Crunchy, juicy, thirst-quenching and delicious, it is in fact the fruit – which is eaten like a vegetable – par excellence! It is eaten in salads, as a sauce, and is also made into marinades.
With cucumbers you can also make dressings, soups, mousse verrines, vinaigrettes, smoothies, lemonades, tartares, sauces and much more. In many salmon recipes it is the ideal ingredient to enhance its flavour.
But if you were asked if you were growing cucumbers the right way, what would you say?
You would definitely say yes, right? In fact, and perhaps you don’t know, there is a way to grow it that will allow you to have more space in the garden so you can grow even more vegetables… or cucumbers!
In this article you will also find an easy method for growing cucumbers in pots, ideal for the balcony, as well as a video that explains how to prune your cucumber plants for an optimal harvest!
So here is the right way to grow cucumber:
1. First of all, be patient and don’t plant your cucumbers on the first day of good weather.
– Keep in mind that cucumbers cannot tolerate cold temperatures, so wait until the frost period is completely over before starting planting.
– Then, when the time comes, choose a very sunny place.
– To save space in the garden and grow cucumber the right way, you need to do it vertically.
– Therefore, a trellis is THE preferred solution, regardless of the size of your garden.
– By opting for this method the plant will be able to grow in height.
– With a trellis, a cucumber plant can reach up to 6 meters in height!
– Here is a first example of a trellis made with a metal mesh suitable for large gardens:
2. When opting for vertical cultivation using a trellis, you should not forget the most important thing: solidity.
– Think about it: a cucumber plant will produce several fruits and when it is ripe, this plant will become very heavy.
– Make sure your trellis is well anchored to the ground and can support a good load.
– Here is a second example of a sturdy trellis perfect for growing cucumbers in a smaller space.
Note the brick used to ensure the trellis remains straight and stable:
image: garypilarchiktherustedgarden
3. Good news: even if you only have a small urban balcony, you can grow cucumbers vertically… in pots!
– Sure, as long as you allow the vines to hold on to something.
– Here’s how to make the cucumber jar. First, use a large pot that you will fill with garden soil:
Then, push two large sticks into the bottom of the pot. Make sure these poles are straight, stable and strong.
4. Now use jute or sisal rope or linen twine to wrap around the sticks to form a trellis.
This rope holder will allow the vines to attach to it.
Continue to the top of the poles and carefully tie your rope.
5. With this type of pot, you can choose to grow from seed if you wish. Remember to space them well, depending on the size of your pot.
Tip: Follow the guidelines on your seed packet exactly for the minimum spacing required. And kind of watch the growth and help your plants hold on to the string until they can do it themselves.
6. When it comes to growing vertically, if support is important, so is irrigation. In order for your cucumbers to be very tasty, make sure they are well watered. You will be proud of your harvest!
How should cucumbers be watered vertically?
– Once or twice a week, or more if the weather is very dry.
– Water at the feet without wetting the foliage to prevent powdery mildew, a fungus that takes the form of nasty mold.
– In addition to mulch, here’s a tip for keeping the soil as moist as possible: before planting your cucumber plants, form a mound of soil. This way, you won’t drown the plants when you water and the soil will always be moist.
7. Periodically, if not daily, lift the leaves of the cucumbers to check for growth underneath. When this is the case, clean it by pushing the leaf away so it gets as much sun as possible.
8. Also, don’t neglect pruning cucumber plants if you want to maintain control. It’s because they like to spread these fascinating plants! So here are some tips for pruning cucumbers properly.
– It is first necessary to regularly eliminate gluttons.
– It is also necessary to cut the leaves (they can be pinched) which are attached to the main stem and which, if left to grow without intervening, will form a sucker.
images: aupotageravecpatou
9. If your plants tend to overgrow the trellis they cling to, you also need to control their growth.
Don’t want your cucumber plants to grow endlessly and fall all over the place? To show the plant that it needs to stop growing, simply cut off the end. This way, your plants will stay strong and produce beautiful, large cucumbers!
10. Did you know? Like cucumbers, pumpkins can also be grown vertically with trellises.
source: diyeverywhere – northcountryfarmer
11. Finally, watch this video from a gardener who will show you how to vertically prune your cucumbers the right way to have a nice, bountiful harvest!