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Learning how to grow cucumbers vertically can be a valuable addition to your kitchen garden skills, providing a bumper crop of this salad favorite right through the summer.
Of course, before you start figuring out how to grow cucumbers vertically, you’ll need to research how to grow cucumbers to ensure that you give your crop the best start in life. One of the easiest vegetables to grow, they are a great addition to vegetable gardens.
How to grow cucumbers vertically
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Before we get to the ‘how’, we need to tackle the ‘where’ to ensure you have the right growing conditions for growing cucumbers vertically.
1. Find a spot with the right growing conditions
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When deciding how to grow cucumbers vertically, it is important that you pick a spot with minimal wind as this will make your pergola or trellis more sturdy and will also help the cucumber plant to thrive. Pick a sunny area and ensure that the soil is well-drained, loose and deep.
There is a whole host of vertical gardening ideas that can be used to grow cucumbers vertically, from living wall ideas and vegetable garden trellis ideas to pergolas and arches:
- Pergola – a great addition over a patio and when mixed with other climbers can also provide shade;
- Trellis – traditional method for growing cucumber vertically;
- Teepee – compact way to grow cucumbers vertically, can work in a greenhouse and containers as well as outdoors;.
- Arches – are an aesthetic choice but need to ensure that they are sturdy before training plants;
- A-Frame – provides a very stable structure on which to grow cucumbers, however it does take up a lot of space so is best suited for larger plots and vegetable gardens.
2. Sow the cucumber seeds
When growing from seed, the method is the same regardless of the structure you choose. Start by sowing seeds in small pots and then cover with soil.
3. Plant out the cucumbers
Once they have germinated and grown their true leaves, plant into their final location. It is also vital you wait until all risk of frost has passed before you plant out your cucumber seedlings. Once planted out, mulch with organic matter as cucumber plants need very fertile soil.
4. Tie in cucumbers to grow them vertically
Once your cucumbers have started to put on height, tie onto the pergola or trellis and continue to do this as they grow. It is also important that you know how to prune cucumber plants as this will keep the vines under control.
How to grow cucumbers vertically on a trellis
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When choosing a trellis for growing cucumbers, you’ll need to find a trellis that is between 5 and 7 feet tall and be sure you have secured it into the ground or raised bed. This method works for both flat trellises and A-frame trellises.
Before you plant your courgette plants into the ground, first assemble your trellis. This could range from attaching a wooden trellis to a fence to securing your A-frame trellis in a bed. Having done this you are now ready to plant out your cucumber plants.
1. Plant cucumber around the trellis
Position them at regular intervals along your trellis or A-frame, leaving at least 12 inches between each plant.
2. Tie in and train the cucumbers as they grow vertically
You can then loosely tie the plants to sections of the trellis with garden twine. Continue doing this as your cucumber plant grows as it will encourage it to grow vertically.
How to grow cucumbers vertically on a pergola
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Another way to grow cucumbers vertically is to train them over a pergola. The method for growing cucumbers on a pergola is very similar to growing cucumbers vertically on a trellis. Growing cucumbers vertically on a pergola offers one of the easiest ways of harvesting as the cucumber fruit will hang down from the roof of the pergola. When ripe, simply snip the connecting stem above the fruit and you’ve got a delicious addition to your sandwich or salad.
1. Plant out the cucumber
Start by planting your cucumber plants at the foot and secure with garden twine.
2. Tie in the cucumbers to help them grow vertically
Then as they grow, continue tying them to the pergola, slowly guiding them up and over to create a roof.
How to grow cucumbers vertically in a container garden
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There are plenty of vegetable garden container ideas to inspire you to grow fruits and vegetables in your plot. For growing cucumbers vertically in a container garden, your best option is to use a wigwam structure to support the plant. Make sure you have selected a large pot, one that holds at least 5 gallons of compost.
‘Take three or four canes, around six foot tall, and place them around the cucumber plant, about 30cm apart’ says Mark Greenhalgh, gardener at Hayes Garden World, ‘then take a piece of string and tie the tops of the canes together.’
1. Plant the cucumber and attach to the supports
Once you have created the basic cone-like structure, you then need to attach your plant to the support. ‘Take another piece of string and loosely around the plant and the cane. This will encourage them to grow up it,’ says Mark.
2. Continue to tie in the cucumber as it grows
As the plant continues to grow, keep loosely tying the new parts of the plant to the cane to guide it up the support. It is vital that you tie the plant loosely so that it doesn’t create a wound on the cucumber plant that can invite infection or disease.
This method can also be used in garden beds, raised beds or in the greenhouse.
Why grow cucumbers vertically?
There are lots of benefits to growing cucumbers vertically, the biggest being yield: ‘One cucumber vine can produce three times the yield compared to those grown horizontally,’ says Lindsey Hyland, founder of UrbanOrganic Yield. ‘Plus, you’ll also save on your garden’s water consumption since the plant’s roots are confined to a much smaller surface area.’
In small gardens, where space is at a premium and turning over room to vegetable production may feel like a luxury, growing cucumbers vertically will help you to transform your petite plot into a verdant homestead without sacrificing footprint.
Cucumbers are natural climbers and if unsupported will sprawl across the ground, much like pumpkins or strawberries. However, if grown at ground level, the plant is more vulnerable to rot, diseases and pests. Discovering how to grow cucumbers vertically is not only a great way to maximize the space in your garden, but it’s also great for the health of the cucumber.
Growing cucumbers vertically also reduces the likelihood of your cucumber plant succumbing to rot and disease since it improves the air circulation. Plus it will also improve your harvest. The fruit is less likely to rot before harvesting as it is not resting on the ground where the moisture from the soil will encourage decay. Plus, as the fruit is hanging it is less likely to be eaten by rabbits, slugs, snails or other ground foraging animals.
Gravity is a key factor of learning how to grow cucumbers vertically. Since the fruit can occupy a larger space than it can on the ground, it will result in straighter cucumbers and a more aesthetically pleasing crop. ‘The cucumbers that are grown vertically will also be cleaner and have fewer blemishes as well as being more uniform in growth and maturity,’ explains Lindsey.
Growing different plants together vertically can make a world of difference to their health and productivity and this is even easier when growing vertically. There are lots of great ideas to try in relation to cucumber companion planting which will all help you get the biggest and tastiest homegrown crop. ‘Grow climbers, such as beans and cucumbers, up tripods and climbing frames, along with nasturtiums to attract blackfly away from crops, and sweet peas for added colour and scent,’ says PL garden expert Leigh Clapp.
How to support cucumber fruit when grown vertically
One of the challenges that come from growing cucumbers vertically is that the cucumber fruits can become too heavy for the vine. In order to support them, you can create fabric slings to cradle the cucumber fruits and then tie them onto the trellis. Be sure to leave enough space that your cucumber can continue to grow.
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How much space do you need to grow cucumbers vertically?
You only need one or two square feet of space to grow cucumbers vertically. This is ompared to the 10 to 20 square feet that is needed to grow cucumbers horizontally. As well as the ground space, you will also need between four and six feet of trellis, pergola or canes to support your cucumber plants as they grow vertically.
Can you use tomato cages for cucumbers?
Yes, you can use tomato cages for growing cucumbers vertically. However, cucumbers need between four and six feet of vertical height in order to grow successfully. Therefore, if you are planning to use tomato cages for your cucumbers it is important to check that they are tall enough, otherwise you might need to join two together to provide the necessary height.
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