Cucumber Support Methods

I'm gonna grow about 4 cucumbers plants this year in a 4x4 raised bed. I have some ideas on a support system, but I'm looking for some additional ideas as well.

I am thinking of placing a piece of 3x3 stock fencing at an angle from ground level on one end up to about 12 inches high on the other end. Does this make sense?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Good morningHalfway, this is how I have great success with my cucumbers, the long ones grow nice and straight and the little round ones are pretty happy.
They dont become so sick if they are off the ground, when the cucumbers are not growing I put beans on the support,they do very well also.
Gravity is the helper for cucumbers so they grow nice and straight,makes slicing easier and there for you can get every last slice.


Support for cucumbers. ( photo / image / picture from chocolate's Garden )






full sun and good support ( photo / image / picture from chocolate's Garden )

 

I'm so glad this topic is being discussed. Hubby and I have been "debating" about his cucumbers. I distinctly remember my grandparents, uncles/aunts, mom & dad's cucumbers. They were always given support to climb on. His have been just them laying on the ground. He really has more experience with veggies than I do and his folks/grandparents, etc were known for their veggies.
So I was a bit confused why he continued to let them lay there. That was until the other day when his big sis came to visit. And guess what? Next day they had supports to climb on!
Thank goodness for big sisters!

And as a side note: with supper tonight at the recommendation of one of my aunts... fried cucumbers (just like you do with green tomatoes).
Never had that before... but they were super delicious!
Oh geez... I got sidetracked...
back to Halfways' posting...
We now just have a couple of wooden stakes with string tied back and forth across them. There are only 4 cucumber plants. And this supports them rather nicely for now.

 

Thanks folks, what a great starting point. I think I will get that fencing vertical as chocolate showed to get them further from the ground.

If I do it right, I may be able to fit a couple of the dwarf pepper plants in that bed as well. All the better, woot!

That is an excellent thread Toni. Thank you for bringing it up!!

Fried cucumbers eh Cherylad?? We may need a little more explaining on that one...how to?

 

Regarding fried cucumbers.. honestly, it has never crossed my mind... my aunt told me about it today.
Have you ever fried green tomatoes? Or eggplant? Or squash? If so, its basically all the same. Just slice, batter and fry.
Slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. Coat them in a mix of mostly flour with a bit of cornmeal. Then dunk them an egg/milk mix (seasoned with salt, black pepper, red pepper if desired) and then fry.
Sorry for the lack of details, but I'm sure there's some specific recipes available online (or someone here probably can give you a guide to portions/ingredients, etc).
Let us know if you give it a try.

 

I have never grown cucumbers, however, when touring Walt Disney World in Florida I saw how the Disney scientists grew and supported their cucumbers.

Jerry


WDW Cucumbrs 2008 ( photo / image / picture from Jerry Sullivan's Garden )






WDW Cucumbers2 2008 ( photo / image / picture from Jerry Sullivan's Garden )

 

Hi Jerry, what a brilliant set up there,what a dream for a gardener,makes my little backyard effort look
a bit unprofessional,but I think mine would be more fun.

 

Epcot hydroponics is very impressive.

Cherylad, I kinda thought it may be the same manner as frying green tomatoes or zuchinis. Gonna put it on the list to try this year. Thank you!

 

Here is my solution to cuc climbing


support for cucumbers ( photo / image / picture from featherphobia's Garden )



I saw this on the sq ft web site and they wanted 60$ My husband is an electrian and did it of 10$.


climbing cucumbers ( photo / image / picture from featherphobia's Garden )


if you can not bend the conduit they have elbows you can use instead, He drove it in the ground and put a small amount of concrete to keep it there

 

hmmmph - after seeing all of that, I'm rethinking my plan to use upside down tomatoe cages :-?

 

I use 16' of general purpose field fencing, 4 6' T posts secured with zip ties (cable ties) to make an arch and grow cukes and pole beans on these. I use the same fencing to make tomato cages.