DIY cucumber supports

If you want to grow strong cucumber plants with a bountiful harvest, you need to take proper care of these plants. Trailing cucumber varieties require support: if these plants trail along the ground, they won't produce many fruits. Even those that do produce fruit won't always be able to fully develop: lying on the ground, they can rot or become infected with fungal diseases. DIY cucumber supports can be made in a variety of ways. We'll look at some options with photos.

Garden net for cucumbers

This plastic mesh is a versatile way to support climbing plants. You can use it to grow not only cucumbers, but also beans, peas, cowpea and other legumes.
To install such a support you will need:
— Garden net (length – depending on the length of the row with cucumbers);
— High stakes with one pointed end (2 or 4 stakes);
— Ropes or wires to secure the net to the stakes.
The netting can be installed in a single line, along the planted cucumbers, or in a "U" shape, as in the photo. In the first case, you'll need two stakes, and in the second, four, so that the netting not only forms straight lines but also encircles one of the spans between the sides.

Now, drive the stakes into the ground using sharp edges. It's difficult to do this by hand, so be sure to also have a hammer handy: if your soil is hard, you'll need to tap the stakes to secure them firmly. Once you've ensured the stakes are secure and won't fall over, tie the netting to them, gradually unwinding it (to prevent the netting from getting tangled). It's easiest to secure the garden netting in three places along the stake's height: at the top, bottom, and middle. When the cucumber plants stretch out their "necks," be sure to help them by carefully hooking their tendrils into the netting. From there, the cucumbers will manage on their own: they'll climb up the netting, bloom, and bear juicy fruit.

Rope trellis

A trellis is one of the most cost-effective options for supporting cucumbers: you can install it even if you don't want to spend money on garden mesh. However, it's important to remember that a cucumber trellis should always be made of rope: if you make it out of wire, the plants won't be able to cling to the smooth and slippery material. So, simple, rough rope is ideal.
For a rope trellis you will need:
- Wooden or metal stakes (again, 2 or 4 pieces);
— Ropes (their length should allow them to be stretched from peg to peg).

Insert the sharp-edged stakes into the ground at the beginning and end of the cucumber row. Then, alternately stretch three to five string tiers onto the stakes. The lowest tier should be no higher than 15 cm from the ground, allowing the cucumbers to reach it. You can then encourage the newly grown tendrils to cling to the lower tier of the trellis and wait for the plants to grow and begin to bear fruit.

Cucumber support in a barrel

Some gardeners don't like to plant cucumbers in barrels upwards, saying they'd rather let their vines hang down from the barrel: it's both beautiful and less hassle. But in this case, the edge of the metal barrel should be made softer, so it doesn't cut the cucumber plant that's resting on it. To achieve this, they attach a cut rubber hose to the edge, for example, to prevent it from squeezing the plant's vines. But if you want to achieve cucumbers in a barrel, creeping upwards, cannot do without support.
To make a cucumber support in a barrel, you will need:
- 1 high peg;
- 2 long ropes;
- 4 strong branches in the shape of a slingshot or the number "1".

Place a stake in the center of the barrel and check that it doesn't wobble. Make four inclined supports from two ropes: divide each rope in half and secure it to the stake at the bend (at a height of about 1 m). Pull the "tails" of the ropes down to the cucumber plants and secure them to the ground, pressing them down with "forked" branches. That's it! The cucumber plants will grasp the ropes with their tendrils, begin to climb up the ropes, and then move onto the central stake.

Vertical support for cucumbers in the garden bed

If you have two or three cucumber plants in your garden bed, you don't need to bother with netting or trellises. The ideal solution is a single vertical wooden support with individual ropes for each plant.
For a vertical cucumber support you will need:
- 1 tall wooden peg with a sharp edge;
- 1 long rope;
- 2 (or according to the number of bushes) sling-shaped branches.

Drive a stake into the ground between the cucumber bushes (pointed end down, of course) and check that it doesn't wobble. Then fold the rope in half and tie it around the stake at the fold at a height of at least 1 m. Pull the ends of the rope to the ground and secure them near the bushes with hooked branches. Wrap the remaining ends of the rope around the hooked branches: this will ensure a neater and more secure installation (the rope won't be pulled out of the ground).

You can make your own cucumber supports using any of these methods: they're quick and easy. What's more, these "helpers" are incredibly beneficial for your cucumber harvest!

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