Trellising

Cucumbers are vigorous growers and if left unattended, grow uncontrollably in all directions. Cucumbers are also climbers, and trellises need to be erected in the beds to allow the cucumbers to climb vertically and not along the ground.

Many different types of trellises can be used for growing cucumbers that include cucumber cages, and tee pee trellises, home-made or bought .In a previous garden, I used a wire mesh to construct the trellises.  These worked well initially, but later in the season, lack of easy access became a problem.

For this reason, in the 2000 – 2021 garden, I decided to use strands of wire placed 12 inches apart and 12 to 18 inches above each other to trellis the vines.  The second picture shows multiple levels of trellis plus old leaves with ready access for pruning.

I use soft ties coated with green rubber, which are easy to tie and place where you want them; they can also be used several times. Trellises are especially important in small square-foot gardens of the necessity to grow plants horizontally, keep them off the ground and control rapid growth and minimize diseases.

Trellises are also important because they facilitate harvesting, pollination and the growth of flowers and fruit.  Trellising ensures the plant can support cucumbers later in the growing season.