How to tie cucumbers correctly
How to tie up cucumbers, every gardener who deals with their cultivation must know. It is known that these plants can reach a fairly large length (up to 2 m). They have a unique ability - to cling to everything that comes across on the path of a young growing shoot. It is known that cucumbers without a garter get sick much more often and give a lower yield.
Rules for tying cucumbers
Why tie cucumbers
Cucumbers, like tomatoes, need a garter, which will enable each shoot to receive the required amount of sunlight and heat, which will noticeably improve fruit setting and make them larger.
Of course, caring for plants climbing on the ground is much easier. If you are aiming for a good result, tying cucumbers is necessary. It also saves a lot of space in the garden, makes harvesting much easier, and the number of fruits harvested is much higher. In addition, the correct garter of cucumbers helps to protect the plant from various diseases that can arise from constant contact of cucumbers with the soil.
When to tie cucumbers
How to tie cucumbers correctly? Yulia Minyaeva and Oktyabrina Ganichkina share quite interesting advice on this matter.
- They argue that the right timing for tying a crop has a direct impact on the amount of the crop.
- Ganichkina and Minyaeva believe that the period when the length of the plant is about 30 centimeters and there are already about 4-6 leaves on it is considered the best for garter cucumbers. This is approximately 3-4 weeks after planting.
- They, as experienced breeders, can say with confidence that there is no reason to make a garter earlier than this time, but it is not worth delaying either. This can result in an injured stem and, as a result, a deterioration in yield or complete wilting of the plant.
How best to tie cucumbers
The question of how to tie up cucumbers in the open field correctly worries every gardener. For this, a trellis is used - a special device for tying cucumbers, tomatoes and other crops.
What is the best way to tie up cucumbers? What methods of tying cucumbers do experienced gardeners recommend? Everyone can choose the best option for themselves. There are several ways to tie cucumbers in a garden bed: vertical, horizontal, garter cucumbers on a grid, and others.
Horizontal garter
The horizontal garter of cucumbers in the open field is the simplest and most common method, which even novice gardeners often use without much effort.
The method consists of several stages. To begin with, you need two sticks (pipes), which are driven into the soil deep enough parallel to each other.Further, the supports are connected by a twine stretched between them, you can also use strong ropes or fabric strips along which the plant will curl. The distance between the rows should be within 25-30 cm so that the bush, as it grows, can cling to a new tier.
The advantages of this method include:
- the design does not take up much space in the garden;
- suitable even for novice gardeners;
- for manufacturing, you can use the materials that are at hand.
The disadvantage of a horizontal cucumber garter is that:
- reaching the upper tier, the plant will let downward shoots that can shade it;
- the need to correct and guide the antennae from time to time.
Vertical garter for cucumbers in the open field
The vertical garter is very comfortable
Cucumber vertical garters are even more common. In addition, it comes in several forms.
The device for such a cucumber garter consists of three supports, which are placed in the shape of the letter "P" (two are dug into the soil, and the third part is placed vertically on top). Next, the upper part of the support and the stem are connected with twine, around which it is fixed with a loop. As it grows, the cucumber will climb up the twine.
There are several ways to organize a vertical garter.
- Garter in one row. The distance between the ropes is between 20-25 cm. This arrangement is best for small pitches.
- In two rows. Such a growing scheme saves a lot of space in the garden, although the planting of plants should be free. The distance between the twines must exceed 30 cm.
- Individual garter. It is used extremely rarely; each bush uses its own trellis.
This method of tying cucumbers has many advantages, including:
- ease of manufacture and availability of materials for construction;
- allows you to make a garter of several bushes at once in a small area.
Garter net for cucumbers
The cucumber garter net is available in all specialized stores. It combines vertical and horizontal garters. The mesh can be placed in different ways: triangle, between supports, rectangle. Tying cucumbers to the net consists in the fact that they cling to the support with their shoots and twist in sections.
A fence with holes can also be used as a mesh.
Other ways to tie cucumbers
There are also other, non-standard ways to tie cucumbers.
- The gardeners use hanging containers from which the whips fall. Such a garter for cucumbers is suitable only for varieties with small fruits, which, with their weight, cannot damage the plant.
- Sometimes for growing cucumbers it is better to use a barrel in which several bushes are planted at once.
- A more common method that can also transform your site is a triangle, which is formed by tying several supports together.
Conclusion
It must be remembered that open field cucumbers need a garter. To do this, there are many ways, among which every gardener, be it a beginner or a professional, will be able to choose the right one for himself. Tying cucumbers outdoors will give you the opportunity to grow a healthy plant and get a great harvest. And for those who want to achieve aesthetics even in the garden, there are different ideas on how to tie cucumbers in the garden beautifully.