How To DIY The Perfect Garden Trellis For Your Cucumber Plants

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Cucumbers are a great crop for new gardeners, especially since you don't need a backyard or garden plot to grow them. Using just fabric grow bags and an easy DIY trellis made of PVC-coated wire fencing, you can plant some cukes on your deck or patio. Growing them this way can help you avoid a common gardening mistake – planting vegetables in a spot that doesn't get enough sun; cucumbers prefer at least 6 hours of full sun a day. They'll need lots of sunlight to thrive, and with grow bags, you have the flexibility to place your plants wherever the light is best. You could even move them throughout the day to chase the sun. The trellis will give your cucumbers helpful support as they grow, especially if they're a vining variety.

You won't need much for this project: you can grow your cucumbers in a small 3-gallon grow bag, and a 5-pack of them, like these Vivosun planters, costs only about $3 each. Meanwhile, fencing, such as this roll of Fencer Wire vinyl-coated fence wire, can be purchased for as little as 25 cents a square foot. You can use potting mix if you have it on hand; otherwise, you may want to try a growing medium called PitMoss. This soilless fabric has been found even by professional gardeners to help plants stay hydrated longer, which can help you avoid major mistakes when watering your plants, like under-watering. 

You'll also need a wire cutter to cut your fencing. To plant your cucumber, fill your grow bag until the soil or growing medium is about one inch from the top of the planter; push the soil down lightly to remove air pockets. Then dig a shallow hole with a garden trowel to cover your plant's roots, water your plant well, and your plant will have a happy home.

Once your cucumber is content and settled in its grow bag, it's time to build your trellis. Use wire cutters to trim a section of fencing that wraps around the back and sides of the grow bag. Press the ends into the soil to hold it upright. This setup will make the plant accessible for easy watering, pruning, and harvesting. For a 3-gallon grow bag that's under 10 inches in diameter, you'll need less than 2 feet of fencing. Snip away any excess length but leave the full height intact – you'll need that vertical space to support the plant as it grows. If your cucumber already has tendrils, you can gently guide them onto the wire by wrapping them around nearby sections of the trellis. 

Keep the soil consistently moist by watering regularly and consider adding a layer of straw mulch to help retain moisture and deter pests like slugs and beetles. Your new trellis can also help your new garden stay healthy. By providing them space to grow upward, they'll be less susceptible to rot, which can happen when crops like cucumbers stay in contact with the soil, where they are prone to both pests and fungus.

If you have the space, you could use any leftover grow bags, fencing, and soil to grow more cucumbers — or other plants. Options like compact tomatoes, squash, and even flowers like clematis are all climbers and are perfect for container gardens. Before you know it, you will have a thriving garden, thanks to your DIY trellis and container garden.