I am very excited that my cucumber seedlings are doing so well and my two raised beds are almost complete. However, I'm reading all about companion planting and such and realized, my beds are small for all the cukes I want to plant. So, I'm looking for recommendations on the best way to do the cukes. I have two beds that are 4x8 apiece. I planned on doing just one bed with the cukes (and other compatible growing companions). Should I get a trellis or let them grow on the ground? I have twelve cuke plants!!! (Pickles... mmmmm) moderator's note: added a more descriptive title to topic
I would go with a trellis, it makes them easy to pick and keeps them off the ground to cut down on rotting. And takes up much less garden space. Not all those seedlings will live to maturity for one reason or another. But with even 6 good producing plants you will be making pickles everyday for weeks. I have a trellis made from three metal swing set poles with chicken wire hanging between them. Two poles in the ground with concrete, one attached across the top and chickwire attached with zip ties. I can get 6-8 vines on it just fine.
Thanks! I'll see what I can come up with. Still making the beds so if I can get a trellis set up now, that would be outstanding.
I've always let mine creep on the ground. I have to admit I've never thought of saving space by installing a trellis. I'm not sure I know the best way to do that. Do you have a picture of what you did toni?
This is my cucumber trellis, three metal poles from an old swing set and chicken wire. The poles are mounted in the ground with concrete, then the third pole attached to the top. The chicken wire is attached at the top and down the sides with zip ties. This is an old picture, taken in 2006 with a really old digital camera but I think you can see the basics. cucumber trellis ( photo / image / picture from toni's Garden )
I've let cucumbers trail on the ground and I've planted on trellises. I prefer trellis. There seems to be less disease, pests and mis-shapen cucumbers. They are easier to see and harvest. There's overall less mess. My trellis looks something like the one in Toni's picture. I just drive a couple of tall stakes in the ground and in between I have a piece of that concrete reinforcing mesh. It's just tied to the poles with cotton string. It works and it's easy to take down and move. It's cheap. A dollars worth of string lasted me two years. Now another thing I've learned is not to plant things like melons, cucumbers and squash all in the same spot. I have my cukes planted at one end of two raised beds separated by about 60 feet. This way if something attacks one group of cucumbers, I have a chance to head it off from the second group. I like some early cucumbers, but the truth is that fall planted ones do better here because the bad bugs are gone.
Toni that's a great picture and description thanks. Thanks for the advice, pricklypear. It makes sense that trellis grown cucumbers would have less disease. The ground is moist and less open to fresh air and light. I also agree it isn't smart to grow too many members of the same genus close together or in the same place year after year. That's a good tactic against disease.
