More than five reasons why you should grow cucumbers on a trellis, no matter how big your garden is, for the best results. Follow this simple tutorial with three different trellis options to grow them vertically for your best crop yet!
Do you grow cucumbers on a trellis or let them sprawl on the ground?
I've always grown them on a trellis because I didn't want them taking up too much room, but over the years I've discovered that there are a lot of other benefits to growing cucumbers vertically even if you do have lots of room in your garden and are not trying to "Square Foot Garden" or save space.
I think you'll agree with me, so after I share why to grow cucumbers up instead of out, I'm also explaining exactly how to do it, since you'll need to do a few things differently.
It's worth learning a few new techniques - I promise.
Five Reasons to Grow Cucumbers on A Trellis
- The plants are easier to water at the main stem, which keeps the plant leaves drier (this is recommended to help keep fungal diseases at bay).
- The fruit is easier to harvest. They are hanging nearer to eye level and are easier to spot, plus the prickly stems and leaves are neatly confined so the risk of getting all scratched up is minimized (this is the biggest benefit in my book!).
- The fruit is cleaner when it doesn't touch the dirt.
- The fruit is a uniform color (no light spots where they rested on the ground).
- The fruit is straighter, with less misshapen ones.
All this is in addition to the smaller footprint needed to grow a large number of cucumbers!
Are you convinced? I thought so.
While cucumbers are easy to grow vertically, there are just three things you'll need to do differently to grow cucumbers up instead of out.
How to Grow Cucumbers Vertically
1. Prepare a Trellis and Plant
I've found that an A-Frame trellis made out of 1" x 2" boards (like the one pictured above that we made that folded down for easy storage) or bamboo poles work okay.
The A-frame shape is easy and inexpensive to make, and simple to install since it doesn't need any other stakes.
However, we found that the wood didn't last very long and have since tried other trellis methods that last.
How To Make A Simple Trellis for Cucumbers
Wood: The wood trellis pictured in this tutorial lasted about 3 seasons before the legs rotted out.
I don't have directions for making one, but here's a wood trellis DIY I found similar to ours, but using thicker wood so it may last longer than ours: A-Frame Trellis Tutorial.
Rebar: We found 10-ft U-shaped rebar that we fashioned an a-frame trellis from with twine to avoid rotted legs that occurred with the wood:
- Pros: Doesn't rot so lasts forever; tall; easy to set up (though I had to stand on a bucket to get the twine over the top, lol).
- Cons: Not easy to find this rebar shape (a neighbor gave it to us); bottom straight rebar simply tied on with twine, so rots eventually; large size not as adaptable to raised beds.
Fencing: The rebar trellis wasn't a good use of space in our smaller farmhouse raised bed garden, so I'm now growing them up a hog/cattle panel zip-tied to metal fence stakes (here's how I install and use these for growing tomatoes, and beans, too):
- Pros: Easy to find and inexpensive to buy panels and t-posts; no need to attach (and then remove) twine; fits in a lot of spaces.
- Con: The only con I've found so far is that it's not as easy to train the cukes up the wire panels as it is the twine. One reader told me it just didn't work, but I've not had any issues if I don't let them grow too much without training (I'm in the garden daily or every other day, so I just take a few minutes to train the stems up).
How close can I plant cucumbers on a trellis?
You will be able to space the cucumber seeds closer together because you are training the vines up.
Plant about 2 inches apart initially and then thin to 5-6 inches apart. Whenever I've tried to plant at the 5 inch mark, I don't have enough plants that germinate, so I always hedge my bets and seed extra.
If you start your cucumbers indoors or buy starts, you will want to plant them at the 5-6 inch spacing.
2. Train the plants up the string (or fencing, or whatever you use) during the growing season.
This is not difficult- it takes about five minutes as you're working or harvesting in the garden. Just wind the plants around the string one or two times and they will take it from there.
