How to make a cucumber net yourself and installation instructions

There's probably not a single gardener who wouldn't love to grow cucumbers. They're not only widely eaten fresh, but also used for various winter preserves. To create comfortable conditions for cucumbers, gardeners use cucumber netting. This is the ideal option for growing a healthy crop with a bountiful harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages

Cucumbers are vines: they have long stems, large leaves, and numerous ovaries. If they aren't supported vertically, they'll take up a lot of space, leaving less room for gardeners to grow other vegetables.

In addition to preserving usable space, the advantages of vertical growing include:

• obtaining clean, undamaged fruits due to the fact that they do not come into contact with the ground;
• your hand can easily reach the cucumbers: this requires a minimum of effort and time;
• the trellis helps to evenly illuminate the bushes;
• absence of slugs on vines;
• ventilation of the bushes, which reduces the risk of them becoming infected with diseases;
• formation of healthy shoots and offshoots;
• moisture evaporation occurs evenly;
• The garden plot looks more aesthetically pleasing.

There are significantly fewer disadvantages, which include shading in the area where cucumbers are grown, tied to a net, and the need for frequent watering.

Additional information: Cucumbers come in many colors, including green. The most unusual is the wild Momordica variety, which is yellow-orange in color, reminiscent of a crocodile's mouth.

Types of meshes

Several types of nets have been developed. They can be used both in open ground and in greenhouses.

Trellis

This is the most commonly used type of mesh. The trellis-type structure is reliable and durable due to the installation of multiple supports. An additional support is dug in if the distance from the beginning to the end of the bed is more than 10 meters.

The direction of the structure can be given in different ways:

• vertical;
• inclined;
• A-shaped.

The gardener decides the shape of the structure. The mesh is usually green, with a mesh size of at least 10x10 centimeters. The vine grows upward by clinging to the structure with its tendrils.

Plastic

This is a good alternative to trellis mesh. A plastic frame, as a vertical cucumber growing option, is also popular among gardeners. Plastic mesh has excellent technical properties: it's highly durable and wear-resistant. Cucumbers can be grown on plastic mesh for several seasons in both greenhouses and open ground.

Metal

It's more durable than previous options: a frame stretched from it will last a long time and withstand any cucumber harvest without mechanical damage. Its disadvantages include the high cost of the mesh and its tendency to rust from frequent watering and rain. Its service life is at least 5 years.

Tip! To ensure the metal mesh lasts as long as possible, it should be coated with an anti-corrosion compound.

How to choose a mesh

To choose the right netting for growing cucumbers, it's important to consider factors such as the variety and type of crop. Some cucumbers require a high and wide tension, while others require a low tension. If the plants are grown outdoors, the netting should be made of synthetic materials; if the plants are grown in a greenhouse, natural fabrics can be used.

This is important because natural fibers are more susceptible to moisture. You can even weave the mesh yourself, if you have some macrame skills. While the mesh options vary in appearance, the material doesn't matter for cucumber growth.

Gardeners use more than just traditional vine growing methods: seedlings or seeds are planted not in the ground, but in a pot or a 5-liter bottle, which is then hung from a fence, tree, balcony, or arched beam. The vines hang down and are woven along netting or ropes. This method of cultivation requires minimal material investment.

Installation rules and features

Building the structure at home is easy. For DIY installation, you'll need the following materials and tools:

1. Support. This can be made of wood, metal, or PVC pipe. The installation consists of two posts up to 2 meters high. They are dug into the ground 30-40 centimeters deep at the edges of the beds. The soil around the posts is carefully compacted. If the bed is longer than 10 meters, an additional post is installed.
2. Mesh. It can be metal, plastic, made of natural fiber, or even wooden beams. Its weave should be coarse.
3. Rail. It is necessary to secure the structure. Rails are installed between the posts, making the structure more stable.
4. A screwdriver and screws. Tools and materials are needed to secure the structure. For metal construction, welded corners are used, in which holes are drilled for fastening with screws.

Important! To ensure uniform sunlight exposure, the trellis should be installed from east to west.

DIY

To create the structure, you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Dig two holes on either side of the beds and install supports. You can later plant calendula or marigolds near these to protect the plants from harmful insects.
2. Place the net on the ground and attach it to the rod. The procedure is similar to stringing a curtain onto a curtain rod.
3. Screw the rail to the supports using screws (this will form a structure similar to the letter U).
4. Tighten the netting, tying it to the supports with ropes. The cucumber netting should hold its shape and be tightly taut. Since the main load falls on the middle section, it's at this level that the structure needs to be reinforced as much as possible.

The above-ground trunk of the grown cucumber seedlings is tied to a support. A homemade frame is inexpensive, simple, and easy to use.

How to tie up cucumbers

To grow a bountiful cucumber harvest, you need to learn how to properly tie up the shoots. Twine or nylon thread are used for this procedure; if you don't have either, you can use cut pieces of fabric.

The main condition: the garter should not pull the shoots too tightly, otherwise the necessary amount of nutrients will not be supplied from the roots to the above-ground part of the plants.

First, a knot is tied at the base of the bush, then the rope is pulled up to the pole, wrapped around it, and secured with a knot. The twine merely serves as a guide for the branches, leading them to the net, and it should not be pulled too tight.

In addition to various ropes, clamps are used to secure the shoots. These are used to secure the stems as they grow. The first clamping occurs when the seedlings reach 20-25 centimeters. From then on, the shoots will make their own way, clinging to the mesh. When the vine reaches the top of the mesh, it should be pinched. This will stimulate the formation of lateral shoots.

Please note: To prevent damage to plants, the structure must be installed before planting cucumbers.

Using a net when growing cucumbers will allow the gardener to harvest abundantly harvest until the first frost. This agricultural technique is accessible to everyone. After studying the material, a farmer can easily install the net at home.