While we're talking about cukes

[Jared77]

I had thought about putting down some T posts and cattle fence to make trellises if we get the new house. I had the same idea for doing pole beans since my teepees keep blowing over. Now so I don't have to rip out the posts every season, can I alternate plantings between beans and cukes every year? Or does anybody have any suggestions of what I could plant instead to alternate with my pole beans?

 

[Carol Dee]

Jared we tend to leave the posts up but remove teh panels to clear and work the garden. We use panels for almost everything. Gourds, melons, cucs, peas, beans and even tie tomatoes up them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Cucumbers and beans are not the same family. I see no reason you can't alternate.

I do in one certain area. Half the garden fence on the north side is in cukes and the other half is in pole beans. Next year, I alternate sides.

 

[Jared77]

I hadn't thought about taking the panel down, I was more worried about planting schedules than anything else. Thank you for the help.

 

[canesisters]

As long as we're discussing cuke trellises, can I toss out my plan and get your ideas?

Can you see the sort of fence I have around the compost pile?

This was just a temp solution to keep the dogs from 'uncomposting' all the good smelly bits but it's a very heavy guage and stiff. The posts are to keep the dogs from shoving it in, no to hold it up. It's going to be replaced with something much shorter (and maybe a bit decorative..). I was thinking that I could cut a section - maybe 8-10' long. Put 3 or 4 t-posts in and attach the wire up it - short side to the ground and length up and arching.


Wait.. I just had a picture of cukes dangleing 10' in the air and me jumping or swinging a stick at them...


Nevermind... I think I'll just make a couple of the double stack tomato cages like someone else suggested.

 

[hoodat]

Cukes and beans both need warm weather si it would be difficult to alternate them except every other year. A better solution might be to follow the cukes with snap or snow peas which prefer cool weather and keep the trellis growing something most of the year.

 

[Jared77]

It would have to be every other year for us since we don't have that long of a season. I like your thoughts Hoodat but I don't know how well it would work. I've not had much luck with fall plantings.

I was more worried about either one of them them not doing well the following year and having to have additional trellises up.