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Trellising cucumbers increases production

3/2/2013

1 Comment

 
I ran across some interesting research that surprised me  the other day. According to Douglas C. Sanders and Larry Bass from the North Carolina State University Extension, growing cucumbers on a trellis increases the yield of cucumbers by two to three times. It also produces straight, well formed cucumbers that are uniform in color with no white spot on the underside of the cuke from resting on the soil.
My mother tried growing cucumbers on trellises in her Maine garden years ago and was disappointed with the results. She claimed that they did not produce well. She said the reason for reduced production was because cucumber vines root along the vine when they contact the moist soil, but couldn't do that when trellised.  Respecting her garden expertise, I had no reason to question it.

I tried growing cucumbers in a cylinder of chicken wire a few years ago and although they grew well, the vines were damaged as they grew over the top of the wire. I realize my errors, now. The cylinder was too short and I failed to prune the vines.

I'm going to try some cucumbers on trellises this year and find out for myself how well they produce. If you'd like to join me, here are the basic instructions for growing cucumbers on a trellis.

How to Grow Cucumbers on a Trellis

  • Erect chicken wire or a trellis that is at least six feet tall before you plant your cucumbers.
  • Plant the cucumber seedlings, or seeds, approximately two inches from the trellis.
  • Guide the growing vines up the trellis. Although the tendrils will attach themselves to the vine, your cucumbers may try to grow along the ground and need a little guidance from you.
  • Pinch off the ends of the runners when the vines reach the top of the trellis.
  • Water you cucumbers deeply once or twice a week to keep the soil evenly moist. Soil that dries excessively will inhibit grow.
  • Apply  one to two tablespoons of 10-10-10 fertilizer per plant to the soil around the base of the plants when they begin to vine. Work it into the soil well, using care not to damage roots or contact the foliage with the fertilizer.
There are two schools of thought on pruning trellised cucumbers. Some report that you should prune the tips of the vines as soon as they reach the top of the trellis to force lateral vines to grow. The North Carolina State University Extension recommends pruning the ends at this time.  It also recommends removing the first four to six lateral runners at the base of the plant and then allowing all other runners to grow.

1 Comment
best garden hose link
6/10/2017 11:01:12 pm

I have grown Cucumbers on a Trellis and they grow very fast and very tall very quickly!

Reply



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  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables