Cucumber trellis device
A cucumber trellis is a fairly convenient and rational way of growing cucumbers, which, judging by the reviews of gardeners, is more productive in comparison with traditional spreading. Today we will talk about how to use this method correctly, how to plant a vegetable, what are the advantages of using cucumber trellises, and how to make nets for growing vegetables on a trellis yourself.
Cucumber trellis device
What is trellis mesh
A trellis net is, in fact, a wicker structure that is constructed from a variety of materials, usually wire is used for this, since the material perfectly withstands the load and keeps its shape, in other words - a lattice that serves as a support for plants
It also happens that when using this method, an already prepared ready-made vertical platform is used, which is attached to a wire mesh fixed to a post or the most ordinary fence. It is important to note that the use of this design is possible with any methods of growing crops - that is, in greenhouses, and provided that you grow cucumbers on a trellis in the open field on the street. Of course, there is a list of advantages and benefits that put the method of growing cucumbers on a trellis in the first place, and this is what will be discussed below.
Benefits of using
Speaking about the advantages, first of all, it should be said that the use of a trellis net allows you to place the culture vertically, which helps to easily get rid of the deposits left over from that year, in addition, this prevents the spread of pathogens of various bacteria, they do not penetrate upward according to the growth of the stems. In addition, we note the following advantages:
- You can save space for seedlings, in addition, the consumption of fertilizers is reduced
- The incidence rate will significantly decrease, since without contact of the plant with the soil, the risk of damage by powdery mildew and peronosporosis is reduced to a minimum.
- Positive dynamics is observed during the growing season, cucumbers on the trellis receive more heat and light
- The quantitative characteristics of the crop are increasing. If you manage to create the necessary conditions, you can grow and collect about 75 kilograms of cucumbers from a trellis up to 5 square meters.
- The care process is greatly facilitated, watering and feeding according to the recipe (for example, with manure) becomes as simple and understandable as possible
- The advantage is that when planting cucumbers on a trellis, the harvested vegetables will be absolutely clean, since there will be no contact with the ground
- Harvesting becomes even easier as the trellis netting makes movement between the units of the device free
Classic mesh
We find out from what elements the classic trellis mesh is arranged:
- support
- the mesh itself
- mounts for her
In order to give the structure stability, a metal support, wooden beams or pillars filled with cement are used.As for the net, it is made of wire, rope, twine or plastic. You can also use a ready-made solution by purchasing a PVC mesh, it can be purchased in specialized shops with gardening goods.
You can buy a ready-made PVC mesh
The net is fixed from above to posts or other support, while the bottom edge is placed in the ground, while securing it with wire hooks for better strength.
Next, we will talk about what other options for making cucumber trellises exist, we will give the most common methods.
Made of wood
It should be noted that this method is the fastest; it will take no more than two hours to manufacture the structure. It is recommended to start work on its creation at a time when the seedlings of cucumbers are planted in the ground, but the first seedlings have not yet grown.
Before proceeding with the purchase of materials, it is worth deciding what type of structure you plan to make, as well as how many cucumbers you plan to collect.
We will give, for example, measurements of a standard section, which is done most often: with a cucumber net height of 2.5 meters, the diameter of the support pipes should be at least 5 cm, intermediate pipes can be less - about 3.5 cm.
In order for the structure to last more than 1 season, it is recommended not to save on wood, give preference to harder species that are minimally susceptible to decay. To make the tree last even longer, it is worth treating the wood with an antiseptic solution.
Stages of work
Making a classic cucumber trellis consists of the following stages:
- Support posts are installed. They are driven into the ground, while observing the condition of placing them at a certain distance from each other - about 2 meters. In this case, the depth cannot be less than 50 cm, otherwise the structure will be shaky and not reliable.
- We fix the supports. It is important that the trellis is at a certain angle. To accomplish this, you need to install the support at a certain angle - about 70 degrees. In addition, do not forget that the supports must be anchored using wire braces, 1 edge of which is attached to the metal corners.
- We build the frame. To make the frame as strong as possible, you need to nail the horizontal bars to get a transverse surface. It is this surface that will serve as a frame in the future.
- Creation of the crate. For the construction of the lathing, horizontal edges must be nailed to the frame, while the thickness of the edges cannot be less than 3 cm. It is recommended to treat the junction of the battens with glue that is resistant to water.