Oh, and don't you love the watch? It's my super stylish dollar-store watch that helps keep me on task in the garden. I'm known for losing track of time out there. I'll go out to do a few things at 11:00 am and before I know it, it's 2:00 pm, and I'm thinking: "No wonder my stomach was growling…" Which, come to think of it, is much better than Brian coming out to ask me, "Didn't you have a dentist appointment?" Ugh. Definitely. Need. The. Watch.
3. Water from the bottom.
While trellising and training are really the only things you have to do, I think using a soaker hose is a really smart idea (but I think that for a an entire easy care garden, too).
It waters right where you need it, doesn't get water on the leaves (wet leaves contribute to diseases like mildew), and waters deeply.
I turn the hose on for about 2-1/2 hours once a week (every 5 days if it's really hot) and the plants are growing great. If you live in a hotter climate, you can add some type of mulch to the soil to help keep the moisture in.
4. Easily harvest the fruit.
The very first cucumbers grown on a trellis will appear at the bottom (like the photo in #3 above), and may be a bit dirty, but once the plants have grown up the trellis a bit more, you will just be able pick just by reaching in, push the leaves aside and grab a perfect, mostly straight fully colored cucumber!
And as they grow taller (the photo above is two weeks later than the picture at the beginning of the post) you might not even have to stoop to pick the fruit!
Growing cucumbers like this and being able to plant seeds closer together means you will have a much larger harvest in a smaller space than letting them sprawl on the ground.
But that probably goes without saying, because that's why we like to grow vegetables vertically, as well as the plants taking up less space.
And even though it's not a part of the "official" 5 reasons to grow cucumbers on a trellis, it's a pretty good one still, right?
Can you tell I really like growing cucumbers this way?
Grow Cucumbers On A Trellis FAQs
Yes, cucumbers need to be grown in full sun, which is at least 6-8 hours of sun daily.
In addition to making cucumber plants easier to water and harvest, and producing fruit that is cleaner, uniform in color and straighter, growing cucumbers on a trellis also reduces fungal diseases like powdery mildew because of the improved airflow. (Bonus reason #6!)
I've made the case for growing up a trellis as better than the ground, and I'd also point out that cucumbers vines have tendrils that will help grab twine or fencing which illustrates that they are probably meant to grow up instead of just sprawl.
As mentioned, you will need to train your cucumber plants up by twining the vines through the string or fencing you're using, but their tendrils will also help by grabbing the support as they grow up.
A cucumber trellis should be about 5 feet tall and no more than 6 feet tall, as that will make it harder to harvest at the top. If the vines of the variety you planted grow taller, simply let them grow up and over the top and back down the side.
Do you grow cucumbers on a trellis? Why or why not?
This article has been updated - it was originally published in August of 2011.
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Kristin says
Bamboo Poles/Pickling Cukes: I grow pickling cucumbers on bamboo poles cut from my property (got plenty of 'em!) placing 2-3 for each plant. Cut bamboo when main stalk is about 3/4" diameter, not fully mature. When trimming bamboo side branches, make sure to leave short "nubbins" to help climbing plants to grab on, i.e. don't cut flush to the main pole. Bamboo is fairly long lasting even in damp soil and has all kinds of other uses too -- staking tomatoes for example instead of cages. Let it grow thicker to 1" for sturdier needs. I'd even recommend keeping a small patch of bamboo, just for a constant pole/stake supply -- but be warned: don't let it get out of hand!!
I grow slicing cucumbers on a panel of 4x4 fencing (salvaged) suspended from rafters in my greenhouse. Can't afford livestock panels. I never even tried the ramble on the ground method! BTW, "Telegraph" is a good variety for hothouse growers -- less bitter.
Jami says
I'd love to have a source of bamboo for the garden, Kristin! I started a patch of clumping bamboo at our other house, but it was just maturing enough to harvest when we moved.
Thanks for the tips - and the variety for hothouse growing. I hope to have a greenhouse one day!
