What is the proper way to train your viny plants / vegetables like cucumbers

[Scerakor]

We all know that there are several types of plants who will climb and grow over just about anything. One such vegetable are cucumbers but the results of this thread would be equally beneficial for any of the other climbing plants and vegetables (Hops, cucumbers, vines, grapes, etc.)

I have left cucumbers for example to their own vices throughout a growing season and that has had some unfortunate results. They have grappled onto some of my other plants (i.e. tomatoes and corn if they were side by side) or have just made their way wherever they please. What is a proper way to train your viny plants to climb up a fence or other apparatus so that it a) still results in ample harvest, b) protects the rest of my garden and c) alleviates all the extra space that it takes up when running rampid?

Bonus points for delving further into some of the other plants like hops and grapes!

 

[dconklin]

I can only say for cucumbers since that is all that I have grown. I put mine in close to the fence and also have long stakes in the ground by them. But I put the stakes in the ground when I first plant the plants so I don't hurt the roots.

Their stringy like things that hook onto everything will grab whatever is close to them so monitor the plants closely once they start to really grow. I just found that hooking them onto the stake or the fence works great. You may have to undo this a few times as the plants grow, but every time a new stringy thing appears and is long enough I hook it around the stake or on the fence. Eventually if you keep them up like this and not right up against other plants that they could get, you should be ok.

My neighbors put a netting up across the back of their yard and the plants start in the ground like your garden, but then they climb up the netting and eventually over the netting. It also provides you some shade to walk or sit under Then the cucumber grow through the netting since it has big holes. It is not like bird netting, it just needs to get the cucumber plant climbing up it.

 

[LindaKay]

Thanks for the tips. I want to plant some cucumbers, and I never would have thought about them grabbing onto all of my other plants. That's why I'm so glad that I have you experienced ladies and gents to share your tips with me.

 

[dconklin]

Thanks for the tips. I want to plant some cucumbers, and I never would have thought about them grabbing onto all of my other plants. That's why I'm so glad that I have you experienced ladies and gents to share your tips with me.

You are welcome! Yes they will grab anything in their path. Here is a picture
of my cucumber plants I had 2 years ago (I didn't have them last year.) See all the string looking things all over the plant? Those little string like things will grab onto anything and everything and wrap around whatever they grab. Cucumbers are very easy plants to grow, you just have to make sure to have them grabbing something like a stake, net or a fence. You don't want them to grab other plants.

And to show how tall they are capable of getting, this is a 6 foot fence and the top is literally just out of the picture.

 

[ChanellG]

I think it depends on the plant; some seem to do better when they can latch onto others for support. I saw something recently that said you can train a grape vine to grow like a low tree. I'm not sure how that affects yield, but for a city gardener this could be ideal.

If I were growing cucumbers I would put them in something hanging, or have them elevated where they could grow downward. I've seen some interesting garden designs like that which are used to get more growing in less space.

You can use lattice, recycled gates, arches, pole teepees... Ultimately, anything on a vine that has tendrils will latch on to whatever is near; the only way to control it is with pruning.