Five Reasons To Grow Cucumbers On A Trellis

Do you grow cucumbers on a trellis or let them sprawl on the ground?

Even if you have lots of room in your garden and are not trying to “Square Foot Garden,” there are a number of reasons to grow cucumbers up instead of out:

1. The plants are easier to water at the main stem, which keeps the plant leaves drier (this is recommended to help keep fungal diseases at bay).
2. The fruit is easier to harvest. They are hanging nearer to eye level and are easier to spot, plus the prickly stems and leaves are neatly confined so the risk of getting all scratched up is minimized (this is the biggest benefit in my book!).
3. The fruit is cleaner when it doesn’t touch the dirt.
4. The fruit is a uniform color (no light spots where they rested on the ground).
5. The fruit is straighter, with less misshapen ones.