Kim says
Thank you, Jami. This is very helpful as I begin my spring gardening in Colorado and am figuring out how I want to do my trellising!
Jami says
So glad to read this - hope you like this method!
Mo Yatim says
thanks for the info about growing cucumbers up on a trellis
John Wagner says
I've been growing my cucumbers on a Trellis for many years for only the simple fact of having the perfectly straight cucumber that are easier to go in my jars when making pickles. But the benefit of your other reasons are very beneficial also thanks for the great tips.
Jami says
Yes!
Belinda says
Great article! Is there any particular size or material you recommend with the twine? And do I just attach the twine to the base on the cucumber? I’m going to give growing up a go.
Jami says
Any twine will do, Belinda - thicker will last a bit longer.
You attach the twine to the bottom rung of the trellis and then twine it up and down the length before tying off at the end. The twine will be in place when you plant the seeds. 🙂
Susan Hendryx says
Can you show a picture of your new trellis for cucumbers? Having a hard time visualizing u shaped rebar.
Jami says
Gosh, I almost couldn't find one! But I did since I used it last year in the new raised bed garden we have. It ended up not being a good use of space, though, so this year I'm growing them up a hog/cattle panel just like my beans.
I will add both of these other trellis ideas to the article!
Lisa says
This is my third year of growing cucumbers. The first two years, I grew them in a raised bed on the ground with no trellis. This year, I bought two A-frame trellises. However, my cucumbers are already at the top and have no where else to go except up with no support. The trellis is 48"x 42", which means one side of the trellis is only 24". I realize, after the fact, that I should've made or bought taller trellises for my raised bed (VegTrug). Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Should I train them to go down the other side?
Jami says
Yes - when the vines got too long for the trellis (and it depends on the cucumber variety - some grow longer and some are more dwarf), I just let them grow back down. You could train them the other side if you wanted, but if it makes them harder to harvest, I'd let them grown back down. The cucumbers will be more at the top as they grow, so they'll continue.
Lisa says
Thanks so much for the advice! I've got some growing across the top, some growing down the other side and some back down the original side. I also have some growing up long tomato stakes within the trellis. It honestly makes a huge difference having them grow up a trellis. We have quite an abundant supply of cucumbers growing, and much more than the previous years when they were growing on the ground.
Jami says
Oh, this is good to hear - thanks for leaving your experience for others to read, too! And aren't they much easier to harvest with no yellow spots from laying on the ground? That's probably my favorite part. 🙂
Mary Fedyszyn says
I really like the design of your trellis and feel that cucumbers prefer to grow at the angle of your trellis, instead of straight up, which is what I've been doing with my trellis. Cukes are not the same as pole beans. Next year I'm switching to your design. Will try the rebar to prolong the life of the trellis. Thank you.
Jami says
Oh, I hadn't thought of this, Mary - for the first time in our newer garden I'm growing them up a cattle panel like I do pole beans. I just don't have room for an a-frame trellis anymore. I will have to see if it makes a difference like it did for you.
Sandi L. says
I started to last year but I wasn't committed with it and by mid-summer the trellis wasn't doing a whole lot of good.
Already have this year's trellis up in a different part of the garden so here's hoping.
Jami says
Hoping with you, Sandi - I love growing them this way!
Jennifer says
I am pretty new to growing things vertically so this may seem like a no-brainer question. I have 6in high cucumbers to plant but how far in front of the trellis poles should i plant them. I wanted to put the trellis in first so i did not damage any roots. Great post by the way!
Jami says
I usually started with seeds and planted them right under the first rung of the trellis, so I'd say as close as you can! Maybe an inch? You want them to not really bend as you help them climb in the first month. Does that make sense?
Hassza Éva says
Szeretek tanulni újdonságokat!!
(Google Translate: I love learning new things!!)
