# Gardeners: Need fast growing climbing veggies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953 "2011-04-19T13:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/1 "2011-04-19T13:51:00Z")
I live in a townhouse and would like my 10 square foot of concrete in the back to be a secluded sanctuary. I have a wall of planters and a structure for plants to climb on now all I need is really fast growing climbing plants to fill it out and create paradise. I guess it doesn’t have to be a fruit or vegetable plant, but it’d be really nice if I had produce to show for my efforts. I’d like them to grow at least 5’. I live in central Wisconsin if that makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/2 "2011-04-19T13:57:18Z")
Peas are fast-growing climbers and depending on the variety either have pretty flowers or edible crops. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/3 "2011-04-19T14:03:15Z")
Pole beans and snap peas would work and they can reach 6 feet or so in height. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/4 "2011-04-19T14:20:19Z")
Get Scarlet Runner Beans or Painted Lady Runner Beans. You will have some nice flowers to go with the heavy leaf screen. Peas will die off half way through the summer You can also grow morning glories as a heavy screen plant. Those are the 3 best annual screening plants you can plant in Wisconsin to grow up a trellis. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/5 "2011-04-19T14:36:06Z")
I am an extremely crap gardener, but I planted a bunch of snow peas this (southern hemisphere) winter and they did great. And were extremely tasty. Melbourne is warmer than Wisconsin though, so adjust for local conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/6 "2011-04-19T15:15:16Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > I am an extremely crap gardener, but I planted a bunch of snow peas this (southern hemisphere) winter and they did great. And were extremely tasty. Melbourne is warmer than Wisconsin though, so adjust for local conditions. Yeah even I haven’t been able to kill them, they can grow in a snow bank. But I think Harmonious Discord is right, snow peas life cycle ends in the middle of summer leaving me with a screen of dead plants even if I take care of them. I’ll look into Scarlet Runner Beans and Painted Lady Runner Beans. Anyone else have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/7 "2011-04-19T15:18:19Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > … Scarlet Runner Beans … Stop stealing my posts! (My SRBs grew at least 15 feet tall.) Cucumbers are good too. Don’t forget anything that flowers means bees! You might create 10 square feet that you end up getting chased out of. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/8 "2011-04-19T15:23:54Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Stop stealing my posts! (My SRBs grew at least 15 feet tall.) Cucumbers are good too. > > Don’t forget anything that flowers means bees! You might create 10 square feet that you end up getting chased out of. > > CMC fnord! That’s what they made dixie cups and antifreeze for. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/9 "2011-04-19T15:57:42Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Stop stealing my posts! (My SRBs grew at least 15 feet tall.) Cucumbers are good too. > > Don’t forget anything that flowers means bees! You might create 10 square feet that you end up getting chased out of. > > CMC fnord! The humming birds come to these beans. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/10 "2011-04-19T16:12:46Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Yeah even I haven’t been able to kill them, they can grow in a snow bank. But I think Harmonious Discord is right, snow peas life cycle ends in the middle of summer leaving me with a screen of dead plants even if I take care of them. I’ll look into Scarlet Runner Beans and Painted Lady Runner Beans. > > Anyone else have any ideas? By the time the snow peas are getting ready to die, you plant the next set of beans. They grow up the same trellis, and last the rest of the summer. Snow peas are an early crop, or a late crop, and often the time between is filled with something else. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/11 "2011-04-19T16:20:40Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > The humming birds come to these beans. How about the morning glories? Bee issues? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/12 "2011-04-19T16:29:34Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > How about the morning glories? Bee issues? Sometimes a humming bird will hit the morning glories too. Bees are going to show up no matter what you plant when it flowers. I don’t think any of theses will attract huge numbers of bees like a field of clover will. ---
**Author:** ![inkling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkling)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/13 "2011-04-19T17:03:00Z")
You could grow hops - this is the time of year that the rhizomes are available. A well-established plant can grow to 30 feet in a spring and summer (although you might only get 15 feet or so the first year), then dies back to the ground in fall. They want lots of water, but the flowers are useful to any homebrewers you know. [http://www.hopsdirect.com/store/rhizomes.html](http://www.hopsdirect.com/store/rhizomes.html) ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/14 "2011-04-19T17:14:53Z")
How about grapes? After a while, the vines can grow over head so you’ll have some sun protection as well. You can stomp the grapes for their juice and make your own wine as well. Profit!!! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/15 "2011-04-19T18:14:38Z")
The morning glory suggestion is a good one - “Heavenly Blue” is the classic, and for good reason. OP, if you like hanging out in the evenings or after dark, you might look into moonflowers\*\* as well. They’re a relative of morning glories and grow the same way; they just bloom at dusk and into nightfall instead of in the morning. Both are super easy to start from seed - just wait till it’s warmer as in, staying above 60 F at night. Peas, you can start RIGHTNOWTHISVERYSECOND! \*\* if having giant white flowers the size of dinner plates is your thing … 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/16 "2011-04-19T18:26:02Z")
Be sure to get the correct moon flowers if you get them. There’s a vine and then there’s a bush type that is a completely different species. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/17 "2011-04-19T18:43:00Z")
> [@inkling](#): > > You could grow hops - this is the time of year that the rhizomes are available. A well-established plant can grow to 30 feet in a spring and summer (although you might only get 15 feet or so the first year), then dies back to the ground in fall. They want lots of water, but the flowers are useful to any homebrewers you know. Hops are beautiful vines, but **inkling** isn’t kidding when he says they can grow 30 feet. I’ve seen collapsed fences from the weight of hop vines, so make sure your stucture can support them. Depending on your planter size, you might also consider bamboo. I don’t have quite the winter you do (Pacific NW), but the bamboo is green year round here, and quickly grows 10 feet, creating a nice little oasis in a paved area. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/18 "2011-04-19T19:10:05Z")
The problem with perennials is I’ll be growing these plants in large above ground boxes. Over winter they’ll freeze over completely killing the hibernating plant, at least thats how I understand it. Feel free to correct me. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/19 "2011-04-19T19:56:54Z")
You could plant the tall Canna if you have enough pots and stagger them. The plant can get to be about 8 feet tall. Some have dark purple leaves and others green. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953/20 "2011-04-19T21:44:35Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Be sure to get the correct moon flowers if you get them. There’s a vine and then there’s a bush type that is a completely different species. Huh. I think if I set my mind to it and tried reallyreallyhard I still couldn’t obtain the “bush type” species of which you speak. Regular [moonflower](http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/893/)(Ipomoea alba) seed packets are everywhere, though - I even see 'em at the grocery store with the other seeds. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gardeners-need-fast-growing-climbing-veggies/578953.md?page=2)