Without support, cucumbers will crawl along the ground, spreading out to take up a large space in your garden. Cucumbers can grow as high as 7 feet tall, or stay shorter than 1 foot, depending on the variety and whether they are climbing with a trellis or other support. You can grow either vine or bush cucumbers, depending on your garden, the space available, and your preferences. This is the default type of cucumber, unless otherwise indicated in a catalog or at a nursery or garden center.
Vine cucumbers will take up lots of space if they are allowed to crawl and sprawl across the ground. However, if you support vine cucumbers with a stake or trellis, they can grow very tall and use garden space efficiently. Some vine cucumbers can get as tall as 6 to 7 feet. Bush cucumber plants take up very little space, needing only a few square feet per plant. You can also use grow bags for your cucumbers.
For more information, check out my article on grow bags. Whether you plant bush or vine cucumbers, you can grow them more easily by providing support. There are lots of ways to do this, but the most popular for cucumbers is probably a trellis. A trellis is one of the most popular ways to support cucumbers, and for good reason.
A well-placed trellis can improve the visual appeal of your garden, while also allowing your cucumbers to grow tall and take up less garden space. You can buy a trellis or make your own from any number of materials, including wood, plastic, or metal.
An angled trellis allows your vines to grow to their full height without making it difficult for you to harvest the topmost cucumbers. As an added bonus, an angled trellis with cucumbers growing on top will provide natural shade to plants growing underneath. If you like to grow shade-tolerant plants in your garden, they could be good companions to grow underneath a cucumber trellis. You can even use a trellis in an A-frame shape, so that you can grow cucumbers up either side of the trellis.
With this setup, you can still plant shade-loving crops underneath the trellis, although you might need to recruit someone small and agile to harvest them! One more cool option is an arch, or a curved trellis. Alternatively, it could be a symptom of cucumber mosaic virus.
Why are my cucumbers turning yellow? Overripe cucumbers begin to turn yellow. Harvest them young when they are still completely green. Wilting can be a sign of a stressed cucumber plant that is being over or under watered.
Cold temperatures can also lead to wilt. The worst case scenario is verticillium wilt. Browning leaves can be the eventual result of any of the pests, fungal diseases or viruses that can affect cucumber plants. Try to identify the problem and resolve it if possible, and remove any affected leaves. Depending on the variety, you can expect to harvest around 20 cucumbers per plant. Seeds sown in early spring can give you fruits as early as late June. If your cucumber plant has reached the desired height, pinch off the growing tips to encourage bushiness and more fruit.
Yes, you can remove any dead leaves from the plant. No, cucumbers are half-hardy annuals, which means you need to plant fresh seed each year. Find out how to cook your home-grown produce and get inspiration for tasty meals with our seasonal recipes:. In May, harden off the seedlings or young plants. Plant out when the risk of frost has passed. Use the flat side of a hoe to firm the soil over the seeds, but do not pack it. In small gardens, you can train cucumbers on a fence, trellis or cage if wire is available Figs.
Plant three or four seeds in hills 4 to 6 inches high along the trellis or cage. You can plant fast-maturing crops such as lettuce and radishes between the cucumber hills to save space. These will be harvested before the cucumber vines get too large.
Figure 4. In a small garden, cucumbers can be trained along a wire attached to a wall. Figure 5. If a wire cage is used, plant three or four seeds in hills 4 to 6 inches high along the cage. Cucumbers require plenty of fertilizer. Scatter 1 cup of a complete fertilizer such as or for each 10 feet of row; then work the fertilizer into the soil and leave the surface smooth. Soak the plants well with water weekly if it does not rain.
Keep the cucumbers as weed free as possible. Cucumbers produce two kinds of flowers, male and female. Male flowers Fig. Female flowers Fig. Figure 6. Male cucumber flowers open first and always drop off.
The cages proved to be strong enough to hold two large cucumber vines and the fruits dangled down the inside and outside of the cage for easy picking. Plus, I loved the pop of color they added to my raised beds.
Cucumber cages are available online and in stores. Metal A-frame trellises are popular supports for vining cucumbers.
Most are about four to five feet tall, which is ideal for cucumber plants and are very easy to set up. While the plants are small, you can plant a fast-growing crop like leaf lettuce or arugula in the space under the trellis. There are many sizes and styles of wooden trellises you can buy. Pyramidal or obelisk trellises are often made from wood and add beauty to a kitchen garden. Many companies also offer decorative iron trellises for ornamental climbers like clematis and roses, but you can use them for cucumbers too!
They look beautiful when placed in front of a shed or home and there are many styles and designs to choose from. Here are a few of my favourite cucumbers to grow vertically:.
Cucumbers can be direct seeded in late spring, after the last frost has passed or they can be started indoors three to four weeks before the last frost date. I use this time to set up my trellises. A cucumber trellis should be installed before you plant seeds or seedlings. If direct seeding cucumbers, I also suggest installing the trellis before sowing.
At the bottom of the trellis, sow the seeds six inches apart, eventually thinning to one foot apart. If transplanting seedlings, space them one foot apart. Cucumber vines produce long, slender tendrils that wrap around their supports as the plants grow. Cucumbers are considered an easy vegetable go grow. Give them rich soil, plenty of sunshine, and consistent moisture and you can expect high-performing plants. Here are three tasks you can do to help encourage healthy growth:.
This year i added 1 tablespoon of Epson Salt to ward off white flies, which it did very well. BUT I did not get a single cucumber! I also use mushroom compost mixed in my bed. Last year was a good crop, vice this…. I live in southwest Arizona. Hmmm good question! Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar. I plant them at the edges of my raised beds so they trail over the sides — more food, less space! Vining cucumber plants grow four to six feet in length, sometimes longer, and produce a generous harvest of fruits. These can be grown on the ground or up trellises or structures. This wooden and wire mesh trellis is both easy and inexpensive to build.
0コメント