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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Cucumber trellises that work?

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  • From: "Heirloom Grower" <heirloomgrower AT gmail.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Cucumber trellises that work?
  • Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:24:51 -0600

I have grown trellised cucumbers for more than 25 years, in much the same way that my mother did before me. Today, I just use heavy stakes or T-posts set about 4 feet apart and wrap heavy bailing twine between them. Starting very low on the T-posts, paired strands of twine are set about 4 inches apart. On the first pass, the twine is wrapped so that it passes in front of the post. One the return trip, it is wrapped 2 or 3 times around the end post and then wrapped so that it passes behind the post maybe an inch above the previous strand. At the end of the row, the twine is wrapped upward about 4 inches, and again is wrapped so that it passes in front of the bar. The return is behind the bar and an inch or so higher. As the cucumber grows it is easy to pull the cucumbers between the paired strands of twine. Unfortunately, cucumbers are not self-climbing in the sense that beans are, so regardless of the method employed, they will require ongoing training. However, I have found that trellissing my cucumber leads to a better, straighter, cleaner, less insect-damaged, more disease-free cucumber, and to a greatly increased yield since it greatly reduces the chance that some will be overlooked and left to set seed. This happens as a matter of course with cucumbers left to ramble on the ground.
 
My mother's technique was very similar to what I just described, but she tore her old worn sheets so that they formed a long continuous strip. Strips were torn from left to right to about an inch from the edge on one side and the next strip was torn about an inch below that from right to left, and so on. The strip was knotted at the edge to prevent further tearing. This ingenuity came from days of having to make do. And it worked wonderfully. She used wooden stakes exclusively, wrapping the fabric around the posts in much the same way as I do the twine. The fabric gets higher marks than the twine in my book, even though it take more prep time (though it's nice busy work while TV watching) because the fabric is gentler to the vine, cradling and protecting them from bending and breaking. It also "holds" the vine in place better than twine or wire or fencing--all of which I have experimented with over the years.
 
It's probably not the prettiest sight when first set up, but it is quickly covered with the growing vines.
 
Elise
 
I have done 200 foot rows this way, and it's simple, quick, and fairly inexpensive.
 
Elise

On Jan 30, 2008 6:46 PM, carol wilson <carolaw5 AT yahoo.com> wrote:
I have grown cukes on a trellis since my first year doing it on my own...i hated tromping through the field and trying to not step on sprawling vines.  Most of my vines are on woven wire (some 4"X4" & some 2"X4"), I do have some cattle panels as well.  I just used whatever was handy, rather, on-hand.  My rows are oriented east to west and are straight up and down(no leaning).  I try to keep things simple for myself.  I don't have the cattle panels or wire directly on the ground(makes it easier to weed and lay mulch), I raise them up some (7-12"-just eyeball it) and wire them to the posts.  the woven wire is easier to keep up because i bend part of a "square" out & slide it over the post...it pretty much holds itself up but i do wire the bottom on so the wind doesn't take it and pull the plants out of the ground.
 
I'm not sure that the V you talked about would be nessicary.  I plant my cukes pI retty close and they do fine all growing on the same trellis.  I think what might happen with a V orientation is that the cukes would begin their journey upward and then a few might miss the next rung and begin to "lean".  The little tendrils might catch the other side of the V & continue on up.  Then, when they come on you could have cukes in the middle of the V that would be difficult to get to.
 
I hope this helps.  Trellising is the way to go in my opinion!
 
Carol in OK  Zone 6


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