How to Grow Cucumbers Vertically to Maximize Your Harvest

Growing cucumbers is a rite of passage in a summer vegetable garden. With their refreshing crunch and abundant nutrients, what’s not to love?

Well, as it turns out, growing cucumbers can be a hassle without proper planning. This is particularly due to the unruly vines that dominate precious garden space. Luckily, you can direct the growth in a better direction: up.

Is it Better to Grow Cucumbers Vertically?

Vertical gardening is popular right now but has actually been around since 3000 BCE. Besides saving space, there are many benefits that have kept it around for so long:

• Better air circulation, which keeps the plant dry and free of rot and fungal diseases.
• Cucumber leaves can spread out and enjoy more sun exposure.
• No more killing your back! Vertical gardening means you won’t have to bend over to harvest the cukes.
• Cucumbers will grow straight when they’re hanging from the vine instead of sitting on the ground.
• Vertical gardening requires less ground space, which means less weeding!

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to grow cucumbers on the ground. But growing vertically does greatly increase your chances of a better harvest.

Now that you’re convinced of the benefits of growing cucumbers vertically, we’ll discuss the details of turning your flattened plants into healthy, space-saving wonders.

Choosing a Cucumber Trellis

There are many types of trellises, and some are better suited to grow cucumbers vertically than others. A-frames, grids, and cages are just a few. You can buy one online or make it yourself.

Trellis Type	Pros	Cons
A-Frame	Provides a sturdy structure and easy harvesting.	May take up a lot of space.
Arches	Aesthetically pleasing and easy to harvest from.	May not be sturdy if built wrong.
Chicken wire frames	Easy for the plants to climb. Inexpensive and easy to make.	You’ll have to babysit the cucumbers. You may start growing cucumbers in the holes that are difficult to remove.
Grid trellis	Can be attached to a fence or wall to save space.	Cucumbers may grow between the fence and grid.
Tomato cages	Cheap and easy.	Tomato cages are small. You might need to secure one on top of another to make it tall enough.

When choosing which trellis to use to grow cucumbers vertically, consider where you want to put the cucumbers and how many you’ll grow. You’ll also want to think about how easy it will be to harvest from all sides. For example, if you lean a flat trellis against a fence, the cukes might find their way in between the trellis and fence, making them difficult to reach.

You’ll need a trellis that’s strong enough to support the plant as you grow cucumbers vertically. Cucumber plants grow rapidly, so they’ll fill their space quickly. They also need enough room to spread out. Don’t cram the vines together in tomato cages, for instance.

I prefer the A-frame structure for cucumber growing as it balances space with benefits like improved airflow and easy access. You can pop these in the ground or fit them in your raised beds before planting time.

Your vertical gardening trellis should be about five feet tall to grow cucumbers vertically. However, keep in mind that you’ll have to reach the top portion while harvesting.

Planting

Cucumber plants are fast growers that are easy to start from seed. They love their nutrients, so fertile soil, abundant water, and plenty of sunlight are essential. The vines will love climbing up the trellis.

When to Plant

Cucumbers can be planted in the spring as soon as the last frost has passed. If you want an early start, plant the seeds indoors a few weeks before the ground thaws. Have your trellis ready beforehand so you know how many plants you need.

Cucumbers need extremely fertile soil from the start. Prep the designated spot with fertilizer, manure, or compost before planting. Then plant them so you can grow cucumbers vertically.

Where to Plant

Choose the location based on the size of your trellis. You’ll need a spot where you can easily harvest from all sides of the trellis. When you grow cucumbers vertically, you need lots of sunlight, so choose the sunniest location you have.

If planting in the ground isn’t your thing, vine cucumbers can grow in containers too. Use a fairly large container to support your trellis and the plant’s long roots. If you don’t have a container large enough, a bush cucumber without a trellis might be a better choice due to its shorter roots.

The soil will dry out faster in containers, so you’ll need to water it more often. Also, as with any potted plant, don’t forget the drainage holes!

If you’ve never grown cucumbers in containers before, we have a whole video on that topic to help you decide if that’s what’s best for you!

How to Plant

When planting cucumbers straight in the ground, plant a few seeds every foot along the bottom of the trellis. Plant the seeds an inch deep. When the seedlings start to grow, thin out the weaker plants from each bunch, leaving one to climb the trellis.

When starting indoors, put one seed in each section of a seedling tray. Make sure the soil is warm enough (at least 70°F or 21°C) by using a heat mat. The germination time for cucumber seeds is 7-14 days. The plants grow fast, so don’t get them started too early. When the time comes, young cukes transplant well.

Care

Cucumber plants aren’t too picky, as long as you keep up with the watering and harvesting. Growing cucumbers vertically requires some maintenance, but they usually know what to do.

Light

When it comes to cucumber plants, the more sun, the better. They need around eight hours of full sun each day.

If your cukes just aren’t getting enough light, consider moving them to a better spot. Keep in mind that cucumbers transplant best when they’re small. When you grow cucumbers vertically, plant with the vines facing the south.

Temperature

Cucumbers thrive in temperatures from 60°F to 90°F (16-32°C). If you think the ground is too cold for the plants even after the frost is gone, try using sheets of black plastic as mulch. The dark color will absorb the heat and keep your cucumbers warm.

Water

Because cucumbers are so succulent, they need lots of water. An inch of water a week is a good rule of thumb. However, the soil should not dry out in between waterings, nor should it be waterlogged.

Avoid getting the leaves and fruit wet while watering. Too much moisture on the plant can lead to rot and disease. Luckily, this will be less of a problem when you grow cucumbers vertically.

Soil

Cucumbers grow best in loam-type soil. They can also grow in sandy soil, as long as it has plenty of nutrients. Clay isn’t ideal because there isn’t enough drainage.

Mulch is great for helping the soil retain moisture. It keeps the water in and the weeds out. You can start mulching once the plant has grown a few inches and you start to train your plants to grow vertically.

Fertilizing

Cucumbers rely on fertile soil for their crop yield. Before planting, mix fertilizer, manure, or compost into the soil.

It’s recommended to add more fertilizer in early summer and fall. For this extra boost, sprinkle it on top of the soil around the plants. Slow-release fertilizers or fertilizer tea work well here. You’ll notice a difference in the lushness of the vines.

Training Cucumbers Vertically

Cucumber vines will climb naturally, but you may need to help them out by training. Some might stay on the ground and venture over to neighboring plants. In this case, gently wrap the vines around the trellis.

If they won’t cooperate, loosely tie the vines to the trellis until the tendrils start to hang on. For tying, you can use soft, flexible materials like:

• Twine
• String
• Fabric strips

Place the tie under a joint where the leaf protrudes from the stem. This gives it more support without harming the plant. Keep in mind that the stem may grow wider and can “choke” on the tie. In this case, remove the ties as you continue to grow cucumbers vertically.

If your cucumbers are too heavy for the vine, put them in fabric slings tied to the trellis. Just ensure there’s plenty of room to keep growing cucumbers. Also, keep in mind that cucumbers in slings may not grow straight.

Pruning

Pruning may be necessary if your cuke plants become overgrown. Prune from the bottom of the plant five to seven joints from the ground. This will allow the plant to fill out the trellis.

Always prune the secondary vines, not the main ones. Cut close to the main vine, being careful not to damage it. Use bypass pruners if possible. Anvil pruners can crush the stem. 

You may choose to prune fruit on this lower portion so more energy can be directed to vine growth. Lateral runners can also be removed from the bottom of the plant.

Frequently Asked Questions