Is there any way to predict which direction vegetable vines like zucchini, squash and cucumbers will grow?
They want to grow in a direction where they have less room and fall over the side of my raised bed when there is more room available in the direction I had planned for them. A: They will typically grow downhill. That does not help you much if they are in a level bed. I don’t know of a way to predict which direction they will grow, but you can direct the growth of most plants by mechanical manipulation. This can be done by pinching new growth going in the wrong direction or simply moving the vine to a new location. Pinching out the growing tips after the six- or seven-leaf stage will encourage fruit set and keep the plant smaller once it begins setting fruit. You should pinch growth that is growing in the wrong direction and leave growth alone that is growing in the right direction. Once pinched, that growth will slow due to having multiple places for the plant energy to be channeled, instead of just one growing point. Plants will grow into areas that are not so crowded by other plants.
