10 Tall Vegetable Plants

Growing tall vegetable plants means that you can make use of the vertical space in your garden.

Here are 10 tall vegetables that are perfect for small vegetable gardens.

Some of these vegetable plants are self-supporting but others will need a trellis to climb up.

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10 TALL VEGETABLE PLANTS

1. Tomatoes

Determinate, or bush tomatoes usually grow 3 to 4 feet (90 to 120 cm) high, but indeterminate or vining tomato varieties can reach 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 m) in height.

If you’re planning to grow indeterminate tomatoes you’ll need a tall trellis or arbor for them to grow up.

If you’ve planted a bush variety of tomatoes and they’re growing super tall, it could be because they’re not getting enough sunlight or they’ve been over fertilized.  

2. Cucumber

Cucumber vines can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 m) long, so they’re ideal for growing vertically to save space in the garden.

Growing cucumber vines on a trellis means that they’ll get lots of sunlight.

They’re also easier to harvest and less likely to be affected by fungal diseases when they’re grown off the ground.

It’s a good idea to harvest cucumbers every few days to avoid the plant becoming too heavy.

3. Peas

Pea vines can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall so you’ll need a large trellis.

You can prevent them growing too tall by nipping out the tips of the plants when they reach the top of the trellis.

Most peas are ready to harvest in about 11 to 14 weeks and if you harvest them regularly you’ll get a prolonged crop. [1]

Try sugar snap peas or snow peas, one of my favorites, that can be eaten raw in salads.

4. Eggplant

Eggplant, also known as Aubergine, is a warm season vegetable that is harvested in the summer months.

Some varieties of eggplant can grow as high as 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, but most varieties are between 2 to 4 feet (60 to 120 cm) tall. [2]

Try growing black beauty eggplants for something different or a long purple variety.

5. Okra

Okra, also known as Ladies Fingers or Gumbo, is a tall vegetable plant that grows best in warm weather.

The plants aren’t frost tolerant, so wait until the weather has warmed up and the chance of frost has passed before planting them out in the garden.

Okra can grow 3 to 6 feet (90 cm to 1.8 m) tall and they don’t require a trellis.

You can begin harvesting okra after about 2 months when they’re about 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm) long. The plants will continue producing for 10 to 12 weeks. [3]

6. Corn

Corn is an easy crop to grow and it looks great growing in the garden.

Most varieties of corn grow to about 6 feet (1.8 m) tall but you can find different varieties ranging from 4 feet to 8 feet (1.2 to 4.8 m) tall.

Try Ambrosia Hybrid, a yellow and white variety of corn that is super sweet.

It takes 75 days to reach maturity and grows 6 ½ feet high.

7. Pole Beans

Pole beans need a support structure at least 6 feet (1.8 m) high because the vines become very long.

Beans don’t transplant well so it’s best to plant the seeds directly into the garden.

Harvest the beans every few days so that they don’t become tough and woody.

8. Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are hardy vegetable plants that can tolerate cold weather and thick frosts.

They grow on tall stems that can reach 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) high and have edible buds that look like little mini cabbages.

9. Artichokes

Globe Artichokes are tall perennial vegetables that grow 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall.

Artichokes grow best in a sunny spot with lots of space and well-drained soil.

In the first year of growth they produce about 4 to 6 flower heads but in the second year you’ll get 10 to 12 flower heads.

The edible part of a globe artichoke is the flower bud, but if you don’t harvest the bud in time, it will open to reveal a beautiful big purple flower.

RELATED: How to Grow Artichoke Flowers

10. Asparagus

Asparagus plants are long lived perennials and each crown can keep coming back for 20 or more years.

In the first year you’ll only get small asparagus spears but it’s recommended that you prune them back so that the plant will do better in the second year.

It’s important to keep your vegetable garden free of weeds when growing asparagus because they can’t compete with weeds.

Asparagus tastes best when it’s harvested at about 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

So there are 10 tall vegetable plants to grow in your vegetable garden.

Just be sure to position your plants so that they’re not shading your other vegetable plants.

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• 12 Easy Vegetables To Grow Indoors
• 8 Best Climbing Vegetable Plants

Have you tried growing any of these tall vegetables? Let me know in the comments below.

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