9 Brilliant Cucumber Trellis Ideas That Will Take Your Cucumber Harvest to New Heights (2024)

How to Grow Cucumbers, No Green Thumb Required

Wooden Lattice Cucumber Trellis

A wooden lattice, whether a portion of an existing fence or a stand-alone section attached to two posts, provides an attractive support for growing cucumbers. Lattices can be used as part of a square-foot gardening system or installed along exterior walls to provide a surface for vines to climb. Lattice walls also create privacy, while providing an excellent growing surface.

Arch Trellis

Maximize garden space and create a beautiful garden element by installing an arched trellis in the ground or between two planters. A large archway provides a lovely entrance into a vegetable garden, or opt for an arched trellis over a planter ($180, gardeners.com). This is among the more expensive options, but it is long-lasting and strong enough to also hold heavier vining crops like melons and squash.

Rustic DIY Obelisk Trellis

This decorative rustic obelisk is made by lashing together wooden cuttings from the landscape. You can build a similar one from bamboo or purchase a pre-made metal or wooden obelisk in various sizes. Smaller obelisks are particularly useful when growing cucumbers in containers, and larger ones provide a decorative element for growing vegetables in an ornamental landscape.

A-Frame Trellis

A-frame trellises are shaped like a ladder and provide two growing surfaces to support vines. In fact, you can use an old step ladder as a trellis, but a more decorative approach would be to build an A-frame trellis out of reclaimed wood, thick branches, or bamboo canes. You can use the same building material for the cross supports, or use netting, cattle panels, or string instead, depending on your budget. A-frame trellises can be built in long rows or as stand-alone structures.

Pro Tip: Orient the trellis so the growing surfaces face east and west, rather than north and south, to maximize sun exposure on both sides.

Lean-To Trellis

Similar to an A-frame trellis, a lean-to style trellis has a lower angle and a single growing surface. The low angle provides stability in windy locations. Several companies provide metal or wooden lean-to style trellises for sale ($53, gardeners.com), or you can use an old wooden pallet or scrap wood to make your own. The space beneath the high end of the trellis is great for growing shade-loving herbs or heat-sensitive crops, such as lettuce, in hot climates. For the latter, orient the high end of the lean-to to the east so crops planted beneath the trellis receive morning sun and afternoon shade.

DIY Bamboo Trellis

Bamboo is a lightweight yet sturdy building material. Families like to build large teepee-style trellises out of bamboo or twigs as a playful element to engage kids in gardening. Make sure to sink the ends of the poles into the ground to provide support. You can also build a simple teepee-shaped trellis in containers by running string between three poles tied together at the top.

String Trellis

Trellises do not need to be complicated or expensive. A simple string trellis made of twine or jute strung between two posts provides all the support a cucumber needs to climb. This can be as simple as T-posts or wooden stakes driven into the ground, or it can be more decorative, like the wood-framed string trellis pictured here. String stretches over time, so you may need to replace the string every year.

Chain Link Fence

In the spirit of keeping things simple, an existing chain link fence provides a perfectly good support for cucumbers. Fences are sturdy and last for years. And they won't break when you try to remove last season's vines. You can also use scraps of metal fencing, steel remesh, or cattle panels suspended between T-posts or wooden posts to build an inexpensive, fence-like trellis.

Tomato Cage

Who said tomato cages are only for tomatoes? The numerous tomato cages on the market are also well-suited to growing cucumbers. Look for the taller styles and be sure to sink the bottom prongs deep into the soil. Tomato cages are available at many price points. Consider durability and select the sturdiest cage for your budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do cucumbers always need a trellis?

  Firstly, there are two types of cucumber plants - vining cucumbers and bush cucumbers. While neither requires truly requires a trellis to be fruitful, the use of trellising makes harvesting more manageable for vining cucumbers and keeps the plant growing in a specific direction.
  

• How tall should a cucumber trellis be?

  Five to six feet is the optimal height for a cucumber trellis because it allows the plant to grow to its full potential while making harvesting easier for the gardener. There is no need for a trellis to be any taller. Otherwise, it would make harvesting difficult, especially if you are shorter in stature. Too tall of a trellis would make a ladder a necessity.

• What type of trellis is best for cucumbers?

  Simple trellises, like the stake and string variety, are perfect for growing cucumbers. Because the vines and fruit are relatively light, the setup can be simple. You can find materials to make a stake and string trellis at your local hardware store.
  

• What should I do when the cucumbers reach the top of my trellis?

  If your cucumber plant is growing beyond the top of your trellis, prune your plant so that the growth goes outward instead of up. Keeping your plant from overgrowing will keep your plant healthy and ensure a plentiful harvest.

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