Dawn B says
We decided to use old chain link fence and framed it out with bamboo and leaned it against a wooden fence, almost like a ramp. Hoping for a better result than growing on the ground last year.
Jami says
That sounds like a great solution - and way to use something up!
Gabrielle Alteri says
great idea! i never thought you could grow cucumbers on a trellis. im going to give it a try. thankyou, gabrielle,an avid gardener in california
Jami says
Good! I think you'll really like it. 🙂
marsha keegan says
Thank you so much for writing this, How close can I plant the cucumbers and zucchini using this method
Jami says
I plant cucumbers about 2-3 inches apart. I haven't tried this with zucchini.
Brian S says
Zucchini is not a vining plant and there would be no benefit from planting it undetr a trellis.
Gary says
I am thinking of making my frame trellis out of PVC tubing? Your thoughts?
Jami says
Yes, that should work perfectly and not rot like ours did. 🙂 Wood is prettier, but only lasted about 4 years for us.
Darcy says
this might seem like a ridiculous question, but I am new to gardening this year and am using an a frame trellis with a distance of 2 feet between the front and back....do i plant the seeds in the front, back, or under the trellis?
Jami says
All questions allowed here, Darcy. 🙂
I'd always plant these in front of the trellis (though I can't really picture yours - are you planting both sides or is one side the legs?). Then you can reach them easily to help them grow up it - and also for easier harvesting.
Sometimes I've grown lettuce that likes shade in the summer under/inside the trellis, but it's not easy to harvest, so just sometimes.
Darcy says
Thank you!
darby says
Hello Jami,
Thank you for some sound direction. Last year I was a first time gardener. I used store-bought, metal, A-frame trellis', and planted my cucumbers one foot closer than the recommended two feet listed on the seed packets and gardening books (I have limited space, and thought two feet just seemed too big of a distance). I had a great harvest, yet one foot distance still seemed too far apart. It didn't even occur to me that cucumbers could/should grow on the ground, and that the suggested distance was based on a ground-growing method. Finally, you have made sense of my confusion, and I am glad Google led me to your article. Thank you!!
Jami says
I'm glad you found this, too, Darby! Here's to an even better harvest this year. 🙂
Rachel says
Hi Jami!
I was wondering where you found your 10-ft U-shaped rebar for the trellis? A local welding store maybe? Thanks!
Jami says
We actually were given them from a neighbor, and I have no idea where you'd find them! But your idea sounds like a good one - let me know if that's the case. I'd love to tell others, since it's a great option for a non-rotting trellis system.
Nancy says
Do you think a trellis will work for cantaloupes?
Jami says
I have read that you can trellis melons, Nancy. You do have to have a really strong and sturdy structure, though. And I've see some people even make little slings out of nylons or some lightweight fabric to hold the melons as they grow.
Nancy H. Halgren says
thanks, yes Jami, I can see where the need for slings would be necessary. Guess I'll just let them on the ground, so much easier, but I would like to try with the cucumbers next summer.
Jenifer says
I’m new to gardening, well it’s my second attempt. I read about growing cucumbers & zucchini’s on trellises, & decided to give it a try. I planted my cucumber starts pretty close-I’d say 4-5” apart, & am using an old metal trundle bed frame as a trellis. A local organic gardener in my neighborhood gave it to me saying he knew it would work. Any thoughts? I also bought a roll of metal fencing stuff from the local garden center that I bent into a circle & planted my zucchini starts inside of. I’m just hoping, & praying this works! Thanks for the fantastic article!
Jami says
That sounds great Jenifer - both of those should work. Of course much of gardening is trial and error. 🙂
Tara says
Hi Jami,
Great post! My cucumbers plants always end up taking over my garden and winding around and into my row of beans. I really want to try building the A-frame trellis that you're husband built for you. Do you recall how tall it was? And were the strings just tied around the piece of wood at the top or were there holes drilled for the string to feed through and tie on? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Jami says
Oh, it's SO much better on a trellis, Tara - you'll love it. As for the frame, it was probably 7 feet tall, with 8 to 10 inches of the legs in the ground. The string was just wrapped around the top pieces, no drilling necessary.
