Cucumbers are one of the most popular garden crops. These beloved vegetables are easy to grow as long as the right temperature and humidity are maintained. This is a climbing plant, so growing it vertically on a net or other supports is quite popular. This solution has many advantages and is relatively easy to implement.
Growing cucumbers on a grid - features
Cucumbers can be grown horizontally or vertically. Some people think that it is easier to cultivate without supports, since you do not need to create special structures for this. However, creating supports is a one-time effort that can bring many benefits in the future. To do this, use a rope, but it is easier to take a ready-made special mesh. This type of product is very durable and at the same time practical.
Growing cucumbers on a grid has many advantages:
- 1. Space saving. Young cucumbers on stands rise up, taking up much less space.Their sprouts can reach several meters! Saving space is especially important in small areas where every centimeter of space is valuable. For example, in greenhouses, tunnels or on balconies. Thanks to the method, you can get fairly high yields from a small fragment of soil or pot.
- 2. Easier harvesting. Long shoots crawling freely along the ground do not make picking ripe fruits any easier. Vertical cultivation of cucumbers greatly simplifies the process. In addition, there is no need to worry about accidentally hitting shoots or having back pain due to frequent bending.
- 3. Access to light. Cucumber fruits are very fond of light, and when the vines are placed freely, it is quite difficult for them to obtain sufficient amounts of it. The stands help to “lift” the crop towards the sun. They are usually installed at an angle to provide the best lighting. As a result, the plants bear more fruit. How many cucumbers can you get from one bush? This depends on the variety chosen. However, growth on supports will always be more efficient.
- 4. Protection from diseases. The support prevents the formation of water lenses on the leaves after watering or rain. Therefore, it is much easier to avoid fungal diseases.
- 5. Decorative. Lianas resting on a mesh or supports look very aesthetically pleasing. You can use cucumbers to create decorative screens that will look great on a balcony or terrace.
Growing cucumbers on mesh supports allows the plants to receive the right amount of light and, as a result, produce abundant harvests.
How to plant cucumbers under a net
Growing cucumbers on supports should take place on fertile, well-drained and humus soils with a controlled water-air ratio. The optimal soil pH is 6.5-7.0.Cucumbers need warmth both during the germination stage and later during growth. Therefore, sowing should be carried out after spring frosts, only in the second half of May or even in early June. Cucumbers require a temperature of at least 16°C, otherwise they may freeze. Before sowing, seeds should be treated against pests and fungal diseases.
At what intervals should you plant cucumbers?
For vertical cultivation, a distance of 50-80 x 100 cm is recommended. Seeds should be sown one at a time or in groups of 2-3. (weak ones can be removed later) into moist soil to a depth of about 2 cm. Do not forget about regular watering and fertilizing.
How to fertilize
The optimal solution is to use compost, but you can also use humus or manure as bedding. If the soil intended for cultivation is quite infertile, it should be fertilized with azophoska before sowing. Then the plants receive nitrogen twice more - after the appearance of 2 leaves and during flowering.
Supports for cucumbers - how to make them yourself
The frame can be mounted in several ways. The supports are created in the shape of the letter L, a wire or wire is thrown over the top, a mesh is thrown over the resulting structure and attached in several places.
The mesh should be supported on piles or other solid supports, optimally spaced 1.5–2 meters apart. Single piles, driven vertically, or double piles, angled and forming an A shape, can be used. In the latter case, the distance between the piles at the bottom should be 1.2–1.4 m. The optimal height of the supports should be from 1.2 to 1 .8 m.
Then you need to stretch the garden net between the piles.It is also best to use a horizontal beam at the top of the structure - it will prevent the material from sagging under the weight of growing cucumbers. The mesh from which the cucumber stand will be made does not have to be very dense.
