Trellis method for growing ground cucumbers and collecting seeds

Traditionally, in our area, it's common to plant beds horizontally and watch the plants spread across the garden. However, for vegetables like cucumbers, trellis-based cultivation is ideal, allowing for successful production of large, early harvests in small spaces.

A trellis is an artificial support for cucumber vines, around which they can twine and grow vertically, maximizing the necessary solar energy and minimizing the risk of diseases from soil-borne pests. This structure can be created in a variety of ways, using readily available materials or special trellis mesh. Wooden beams, metal or plastic pipes, and lattices are all suitable. Any materials available at home can be used.

Advantages and disadvantages of trellis cultivation of cucumbers

The popularity of this method of growing green vegetables is due to its advantages:

1. The bushes are evenly illuminated throughout the daylight hours, which promotes the development of fruits on each shoot along its entire length.
2. Good lighting of the bush allows you to get a larger harvest, since in bright light, female flowers are predominantly formed.
3. Reduces the risk of fungal diseases that destroy plants.
4. This placement allows the crop to develop faster, which ultimately leads to an earlier harvest time.

   

   

   

5. Ergonomic use of land, which is important both for summer residents and for growing vegetables for sale.
6. During watering, the liquid flows smoothly from the leaves, preventing the bushes from getting leaf burns on sunny days.
7. Convenience when caring for the bushes and during fruit harvesting, as their visibility is much better than in a regular garden bed.
8. During the process of picking cucumbers, minimal damage to the integrity of the stem and leaves of the plant occurs.

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The disadvantages of this method include the need for additional watering during growth and ripening due to the specific position of the vegetables, as well as the need for more fertilizer. Since the plants are vertical, they require 20-30% more fertilizer than when grown horizontally.

Techniques for growing cucumbers on a trellis in open ground

Many gardeners use this technique to achieve abundant harvests. Trellis technology is quite simple, but it does require some basic knowledge.

Types of trellises and their production

For the vertical method, several types of materials are used to create trellises:

• leg-split;
• plastic or metal mesh;
• twine;
• metal corners;
• arches made of metal and polymers.

These materials are used to create a simple structure that allows cucumbers to be grown vertically. These structures can be rectangular, wall-mounted, round, or tent-shaped.

To create a rectangular trellis, you need to prepare supports with a diameter of 5 cm or more and a height of up to 3 m. Place them along the proposed bed every 2 m and connect them at the top with horizontal fasteners. Twine is attached to the crossbar at the top and dug into the ground at the bottom. This is a very simple way to create a trellis, within anyone's reach.

To create a wall trellis, you'll need to stretch twine or mesh and secure it to the wall of a shed, house, or fence. This growing method can provide additional aesthetic appeal, beautifying old fences or unsightly surfaces in outbuildings.

Round and trellis-like structures require construction skills and additional materials. For example, a trellis-like structure can be constructed from a polymer mesh stretched over a square or rectangular wooden frame. Two such squares are arranged in a "house" shape and secured at the top. The lower section is anchored in the soil. Cucumber bushes are planted under the lower support, and the vines extend upward along the mesh.

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Preparing seeds and soil

When planning to plant cucumbers on a trellis, prepare the soil in the fall. Dig over the area and level it to prevent water accumulation. Apply a fertilizer consisting of manure, superphosphate, and ash. For each square meter, apply 5 kg of manure, and approximately 30 and 200 grams of the other components, respectively. It's a good idea to disinfect the soil in the spring immediately before planting using a solution of potassium permanganate.

To plant seeds directly into the soil, you need to prepare them as follows:

1. Select seeds suitable for planting by placing them in a solution of table salt for 10-15 minutes; those that float to the surface should be discarded.
2. Heat cucumber seeds at a temperature of 25-28 degrees on any heating device for several weeks.
3. Disinfect them in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes and rinse in clean water.
4. Place them in any nutrient liquid for 12 hours, then leave them to swell in a damp cloth that is well ventilated for 24 hours at a temperature of at least 25 degrees.
5. The final preparatory procedure is to cool the seeds in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours to harden them.

These procedures will help you grow actively fruiting cucumber bushes that are resistant to various diseases. When purchasing hybrid varieties that have already been treated with chemicals, you should only germinate the seeds before planting.

Planting patterns

Cucumbers can be planted along a trellis in one or two rows. A single-row arrangement involves:

• the distance between plants in a row is 15-20 cm;
• Rows are spaced 80-110 cm apart. The minimum distance is more suitable for self-pollinating varieties.

With a two-row scheme, parallel rows are located at a distance of 30-50 cm, and between pairs of rows there should be at least 80 cm.

Using these proven planting patterns allows you to care for the bushes without damaging them. Furthermore, adequate spacing between plantings allows the vines to develop well and reduces the risk of fungal diseases.

Top dressing

Fertilizing is recommended four times per season, taking into account soil fertility and climate conditions. Organic and mineral fertilizers, both available in stores, and homemade mixtures are suitable for feeding cucumbers.