Just be prepared - this frame only lasted us about 3 years before it started rotting - at both the legs and the side pieces that held most of the cucumber weight. I've since moved to a metal A-frame trellis made of rebar. 🙂
Kerubo says
I wanna start growing cucumbers
Jami says
Great!
Charita says
Hi Jami,
I am an amateur . I love your "A" trellis idea. However I am trying to grow it vertically on bamboo stakes. What do you recommend when the vine reaches the top?
Jami says
I just let the vines fold over and hang down - it happens on the A-frame trellis, too.
David Agnolucci says
How long does it take from time u plant to having actual cucumbers on the vine ???
Jami says
It depends on the cucumber variety you're growing. I typically grow small pickling cucumbers which usually take 50-60 days to maturity.
Patricia says
Hi Jami,
Can the cukes be f grown in full sun facing west?
Jami says
Yes, the more sun the better!
Ibrahim Muwonge says
Am trellising my cucumbers 2moro,thx Jami for the lesson
Jami says
Great! Hope it you love it.
William says
Hi Jami. This is my first year growing any thing. Instead of a trellis i squared off the top, so i built a box if you will. Then i ran string from the bottom to the top making this type of thing #### so the cucumber plant grew between the holes all the way up and it supports the cucumbers weight. Is this bad or good in your oppion
Jami says
If it's working for you and keeping the fruit off the ground and easy to harvest, that sounds good to me!
William says
Is it ok to have two cucumbers growing together out of the same spot. Should i cut one off
Jami says
If there's about 6 inches between the plants, that should be okay.
Alex says
So I didnt trellis(first year gardener), i have cucumber popping up all over. The viens are flowing into my peas, beans and Peppers. They are overwhelming this part of my garden. Do you think it is too late to try to trellis and train my vines up, or should I try to pull a plant or 2 out to clear some space for some to grow?
Jami says
I would try to prop them up on something this year, Alex. If that still doesn't work, then pull a few - but that should be a last resort. 🙂
Matt says
Great write up! We just started our cucumbers, zucchinis & squash this year and I plan to build trellises very soon to take them vertical. I was thinking of plasti-dipping the ends of the wood to prevent rot. Did you guys try anything like this before going to metal?
Jami says
I don't really know how to do that, but it sounds like an option. We get so much rain here that the upper parts of the wood disintegrated after 3-4 years, too, so there's that. 🙂
KCee says
nice one dear
Thanks so much for it will help me in my project work
Anne Donofrio says
Good info. I've been overwhelmed by all the different types of trellises available. Got some old wire fence and leaned it at an angle against my fence. I put a few vines thru it, but the rest aren't long enough. I now have confidence my cukes will stay off the ground. I think I'll try it with my mini pumpkins!
Jami says
I love using what you have, Anne - this sounds like a perfect solution!
Scott says
Thanks for the post. How far apart are the legs of the trellis when it's fully opened? (width, not length)
Jami says
About 3 feet, though that's not exact. I would just set it far enough apart that it seemed secure. 🙂
Shauna Hood says
Did you use instructions to make the trellis or did you improvise? Would love to know specifics on construction.
Jami says
My husband made it and just improvised. He made the side frames from 2x2s and hinged them at the top with old cupboard hinges. 1x2s were used across the top and bottom - these are what I strung the twine around, up and down.
We just used what we had and unfortunately it only lasted about 4 years before the ends that were in the ground rotted. I guess that's not bad for using what we already had, but we've since found large u-shaped rebar that we've adapted to make the cucumber trellis. Hope this helps some!
Lynn Meade says
We've grown out cukes vertically for years. But a few years ago repositioned the trellis we use, and I noticed less of a harvest. I'm wondering if having the trellis in a east west placement is the cause of this? Plants are on the north and south sides. It seemed like we got 2-3 times the harvest when the trellis was north south placement. Plants were on the east and west sides. Has anyone else noticed this?
