DIY Vertical Cucumber Beds: Diagrams, Photos

A vertical cucumber bed is a way to maximize space in your garden or balcony. You can build one yourself using readily available materials. The technology is accessible even to inexperienced gardeners. The plants are easy to care for and harvest. The structure is easy to move around the garden, creating the perfect conditions for the crop. The bed's shape depends on the materials and size of the garden.

The purpose of vertical beds

Cucumbers, like other vegetable crops, produce a good harvest if they receive sufficient light. In small spaces, providing sufficient light is often difficult, as is accommodating multiple plantings. Growing cucumber seedlings vertically solves these problems.

The idea behind this technology is to secure the beds to fences and solid walls. The areas where the crop is to be grown must be well-lit during daylight hours. The boxes are placed one above the other, spaced at a distance equal to the height of the mature plant. They can be secured in a ladder-like or staggered pattern. Using this method, up to 100 kg of vegetables can be harvested per square meter.

You may be interested in:

Have you planted tomatoes upside down?
Growing tomatoes and cucumbers isn't limited to traditional methods, such as greenhouses or open ground. There's another…Read more…

Advantages and disadvantages of vertical garden beds

In addition to saving space and achieving the necessary lighting, this technology helps save time on maintenance. Angled vines make harvesting easier. Soil for small containers is easy to prepare yourself. This helps protect cucumbers from dangerous diseases. Beds are often made portable, allowing for easy repositioning.

The downside of this method is that the soil dries out quickly. This problem can be solved by installing drip irrigation. Gardeners can add hydrogel to the soil. This substance retains moisture, directing it to the roots.

Due to the small size of the containers, nutrients are quickly washed out. Fertilizing twice a week at the roots and directly onto the plant helps restore balance. Carefully select the concentration and type of fertilizer to avoid leaf burn.

Small volumes of soil freeze faster. If frosts occur early, covering the crop is necessary. Vertical beds are compatible with greenhouse cucumber cultivation.

Types of vertical beds

To create vertical garden beds yourself, you don't need any technical knowledge or skills. Several types of containers are available.

From tires

A commonly used method for planting cucumbers in open ground. You'll need:

• wooden block;
• tires;
• chisel.

Square holes are made in the tires. They are dug into the ground to a depth of 12 cm. The prepared soil mixture is poured inside. The seedlings are placed in the slots. The tires can be stacked on top of each other, increasing the number of plants grown. Tall metal rods are placed along the radius for tying.

Barrels

In small areas, a vertical cucumber bed can be made from 200-liter metal or wooden containers. They are arranged in rows or staggered, spaced 80 cm apart for weeding and watering. Compost, dry branches, and disease-free leaves are added to the bottom. Next, add garden soil mixed with rotted manure. Add 1 cup of mineral fertilizer, mix, and water with warm water. Potassium permanganate is added for disinfection.

Dig holes around the edges, up to 2 cm deep. Plant two seeds in each. Cover with plastic wrap. Water as the soil dries. After germination, remove weak plants.

The barrels can be replaced with five-liter plastic water bottles. They are cleaned of stickers and disinfected with a potassium permanganate solution. Drainage holes are made in the bottom and covered with expanded clay. The bottles are hung and buried in the ground.

Pipes

An interesting vertical cucumber bed option. Two types of pipes are used:

• PVC as for sewerage - 20x20 holes are drilled in it;
• irrigation - make slits with a diameter of 1 cm.

The smaller tube is inserted into the larger one, leaving a small end exposed for watering. The seedlings are then filled with prepared soil and planted. The seedlings are then wrapped in plastic wrap, which is removed after germination.

Bucket

As you can see in the photo, you can make a DIY vertical cucumber bed out of a bucket. They can be hung on walls, with the vines hanging down. The height above the ground is 2 meters. When the plants reach the ground, they are pinched. Side shoots can also be removed for growing in pipes. Buckets can also be placed around the perimeter of the plot or in another open space. A trellis bar is installed above them. As they grow, the cucumbers will weave around the mesh.

Plastic bags

Garbage bags are suitable for growing cucumbers vertically. Fill them with soil and mineral fertilizer, and plant the seeds. After sowing, water with warm water and cover with plastic wrap. Once the seedlings emerge, insert stakes into the middle for tying. As the vines grow, additional supports will be needed.

Cucumber seeds and seedlings can be planted in boxes made from old furniture. Sand them, paint them, and secure them to a stake, similar to growing cucumbers in a pipe. Drainage holes are made in the bottom.

Brick and other materials are suitable for permanent structures. The bed is shaped like steps. A stake for tying is essential. This is a reusable container option. The video also shows other ways to implement this technology.

Caring for cucumbers when growing vertically

Before planting seeds or seedlings, choose a location protected from drafts. The soil should be well warmed. It is fertilized with organic fertilizer: 6 kg of manure per 1 m². This ingredient can be replaced with a mixture of 200 g of ash and 1 tablespoon of superphosphate. In the spring, additionally disinfect the soil by watering it with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

To grow healthy plants, add manure or bird droppings to the hole before planting the seed. This organic fertilizer enriches the soil with nutrients and provides additional warmth.

Bush shaping is a necessary procedure. Female flower stalks, which are responsible for fruiting, appear on the lateral shoots. Pinching stimulates their active development.

At each stage of growth, cucumbers require moderate but regular watering. Insufficient moisture is the main cause of bitterness in ripened fruits. Mulching improves flavor. Grass clippings and fallen leaves are suitable. This mulch will protect the soil from drying out and weeds. Fertilizers—mineral and organic—are essential, alternating them every 15 days.

Once the fruiting period begins, ripe cucumbers are picked every two days. This rule must not be violated. Even one overripe fruit is enough to weaken the plant. After harvesting, all stems and leaves are removed and inspected. If signs of disease are detected, the waste is discarded. Healthy vines are transferred to a compost bin.

The containers where the cucumbers were grown are emptied of soil. They are wiped with a solution of potassium permanganate and stored in a shed. Any remaining plant material is removed from nets, trellises, and wire. They are carefully rolled up. The used soil is placed in a container and dug in with fertilizer. Over the winter, the substrate will rot and be ready for new plantings.

You may be interested in:

Is it necessary to remove the runners from cucumbers when growing in a greenhouse or open ground?
To achieve a good harvest, gardeners try to use a variety of agricultural techniques. The question of…Read more…

Planting cucumbers in vertical beds is a technique suitable for a variety of conditions. Gardeners use it in greenhouses, open ground, and on balconies. Space-saving and high yields are the advantages of this method. Suitable containers include heavy-duty bags, PVC pipes, metal and wooden barrels, and furniture crates. The structures can be mobile or stationary. Maintenance involves regular watering, fertilizing, and harvesting during the early stages of ripening.