Some just won't do it without help. You'll likely have to give them the idea ;) by tying them up to it at first.

Check over on the Vegetable Gardening forum too for several current discussions on cukes and how to grow and train them.

Dave

Thanks... I'll do that.

breasley,

I'm growing cukes for the first time (well, first time I've ever been successful enough to think about needing a trellis!), and I did indeed go over to the veggie gardening forum and ask for advice as to how to support 'em. Some great advice, including lots of photos!

I ended up taking a plain piece of lattice (holes abou 6 inches square) that was being underused by a derelict clematis, and "planting" it just in FRONT of the little row of cukes on an angle, leaning back toward them, with bamboo poles lashed to the top ends of it as supports.

This is working out quite well; I guide the cukes up & into a set of holes, they sprawl backwards through the next set, I guide them up through the next, etc. Haven't had to mess with tying.

I have broken a few vines; they are SO much more delicate than tomato vines, which is what I have worked with the most (and which I tie up ruthlessly using twine, which I think would cut right through these wimpy cuke vines; you'd want something gentler, like cloth strips, to tie them, I think).

Don't know if this helps. I'm too technically inadequate to post a photo, alas.

Good luck!

Zabby
P.S. I still don't have any actual cucumbers yet, just lemon cucumber vines about 3 feet long. The whole mess may collapse if they actually start bearing...

Was wondering where this thread went.. Mine are alawys easy to deal with. If they drop and sprawl I pick the ends up gently and push into the area above the plants. The tendrils will grab quite fast. I do this about twice a week, and keep nice vertical rows. I use a 4-5 foot high metal wire fence for peas. These get pushed into the soil in a zig zag fashion and I plant the seeds on only one side of it (usually east). This way, the shady western side is a bit more open to see in and down, where you can usually find a few of the hidden and missed 'watermelon' cukes.
I am happy that my seedless watermelon have finally decided to get a bit more growth the last 2 weeks. I counted about 6 soft ball sized ones now. The pea fences last for years. The same source has a tent type trellis for cukes

Here is a link that might be useful: Pea fence

My 15 plants will start out producing on the lower most areas. But once they grow taller and these ends are pushed into higher holes of the trellis they are much easier to see. With a 'container' type growing, you can still get mildew, and the soil eventually poops out unless its revitalized with necessary nutrients. My 15 plants give me at least 5 or more bushels per summer, which aint half bad. I use Serenade to prevent the mildew from killing leaves and its been great to see cukes still growing in mid September, while most other stuff is nearly gone passed. The first of the cukes I had, weighed about 20 pounds, and I gave a lot away to eager friends. Will be picking again tomorrow I hope. They seem to grow an inch almost ovenight.

gran, I love it! I bet that's quite attractive, too. Thanks for sharing. I've done some serious container growing of things that many people say can't or shouldn't be done in containers (like rhubarb, and berries), and always love to hear about creative edible container gardening!

Zabby

I think it depends on the kind of cukes. I have three different kind in my garden. On climbs to to the top of the trellis without help. The other two refuse to climb even with help.

I have to always help mine up. Yesterday I lifed up some very long vines off the ground. Gently pushed them back up higher in the mass. Most have very long tendrils and quickly grab onto anything that touches them. My trellis is a metal wire fence, as mentioned, and the holes in the grid are about 8x8 inches square.

zabby - you'lllove this -- I visited some Amish families recently, and behind the shed were 2 or 3 old chest freezers. Cords were cut of course, and the lids lifted to show half full of soil and huge rhubarb plants growing. Another was full of lettuce, etc. They're being used as cold frames, beautifully insulated, and when half full of soil, you don't have to bend too far!

gran, you're right, I love it! Brilliant to make use of the insulation that way.

My recycling innovation in the garden is converting an old wooden clothes-drying rack into a pair of A-frame trellises for my sugar snap peas. I run jute twine up & down in a few places. The peas climb beautifully and it looks really charming. ;-)

Zabby

My english cukes are planted in the circle of an upside-down (cheapo) tomato cage. I just wind the vines in and out of the large holes. Then I have a short chunk of field fence in a semi-circle that they can crawl on after they "top" the tomato cage.

I have Corn and pole beans planted together in an old wooden attic ladder laid flat on the ground. Yeah, the "holes" have angles sides but the roots don't care.

Peas, carrots, shallots, lettuce, chard and spinach are planted in little kiddie swimming pools.

I have 2 large raised beds made of very old railroad ties that contain the cukes, squash, wax beans, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, onions.

Three potato plants came up volunteer in my compost pile (made from field fence lined with paper chicken feed bags and cardboard), so I left 'em. In fact, by the time I planted my Sungold chery tomato I was out of space in the other locations, so planted it smack in the middle of the compost pile...best looking tomato plant in garden!

Yep, I recycle, re-use, re-purpose. My pathways between beds are lined with cardboard, newspaper, old mail, whatever is biodegradable, then covered with nearly free redwood shavings from a local company.

A showpiece it is NOT!
Practical, cheap and functional it IS!!

Deanna

Deanna,

My paths are also covered in wood shavings over cardboard (mostly boxes, which we pick up at the No Frills store when we shop). DH is a woodworker and generates a lot of shavings, so it is a great way to dispose of it. Looks kinda funny, though, because he uses all kinds of exotic hardwoods in his turnings, so the shavings end up piles of different colours.

When I can grab a couple of free bales of straw (like after somoene's halloween decoration is finished with), I put a layer on top, which looks much better and gets less gunk on my shoes on a damp day. But this year it's all brightly coloured wood shavings. Emphasis on the pink ones (bloodwood). Kinda funny looking indeed, talk about not a showpiece!

I like the idea of your ladder!

Zabby

Please keep in mind that English cukes are not very well suited for any pickling. They tend to be very soft and with any kind of brine they sit in, the very tender skins and higher excess water content will not give any crunchy texture as far as a pickle.

No, not pickling my english cukes, just eating or using as a "quick pickle" in the fridge. Combined with some sweet onion, a little vinegar, sugar over them and sit for a couple of hours. Stir in some sour cream...yum!

Deanna