All gardeners try to use the hectare allotted to them as economically as possible - usually summer residents have few places for planting, and they want to plant a variety of crops, so that the harvest is larger and more frequent. And in this, a previously unknown method for growing them on a trellis will greatly help cucumber lovers.
What it is
In principle, some summer residents themselves think of such an improvement. It is clear that plants spreading along the ground occupy 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 exactly the way to grow cucumbers on trellises. They are a specially assembled support, clinging to which plants will rise above the ground.
The better this method
In addition to the obvious saving of space, cucumbers on trellises provide several more "benefits" to the owner of the site. First of all, it is an opportunity to equip a system for drip irrigation. Such a method of watering is the dream of any gardener: water is significantly saved and delivered immediately to its destination, as a result of which the cucumbers are, as they say, “one to one”, not deformed, not bitter and in much larger quantities.
The second plus is ease of care. Cucumbers on trellises are easier and artificially pollinated, and processed from pests and diseases, and harvested when the crop is ripe.
And the third benefit is the ease of getting rid of weeds. Weed between the stands for cucumbers to weed out is much easier than "picking" them between the lashes of useful plants lying on the ground.
What to consider
Like any business, growing cucumbers on a trellis has its own characteristics, which must be taken into account in order to get the intended result. The rules of the predecessors that will not harm your plantings remain in force: cucumbers “inherit” the soil after tomatoes, potatoes or cabbage. In the autumn, on the eve of the year in which the planting of cucumbers on trellises is planned, the land should be fertilized with humus. It is dug with soil at the rate of 10 kilograms 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 landings.
Most optimal design
When we grow cucumbers on a trellis, I want to choose the most successful version of the equipment. They will be removable, because after some time the plants will have to be “relocated” to new, not depleted soils. The trellises are located 5 meters from each other and consist of vertical bases with a wire stretched between them - from above, in the middle and from below. Some gardeners recommend making the basics double, with a distance between racks of half a meter. The racks are placed half a meter apart, at a slight slope, resting one against the other with the upper edges. So it will turn out to place cucumbers on trellises in a much larger amount in the same space. A grid with cells of 15x18 cm is attached to the wire, the height of the entire structure should be 180 centimeters: less - unprofitable, more - it will be difficult to care for plants. The land under the landings is usually covered with polyethylene - it will perform the functions of 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 ground.
Features of planting and the first days of life
The time period in which you will transfer your cucumbers to the ground (including trellises grown on trellises) depends on many factors: the climate zone, into the greenhouse or immediately into the ground, seedlings or seeds. In any case, the ground should already be warmed up to 14 degrees, and the depth of the warm layer should be at least 15 cm. Since growing cucumbers on trellises is a technology not yet mastered by everyone, we give a hint: small holes cut into the film that covers the ground, where 2-3 seeds are planted or 2-3 seedlings are planted.
When the seeds germinate (or your seedlings harden), 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 plucked. Let the crop you get a week later, but it will be more, and the cucumbers will grow much larger.
What is the key to success
First you need (as, however, with the old method of cultivation) to correctly determine the site for planting. It should be well ventilated and not be too light (if the light floods all your hundreds, you have to create a shadow artificially). It is better to take seeds that are considered old, that is, from a crop harvested at least 2 years ago. If plants throw out a netflower, stop watering for about a week, limit yourself to spraying the plantings and be sure to pinch your whips after the fifth or sixth leaf. In case of growth or blanching of foliage and fruits, stop feeding the plantation with nitrogen-potassium fertilizers immediately. Be sure to monitor the growth of cucumbers and direct the lashes to free areas.
Further care
It is 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. The emphasis should be placed on the circumcision of 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 the ugly fruits, so that the plant does not waste energy on growing them. Many gardeners who have mastered "cucumbers on trellises" and have discovered some of the secrets of this method, advise stepwise sowing. A two-week gap between planting can significantly increase plantation efficiency. Another reminder: as soon as the fruits grow to 6 cm, they must be collected. And you need to do this every day, otherwise the plant will begin to starve, and you will get the following cucumbers either twisted, or bitter, or listless.
What to do at the end of the season
We remind you: the trellis design was proposed 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 added up in the barn (in the attic, in the basement, in the summer kitchen - depending on where you are used to keeping summer supplies). 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’s time to relocate them, a new site is similarly being prepared.
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). In many ways, labor is also facilitated. So do not hesitate - try this method on your personal plot. He will repeatedly justify himself!