Unruly cucumbers

[The Mama Chicken]

After a stern talking to and the judicious application of twine my cucumbers are now growing where I told them to, instead of where ever they darn well please. Geeze, who knew cucumbers could be so out of control? Just 3 plants were trying to take over an entire (4'x8') bed and the paths around it to boot. I gave them a lovely twig tepee to climb, but no, they wanted nothing to do with it. Now, instead of natural wood, they get to climb twine and metal t-posts. Hopefully this will keep them in check, although I'm not sure what I'll do when they outgrow the current setup... I swear, my veggies are more trouble than the children sometimes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You just have to be consistent with discipline with both.

 

[sparkles2307]

My stepdad pounded t-posts into the ground on one edge of his garden at an angle, then attached chicken wire and trained the cukes to climb that. The fruits grew thru the wire and hung nicely in picking reach from the bottom and there were no vines in the garden or yard to worry about!

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I thought about chicken wire, but it's more expensive than twine. Plus I can just cut the twine down and chuck it, and the dead vines attached to it, into the compost bin when the time comes. Besides, chicken wire is a pain to deal with and I always end up with cuts and scratches when I'm done.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Depending in the size and type of cucumbers and the size of the holes in the chicken wire, you can get cukes that try to grow in the holes. Those can be real hard to get out. I now use 2" x 4" welded wire fencing for cucumbers, not anything with little holes.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I have a big section of hog fencing that we found on the property, but I'm going to be using that for pole beans...just as soon as I clear a spot for them. Hubby mowed yesterday and, once again, talked about expanding the garden.

 

[so lucky]

I'm using tomato cages for my cukes this year. The cages are too flimsy for tomatoes but I think they will work OK for the cukes. I used them last year, but it was a bad year for cukes at my house, so I didn't get a fair evaluation. Plus, the place where I had them had such porous soil, they were always dry. So, better luck this year. Hope springs eternal.......

 

[jackb]

This year I decided not to use the twine but to try plastic netting made for climbing veggies like cucumbers. If it works out OK I will just leave it in place and reuse it year after year. I got it at Agway, 18' x 6' for eight dollars.

 

[desertlady]

I hope my cucumbers will mind me ! I planted too many this year ! I will have to wait and see what happens !!:tools

 

[momofdrew]

my son made me a great trellise for my cukes this year and I have plastic netting with 4 inch openings to attach to it :tools I will try to post pics later when it is in use