- We fix the trellis. To keep the device as tight as possible, you should use special fastening brackets as a fastening material or make them yourself from ordinary nails. Nails are driven into a wooden lath, observing a distance of about 50 cm between them. Now you can start hanging the net on the hooks, start by throwing the rope onto the hooks and then tying the free end to the nearest support post. The net is weaved in such a way that first the vertical threads with the wire are intertwined, after which the free end must be screwed to the pegs.
Made of metal
Metal trellis mesh will last for many years
Compared to the previous design, metal requires more expensive materials, more time and, of course, effort. However, all costs will pay off by the fact that the service life of such a product is much longer than that of a wooden trellis.
Materials required for construction:
- Reinforcement - length of rods about 2 meters
- To equip the crossbeam - the pipe is thinner
- Pegs for driving into the ground
- Welding machine
- Wire
- Drill for earth
- The hammer
Stages of work
First, you need to make a markup, mark the places on the ground where the racks will be located.After you have decided on the place, use a garden drill to drill holes at least 40 cm deep.When the work is done, place the metal rods in the recesses, it is recommended to help yourself with a hammer to drive the rod as deep as possible. If voids have formed around them, fill them with earth.
To prevent the metal from undergoing the natural rusting process, it is recommended to pre-treat all metal elements with oil paint or a solution against metal corrosion.
After the frame is ready, we move on to the next stage - the construction of the canvas for weaving the mesh. The best option for making it would be a metal wire, it needs to be pulled between the pegs and the crossbar. The pegs are located at a certain distance - about 20 cm. In order for the structure to serve as long as possible, it is recommended to purchase a wire with a diameter of at least 3 mm. In addition, it is better to weave in several rows, place the first row at a height of about 20 cm, then go down 50 cm and so on to the very bottom.
It is worth considering that the metal trellis is heavy, so moving and reinstalling it can become quite difficult to complete the task. In order to improve crop rotation, you can alternate growing cucumbers on a trellis with planting peas or beans on a net.
Of tires
The third option for making cucumber trellises can be confidently called the most economical, for the construction you will need an old tire from the wheel, it will serve as the basis for the future design. It is recommended to give preference to tires from larger vehicles, for example, from a tractor or truck. In order to create the upper support, you can take a thinner circle, for example, a rim from an old bicycle, it can be found without problems. It is important to free it from the needles that can injure and interfere with the growth of the cucumbers.
Stages of work
The first thing to do is cut the large tire lengthwise. The cut off part must be laid in a pre-selected place under the garden bed. After that, two metal rods must be installed in the middle of the tire, their height should be approximately equal to 2 meters. Outwardly, such a trellis should remotely resemble a hut.
The next step will be to pour soil into the middle of the tire so that the entire cavity is tightly filled. If there is an empty space left above the tire, it must be hidden with a thick cloth, for example, burlap. After that, holes must be made in the burlap, into which the seedlings will subsequently be planted.
To protect the seedlings as much as possible from freezing or temperature changes, it is recommended to lay agrofibre around the perimeter of the structure. It will need to be lifted only in two cases - during watering or loosening the soil. It is only necessary to remove the material for the shelter at a time when the sprouts develop to a height of 17-25 cm, and the temperature becomes more or less stable.
To create a vertical plane, you need to place a column in the center, on which the bicycle wheel is attached. As you remember, we recommended pulling all the spokes out of the wheel, pushing the wire into the holes remaining from them, and then wrapping tightly around the circumference. Such a device looks very beautiful at that time after all the lashes are tightly braided with foliage.
Bush fixing
After the shoots rise 15-20 cm, start attaching the petals. Those who think that this happens by itself are deeply mistaken. In order for a vegetable to grow, it is necessary to constantly monitor the growth of cucumbers, as well as tie up each bush, doing all the work by hand. It is important to calculate in advance the amount of fertilizer that will be needed for your soil type, the instructions will indicate how many liters will be needed per 1 sq. M. soil.
At absolutely every stage, it is important to ensure that growth is directed upward, in the direction you need it. It is also important to ensure that one shoot does not find itself on another, otherwise the shadow created by it will negatively affect the development of the plant. Now you know how to grow cucumbers on a trellis, if you follow all the conditions described above, the cucumber harvest will certainly delight you.