Cucumbers are many people’s favorite. The delightfully fresh, crunchy produce always makes a welcome addition to salads, cheeseboards, and crudites. But what tastes even better is undeniably a cucumber you’ve grown yourself, at home. In fact, it’s surprisingly easy to get a cucumber plant going in your garden, but there are certain tips and tricks which can help you along the way.
To ensure you get the very best out of your cucumber plant, make sure you’re giving it adequate support. Growing cucumbers vertically can save space in your garden, but the heavy produce the plant bears means they can’t stand alone. Luckily, there is many ways you can create homemade trellises to add extra stability to your cucumber plants.
1. A fence
If your garden already has a fence, use it to add support to your cucumber plant. Any type of fence, be it chain-linked or wooden, can work as a backbone for your cucumber growing – plus, the attractive plants can help conceal any less attractive fencing areas.
2. A wall trellis
If your gardens are surrounded by brick walls rather than fences, you can create your own supports against your garden walls. You can use hooks or screws to affix a wooden trellis to your wall or create a more natural structure using bamboo or other strong, sturdy sticks.
3. A vertical trellis
In order to make the most of limited bed space, you can install a vertical trellis right down the middle, acting almost like an extra layer of fence! You can use a readymade trellis, or create your own from natural or reclaimed materials then dig down into your beds and place the trellis to install.
4. A tent trellis
This is another way to create support over existing beds. This is a structure using two trellis sides joined together at the top in a triangular shape. This offers a surprising amount of strength to the structure to help hold up heavy cucumbers.
5. A reclaimed trellis
An old stepladder or wooden pallet can work really well to hold your plants up – simply lean them against a wall.
6. A teepee trellis
For just one cucumber plant, a singular teepee-shaped trellis could be the best option. You can quickly build this structure using several strong sticks, tied together to the top, then place it over your cucumber plant and watch it grow and thrive.
7. An arch trellis
Maximize garden space and create a beautiful garden element by installing an arched trellis in the ground or between two planters. A large archway provides a lovely entrance into a vegetable garden, or opt for an arched trellis over a planter. This is among the more expensive options, but it is long-lasting and strong enough to also hold heavier vining crops like melons and squash.
8. A twine trellis
This is a quick and easy option which is perfect for adding support to cucumber plants in a pinch. You can simply tie lengths of yarn, string, or twine above your cucumber plants, creating a surprisingly strong network for them to grow on.
9. No trellis!
If you have the garden space, it isn’t actually necessary to add vertical support to your cucumber plants at all. You can simply allow your plants to stay close to the ground, with the soil offering all the support your final cucumbers need.
