem, and then become solid. Cut the leaves down to the main stem, leaving no gaps for pests to enter.
Step 4: Harvesting and continued binding and pruning
Harvest regularly to keep your plants productive. If you constantly grow your zucchini to a huge size, the plant will slow down production and keep producing new flowers.
Once the main stem grows tall, tie it to a stake every few inches to keep it upright.
To improve airflow, continue to prune the oldest (lowest) leaves, damaged or yellowing leaves, and leaves that are deeper in the plant and out of sunlight every two weeks or so.
Be careful not to prune more than one-third of the plant at a time. You should always leave a sufficient number of leaves on the plant (I aim for at least 10). This is because the leaves act like solar panels, extracting energy from the sun to nourish the growing fruit.
Continue pruning and tying down the main stem until the plant dies from frost (or until you get tired of zucchini or need space for a fall crop).
How to prop up multi-stemmed plants
Zucchini plants may branch into two (or more) main stems at the base. If space is limited, remove one of the stems when it is smaller and easier to cut.
I usually prefer to keep both stems and add a second stake to support the second stem. If you keep both stems, the plant’s footprint will be larger, but smaller than if you spread the plant horizontally across the bed.
This particular zucchini plant started with two main stems and then developed a third stem, which I left to flow out the edge of the raised bed.
Will pruning zucchini increase yield?
According to this study, yes! However, there are some caveats. The researchers only pruned the zucchini twice (20 days after transplanting and 30 days after transplanting) to observe the effects.
Still, they found that even with limited pruning, “pruning helps reduce nonproductive parts of the plant, thereby allowing the photosynthetic process to be distributed more widely, increasing fruit weight and yield.” They also observed “increased flowering, number of fruits per plant, fruit length and diameter, and ultimately increased yield compared to no pruning.”
My (unscientific) theory is that pruning may help improve pollination (and reduce the need to hand-pollinate pumpkin plants) because bees have easier access to flowers when they are not buried under layers of leaves.
Please try it! Prepare your zucchini plants for staking by spacing them every 12 inches, making sure the soil is nutrient-rich, and use the free space underneath to grow heat-loving lettuce, radishes, or other short plants that benefit from midday shade.
