11 DIY Trellis Ideas For Growing Big, Healthy Cucumbers In Your Garden
If you're looking for a crisp, refreshing addition to your home garden summer harvest, consider trying your hand at cultivating cucumbers. You can pick from plenty of different cucumber varieties, ranging from extra-large options that make a great addition to salads to tiny gherkins that are the perfect choice for a foray into at-home pickling. If you're living in a fairly temperate location — or if you have a backyard greenhouse — cucumbers are a pretty easy plant to maintain, and there are several growing methods you can use to better fit the plant to your space and guarantee a fruitful crop when it's time to harvest.
When untrained, cucumber plants will naturally trail on the ground and quickly form into a lush mass of greenery. This isn't an issue if you have a large amount of space to plant, but if you want to keep them more contained, encouraging your cucumber plants to grow vertically on a trellis can help to keep these quick growers from spreading too far. Luckily, they aren't too picky about the surfaces they cling to, so there are plenty of different DIY trellis and vertical growing solutions that you can easily create at home. From large archways to simple string and stick methods, these can often be made from repurposed materials you already have on hand.
1. Bamboo trellis
If you want to give your cucumber plants the opportunity to climb high into the sky, consider DIYing a bamboo trellis. Take five or six bamboo poles, then insert the ends into your planter or the ground in a circular formation. Join them at the top with some twine or wire, and you have a super easy, high-reaching trellis that only took a few minutes to build. If you don't have access to bamboo poles, feel free to substitute them for just about anything that's similarly sturdy, tall, and thin, like pieces of scrap wood or fallen sticks from nearby trees.
2. Repurposed wood and string trellis
There are plenty of different styles of trellis out there, but if you're just looking for something simple to support your cucumbers, don't be afraid to go back to the basics. If you have a few pieces of scrap wood and some string, you can easily complete this project. Secure the pieces of wood at the base of your cucumber plants, then tie them together with a few pieces of string to essentially create a fence. From there, you can drape the cucumber vines over the vertical pieces of string and around the wood pieces, securing them with additional string or ties if necessary.
3. Repurposed bedsheet for vertical growing
Growing cucumber plants on just about any kind of trellis can help free up some space in your garden, but this clever TikTok trick for growing cucumbers vertically ensures you're making the absolute most of what you have available. Build a structure that arches over your cucumber plants, then cut some scrap fabric, like a repurposed bedsheet, for example, into strips. Tie the strips to the structure above the plants, then train the tendrils to grow upwards by wrapping them around the thin fabric pieces. It might take some extra securing at first, but they'll eventually start to intertwine and continue climbing upwards.
4. Archway trellis
Flowers and ornamental plants can seriously help to spruce up your garden, but that doesn't mean that plants you cultivate for food can't bring some beauty to the space, too. Because cucumbers are trailing plants, they'll grow over and around just about anything you put in front of them, including a decorative archway. Plant two beds of cucumber plants, then connect them with a simple arch-shaped trellis to add some décor and whimsy to your garden. As a bonus, you can easily walk under the archway to prune and harvest your cucumbers without constantly bending down or digging through bushes.
5. Wood pallet trellis
There are plenty of creative ways to upcycle wood pallets for your garden, but this hack is one of the simplest. To build your own wood pallet trellis, all you need is a pallet, a couple of pieces of scrap wood, and some string. Slightly bury the pieces of scrap wood in your garden bed to secure them, then prop the pallet up on the pieces at an angle. Weave the tendrils through the pallet to encourage upward growth, and you're done. For an even simpler approach, you could also stand the pallet up on end in your garden bed or lean it against a fence.
6. Bucket planter trellis
If you like the idea of creating a simple wood or bamboo trellis but want more flexibility when it comes to planting your cucumbers, consider securing each of the poles in an individual planter or bucket — rather than placing it over an existing bed. This can allow you to take advantage of an unused portion of your garden without installing an entirely new bed. For a more fun twist on this functional design, you can leave a portion of the tent shape open so you can walk inside and more easily harvest and care for your cucumbers.
7. Macrame trellis
If you're a fan of bohemian-style interiors, you're likely already familiar with the art of macramé. Traditional knotting techniques can be used to create just about anything, from jewelry to wall hangings, but they can also serve a more functional purpose in your garden. To build this trellis, take some macramé cord and create a large netted design. Secure it along a wall next to your planter or on some supports to give it some structure, then tie it to the planter itself. As your cucumber plants grow, begin weaving them through the open spaces in the design until they begin to take hold themselves.
8. Rebar and chicken wire trellis
Wood might be a popular material for trellises, but if you want something that's guaranteed to hold up through just about any weather, metal is another solid and fairly inexpensive choice. To make your own simple metal trellis, all you need is some rebar and chicken wire. Use the rebar to create vertical supports behind each plant, then secure a layer of chicken wire across the length of the trellis. The metal will likely rust a bit over time, but this can be prevented or at least slowed with a coat of sealant or protective paint.
9. Repurposed bed frame trellis
House Digest loves a repurposing project, and this bed frame trellis is a perfect example. If you have a metal bed frame that's looking a bit worse for wear, bring the headboard out to the garden and bury the base in your plant bed. Because cucumbers are so fast-growing, there's a chance the frame could be completely filled after a couple of months. Amend this issue by tying some pieces of cut fabric, yarn, or twine to the top of the bed frame to give your plants a few extra feet of material to hold on to as they grow.
10. Repurposed gate trellis
Extra fencing can also make for a fabulous base for trellises, but if you want something that looks a bit more decorative, consider using an old fence gate. This works best with metal or lattice options and is similar to creating a cucumber trellis out of a bed frame. Essentially, all you have to do is bury the bottom of your gate at the base of your plants, then weave the vines through the holes in the material. If your gate is a bit more minimalistic, you can also tie on some pieces of string to give the plants more spots to weave through.
11. Simple string trellis
Sometimes, basic is better, and this simple string trellis is the perfect example. If you don't want to shell out a ton of money on your project but aren't quite confident in your macramé skills yet, try out this simple string grid idea. Cut a few pieces of string the same length, then lay them parallel to one another. From there, cut some more strings and lay them across the other strings to create a grid pattern. Tie a knot at each intersection to secure them, then attach your newly minted trellis between your garden bed and a fence or another support.