All gardeners try to use the acres allotted to them as economically as possible - summer residents usually have few places for planting, but they want to plant a variety of crops, so that the harvest is bigger and juicier. And in this, the previously little-known method of growing cucumbers on a trellis will greatly help cucumber lovers.
What is this
In principle, some summer residents think of such an improvement themselves. It is clear that plants creeping along the ground take up a lot of precious space. And since the fruits of the cucumber are not particularly heavy (unlike the same gourds), you can direct the growth not horizontally, but vertically. This is precisely the way to grow cucumbers on trellises. They are a specially assembled support, clinging to which the plants will rise above the ground.
The better this method
In addition to the obvious space savings, trellis cucumbers provide moreseveral "benefits" to the owner of the site. First of all, it is an opportunity to equip a system for drip irrigation. This method of watering is the dream of any gardener: water is significantly saved and delivered immediately to its destination, as a result of which cucumbers are obtained, as they say, "one to one", not deformed, not bitter, and in much larger quantities.
The second plus is the ease of care. Cucumbers on trellises are easier and more artificially pollinated, treated for pests and diseases, and harvested when the harvest is ripe.
And the third benefit is the ease of getting rid of weeds. It is much easier to weed out weeds between cucumber stands than to “pick out” them between vines of useful plants lying on the ground.
Things to consider
Like any business, growing cucumbers on a trellis has its own characteristics that must be taken into account in order to get the intended result. The rules of predecessors remain in force, which will not damage your plantings: cucumbers "inherit" the soil after tomatoes, potatoes or cabbage. In the fall, on the eve of the year in which planting cucumbers on trellises is planned, the ground should be fertilized with humus. It is dug up with soil at the rate of 10 kilos per hundred square meters. For the convenience of subsequent care, it is better to plant plants in beds. They also warm up well, so even a slight drop in temperature at night will not harm your plantings.
The most optimal design
When we grow cucumbers on a trellis, we want to choose the best optionequipment. They will be removable, because after some time the plants will have to be “relocated” to new soils that are not depleted by them. Tapestries are located 5 meters apart and consist of vertical bases with wire stretched between them - top, middle and bottom. Some gardeners recommend making the bases double, with a distance of half a meter between the racks. Racks are placed half a meter apart, at a slight slope, resting against one another with their upper edges. This way it will be possible to place cucumbers on trellises in much larger quantities in the same space. A mesh with cells of 15x18 cm is attached to the wire, the height of the entire structure should be 180 centimeters: less is unprofitable, more will be difficult to take care of the plants. The land under plantings is usually covered with polyethylene - it will act as a mulch, protecting the soil from weeds and unplanned evaporation of moisture. The film is stretched along the entire bed, and the edges are fixed with small stones or just earth.
Features of planting and the first days of life
The timing in which you will transfer your cucumbers to the ground (including those grown on trellises) depends on many factors: the climatic zone, in a greenhouse or directly into the ground, seedlings or seeds. In any case, the earth should already be warmed up to 14 degrees, and the depth of the warm layer is at least 15 cm. are invested2-3 seeds or 2-3 seedlings plant.
When the seeds sprout (or your seedlings become stronger), you need to carefully monitor the development of plants. Stop their first attempts to bloom in the bud: until 6 leaves appear, all the ovaries must be pinched off. Let the harvest be a week later, but there will be more of it, and the cucumbers will grow much larger.
What is the key to success
First you need (as, indeed, with the old method of growing) to correctly determine the site for planting. It should be well ventilated and not be too lit (if the light fills all your cells, you will have to create an artificial shadow). It is better to take seeds that are considered old, that is, from a crop harvested at least 2 years ago. If the plants throw out the barren flower, stop watering for about a week, limit yourself to spraying the plantings and be sure to pinch the lashes after the fifth or sixth leaf. In case of cessation of growth or blanching of foliage and fruits, immediately feed the plantation with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers. Be sure to keep an eye on the growth of cucumbers and direct the whips to free areas.
Further care
He's not too different from the usual. The main feature is the direction of growth to free areas and the tying of those lashes that failed to catch on. Emphasis should also be placed on cutting dried and diseased leaves - they can ruin the entire trellis. Male flowers must be removed regularly; in the same way, in the early stages, it is necessary to pinch off ugly fruits so that the plant does notspent energy on their cultivation. Many gardeners who have mastered the “cucumbers on the trellis” and discovered some of the secrets of this method for themselves advise stepped sowing. A gap of two weeks between planting allows you to multiply the efficiency of the plantation. Another reminder: as soon as the fruits grow to 6 cm, they must be harvested. And you need to do this every day, otherwise the plant will start to starve, and the next cucumbers you will get either twisted, or bitter, or lethargic.
What to do at the end of the season
Reminder: the design of the trellises was proposed to be mobile. So after the last harvest, it is dismantled, wire and mesh are removed from the base rails, which are folded into a compact roll. All this stuff is stored in a shed (in the attic, in the basement, in the summer kitchen - depending on where you are used to keeping summer accessories). Dry cucumber lashes are removed from the site along with the roots; the site is dug up and fertilized if it is planned to plant cucumbers again in the same place next year. If it is time to relocate them, then a new site is being prepared in the same way.
As you can see, it is not so difficult to grow cucumbers on a trellis (the photo also shows how much more aesthetic it is). Much of the work is made easier. So do not hesitate - try this method on your personal plot. He will justify himself more than once!