Top dressing consists of 4 stages:

1. After planting, it is recommended to apply any type of manure or green grass infusion. Mineral fertilizers that can be used include saltpeter, potassium salt, and superphosphate.
2. As soon as the first flowers appear, apply fertilizer to the roots or spray the bushes. Ash and superphosphate for root feeding, and sugar and boric acid for spraying, are universal options.
3. During the ripening period of most vegetables on the bushes, you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers, at your discretion.
4. To prolong the growing season, it is good to use organic matter, for example, a urea solution at a rate of 15 g per 10 liters of water.

If cucumbers are planted in fertile soil, then only two types of fertilizer can be used: after planting and to extend the growing season.

Formation of whips and garter

You should begin shaping the bush once it reaches a height of 20 cm. This process involves pinching and tying. It's important to create conditions for the main stem to gain strength and produce fruit over a long period. To do this, remove leaves from the side shoots, leaving 2-3 leaflets. You should also wrap the stem around twine several times a week to prevent it from breaking under the weight of the fruit.

For tying, use a soft rope, but at the same time, it should be strong and flexible so as not to pinch the plant's vines. The rope should be secured a few centimeters above the top of the bush. As the cucumber grows, this procedure should be repeated, on average, every four days during the active growth period.

Rules for caring for cucumbers on trellises

By following simple rules for caring for green vegetables, you can get a rich harvest with minimal effort:

• abundant root watering every 3 days, in hot weather the interval can be reduced to 2 days;
• mulching the soil to avoid overheating the roots; dry grass is good for this;
• timely application of fertilizers corresponding to the period of bush development;
• Mandatory pruning of the bush to obtain maximum yield.

Collecting seeds and harvesting trellis cucumbers

It's worth noting that when using the trellis method for planting ground-dwelling varieties, you can collect seeds yourself for next year, but this will require sacrificing one of the plants. Ripening vegetables for seed is a lengthy process, and it hinders the formation of ovaries and the ripening of other vegetables on the plant. To obtain seeds, simply leave 1-2 cucumbers until they ripen and turn yellow, after which you can pick them and extract the seeds.

It is necessary to determine the required size of cucumbers, which the gardener uses as a guide when harvesting them: the length can be from 5 to 15 cm, depending on the variety and how exactly the vegetables are planned to be used.

It's crucial to pick not only good cucumbers, but also damaged, misshapen, and yellowed ones. This prevents the development of plant diseases, and the bush continues to grow and bear fruit. Since a trellis allows you to pick cucumbers without bending over or searching through thorny bushes, it's important to be extremely careful when harvesting, avoiding damage to the stems.

How to plant trellis cucumbers in a greenhouse?

It should be noted that when using the considered method of growing vegetables in a greenhouse, the principle of caring for plants will differ little from that which is acceptable for open ground.

Preparing soil and seeds

The substrate, which is changed annually in the greenhouse, should be suitable for planting cucumbers. The vegetable will thrive in soddy soil with the addition of peat. A month before planting, the soil should be dug and fertilized, and beds with furrows for irrigation should be created.

To prepare seeds for greenhouse use, calibrate them and place them in a shallow container. Place cheesecloth or cloth at the bottom, add a little water, and then place the seeds on top. Place the container in a warm place until the seeds germinate.

Making trellises

In a greenhouse, it's fairly easy to create a square trellis by placing supports around the perimeter and securing them 30-40 cm deep. A distance of 3-4 m between posts is acceptable. Strong metal wire works well for the top connections of these supports.

Bushes can be secured using mesh or simply stretched with twine from the bottom up, using supports and beams that are part of the structure of the room itself.

Garter

To secure the bush to the trellis, use loops of twine secured to the top vine. These loops should be made at the height of 2-3 leaves, and the bush's position should be adjusted periodically to prevent the loops from becoming too tight and pinching the stem.

Care

For watering in the greenhouse, use water at a temperature of 22 degrees Celsius, using special pits in the afternoon. As the fruits grow, they should be picked to allow the plant to develop new ovaries. Excess foliage should also be trimmed promptly to prevent it from draining the stems. During warmer months, ventilate the greenhouse to prevent the plants from overheating.

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Possible mistakes when growing

Beginner gardeners often make common mistakes when growing bushes on trellises:

• installing a permanent structure and planting cucumbers in the same place for several years in a row, which leads to a decrease in yield;
• placing cucumbers in poorly lit areas, which does not allow the light-loving plant to develop fully;
• the use of metal surfaces for trellises in open ground, which leads to overheating of the bush and the death of the plant when the metal becomes hot in the heat;
• untimely harvesting, which causes the absence of new ovaries and premature end of fruiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

The trellis method of growing cucumbers is popular among gardeners due to its ease of care and the ease of harvesting ripe vegetables. It also increases yield and reduces the risk of disease.