Jami says
Hmm, I haven't noticed it, though I've always grown them with the plants on the east and west sides (the ends being N-S).
Lynn Meade says
Thanks! I'll let the DH know "we" need to rotate the trellis, casually over his favorite dinner (with cucumber salad) and a beer. 🙂
Dinyar M. Dalal says
Hi Jami, How tall is your trellis and how far apart at the bottom? Did you make it wide enough to go under the "A" frame to collect Cucumbers?
thank you.
Dinyar Dalal
Jami says
The trellis is about 6 feet tall and then when I spread it out it's about 5-1/2 so I can easily reach the top (I'm 5'5"). No, I can't go under the frame to collect, but it's easy enough to reach around.
AndiW says
Love this trellis idea! Your blog is so upbeat, positive, informational. Thank you!!
Jami says
Thank you, sweet Andi! I won't grow cukes any other way now - harvesting is SO easy.
Tammi says
My vines are doing so well this year. They are growing beyond the end of my trellis. I started weaving them back through. If I cut the vines back will it help or harm them?
Jami says
Good to hear! I just let them fall back around the top, Tammi, since the cucumbers will keep producing up the vines, closer to the ends. I'm afraid if you cut them, you would lose harvest.
Dinyar M. Dalal says
Hi Jami,
I will be growing Cucs for the first time this year (2017) and I need all the help I can get. I was looking for an idea to build my own trellis. I liked yours the most bc by building an "A" frame you are Not waisting the other side. A few qs. Jami-
1. Do you plant on both sides (outside & inside) of each frame?
2. Do you recommend pinching them as they grow?
The twine idea makes a lot of sense to me.
Thank you for sharing your ideas-- I just love it.
Dinyar Dalal
Jami says
Thanks, Dinyar! I plant one row at the base of each side of the frame, with seeds 1 inch apart and thinning to 2-3 inches apart when the seedlings are about 3 inches tall. I do not pinch cucumbers - I'm not looking for bushiness, since I want them to grow as a vine.
I wish you success in your cucumber growing endeavor - I love growing them up and will never go back to on the ground!
Lauren says
Do you plant your cucumbers on the inside or outside of an A frame trellis?
Jami says
I plant them right along the bottom, Lauren, on the outside and then twining them up as the grow.
Barbara says
Your site is wonderful and so glad i discovered it! Thanks!
I want to plant seedless cucumbers in the spring, but i would like it to be organic. Last year i had a hard time finding anything at my local suppliers. Do i have to order them? Any suggestions?
I love the trellis! Last year mine grew starting up the side of my house onto a cable cord and window screens. I will build a real trellis this time...
Jami says
Thank you, Barbara! Any time I want special seeds, I order them - my favorite catalog/sites to order from are Pinetree Garden Seeds, Territorial, and Seed Savers Exchange. Looking through the catalogs and dreaming is one of my favorite winter time activities. 🙂
Kat says
I would try your local farm for some organic plants. (look for places that sell vegetables at your local farmers market or places that host a fall festival, they usually have very nice plants)
Vincent Lehotsky says
Bought these Pickling Cucumber Seeds the other day. Planted some in germinating pots, and they're popping up already. Now I was expecting to mosey a bit, looking up at the sky, picking a weed here and there, etc., etc. Now I find that I Hafto Do Some Actual Work !. Oh, love the watch. I don't wear one, cuz I don't remeber why.
Now I was looking for a quick fix as I have chicken wire and a big window window-less frame.
Came across this site, quite amusing and informative in a fashion to those who reads the comics qite fundamentally.
I like your trellis. I also like it because someone else designed and built it.
I grow a lot of my plants in buckets, holes drilled in them. I get many from Dunkin Donuts. The pickle buckets from a Wendy's are better. And I take photos and post everything to Google+ and Facebook.
Til Next Time ...
Hallie says
I didn't get to my trellising and am wondering if anyone has tried training them late in the game after they are crawling on the ground a good bit? I run a very large foodbank garden and sometimes chores get away from me!!
Jami says
You can certainly try, Hallie! maybe just a lower trellis that you could set the vines on or something?
Steve Griffin says
I have been using trellises for years and enjoy the cleaner pickings. I build mine straight up and space cucumbers 6-8" apart. Wait for seedlings to appear and then tie twine. About 4' tall to a wood horizontal nailed to stakes every 8-10'. Easier to water roots and to keep weeds out. Happy gardening.
James T says
Hey, I have a few cucumber plants, and this morning the baby fruit off the flower is brown with white spots. The other plants seem unaffected. It is the largest plant that is exhibiting this trait.
It lives right next to my tomato plant, and gets daily soaker hose watering due to our super hot Florida.
Any ideas for me? Is my plant OK? The leafs at the top are super green and the size of a DVD. The leafs at the bottom are green and some yellow, and smaller in size.
Jami says
Sometimes there are a few fruits that don't make it for some reason or another, James - I'd remove the affected fruit and if the rest of the plant is healthy, just wait for more to form, keeping an eye on it. Oh, and even in hot climates, I'd make sure your plants really need water every day by testing the soil down to an inch - if it's moist at an inch, cut back to every other day (too much moisture can cause flavorless fruit).
Shannon says
Does the trellis have to be angled like that, or could it go straight up the wall of our house?
Jami says
I'm sure you can grow straight up, Shannon, I just made a trellis that worked for our garden. 🙂
LindaSonia says
Cucumber vines usually grow a mile long... so what do you do with the vines when they reach the top?!?!?
Jami says
I just let them grow back down. 🙂
gary says
Like the trellis!! Did you plant a few hills of cucumbers or spread the plants out across the length of the trellis? Just trying to determine if I want to plant typical hills or space them out across the bottom of the trellis. Planting straight eights!!
Jami says
I plant the seeds in a row at the bottom of each side, Gary. Nice and easy. 🙂
Anonymous says
Is there any other plants that would grow on a trellis like this?
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Sure! Beans, of course, and lots of people grow melons or small pumpkins on trellises - when they get big they create a "sling" for them out of old nylons or such. I would think a cherry tomato would do well on a trellis like this. Basically, anything that grows on a vine.
Anonymous says
I LOVE THIS. I have been growing mine close to the ground and last year was a total bust. I can't wait to try this. Thanks for the wonderful information!
Jami @An Oregon Cottage says
Athena- Well, I can already tell you a few things: the "Agnes" cuke replaced "Cool Breeze" in the Territorial catalog and I had grown and loved Cool Breeze for years. Honestly, I can't tell the difference- but they liked it better, so maybe it produces more? The really are different looking that a regular pickler- more spines, but smaller and clear; a darker green; and you can use them at a very small stage.
Brian loves cucumbers and eats these without peeling- he says they are sweet with no bitterness, even with the skin (which smooths out with washing- and of course like reg. pickling cukes, are smooth after pickling...).
I always grow one row of this cucumber, and one row of regular- hedging my bets, sorta! -and the Cool Breeze/Agnes always starts producing sooner and usually produces more.
Hope that helps!
Athena at Minerva's Garden says
This is a fantastic trellising system--I may have to give this style a try next year! And I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Agnes cuke at the end of the season--if they taste good and produce well. If they will grow in colder summers, I will definitely have to give them a try, especially if they taste great.
Jami @An Oregon Cottage says
Lauren S- I've always read that long, deep soaking encourages the roots to grow deep into the soil where it's cooler and more moist. Frequent, light watering encourages a lot of roots at the soil level that produces a weaker plant dependent on frequent watering. These plants stress easily when a day is missed, etc.
Since it's certainly easier for me to water less frequently, I find it easy to follow this advice. 🙂
Suanna says
I might just try that next year.
Gina says
I've never tried cukes on a trellis - but you have convinced me that I need to try it. Yours looks like a magazine picture!
Gina
Lauren S says
Do you find benefit in watering for so long once a week? We run our soakers for I think 25 min every day (it's really dry here in CO).
Jami @An Oregon Cottage says
Tami- I'm so happy you found the blog, too. 🙂
I didn't measure when I was putting the twine up (and yes, it's compostable twine that I can cut down in the winter and just toss into the compost with the vines), just wrapped it around the top and bottom wood pieces evenly. I'd guess maybe 4 to 5 inches?
atnewman says
I am so happy to have found this blog. I have several jars of baby garlic dills in the fridge now. I am going to ask hubby to make me a fold up trellis like this. I am just wondering how far apart the twine ( is it twine?) is spaced? Thanks for all the great info!! Tami....in White Salmon WA.
Portland Charcuterie Project says
I've been doing this for years..... great minds think alike 🙂
Karrie says
Great idea. And great ideas from the previous commenters too! I'm going to keep all the ideas in mind for when we move next year and I can actually have a garden again!
Thanks for all the gardening posts. I love em.
Dorothy says
I started this year growing them up our stockade privacy fence after I'd attached some mesh w/chicken wire sized openings on it. It's working out great! I'll never grow "bush" cukes again.
Anonymous says
Mine grow right up the chain link fencing. Makes that fence much prettier in my book!
[email protected] says
I wonder if the metal gets too hot and fries the leaves? I picked beans into a metal bowl the other day and it got toasty quick in the sun.
Love your cucumber trellis, Jami.
Also, I do picasa on my mac... they have a version just for people like us:)
Mindy says
I always grow mine up on something. This year, I have them on a metal trellis. They were just getting some babies coming when all of a sudden the plants started wilting. And now the leaves are turning brown and crispy. And I'm pretty sure all my babies will perish. I have NO idea what happened. :o(
Shane says
Sometimes the metal can heat up too much in the sun and burn the plants. I try to avoid metal for trellises if I can. This year for trellises I am using poles that I cut from a friend's wood lot and jute twine.
Jami says
Since I didn't use metal, that shouldn't be a problem! 🙂
Mark says
The metal warning is timely. I was considering using a thick wire, but now I will stick to string.
I haven't used a trellis in home garden as an adult; when I was a child I do remember my family garden using this. The cucumbers were always grown on a trellis of rope up against the back of the garage. Space saving and the fruit was uniform and easy to pick.
I am hardening off my cucumbers and squash for transplant now. I am excited for my first cucumber crop.
-Thanks
Jami says
Wonderful, Mark! Another reason I like twine is I can just cut it all down at the end of the season and compost it all - no trying to disentangle dead vince from metal. 🙂
Dinyar M. Dalal says
Very true. Jami, I did not see any twine in Horizontal direction. Do you think that will help the grab the twine better?
It seems that you have either nails or hooks at the top and bottom to wrap the twine around- am I right?
Thanks again,
Dinyar Dalal
Jami says
I've never used horizontal twine, Dinyar, just the vertical - and the twine is simply looped around the top and bottom horizontal boards, no nails or hooks needed. I'm not sure using horizontal twine would help, since you'd always need to help them grow up, though maybe it would give you more places to attach them. You'd want to be careful, though, not to bend the tender growing tips, which is why I like to just twist them around the vertical twine without having to deal with horizontal lines.
Dinyar M. Dalal says
Very smart!!!
janice15 says
I like this Idea, this is nice. I was thinking to make some kind of trellis, I just bought some sticks the other day at the garden center. Maybe I can make a smaller version. I don't have but a few cucumber plants. Are bad weather hasn't done them any good.,...thanks for sharing. Have a lovely day.