I requested advice a few weeks ago about growing cucumbers vertically in
cages while the plants were still in bloom before producing yet as to
whether the plants' tendrils would be sufficient to support the vines after
the production starts or if they needed additional support. I can now offer
this advice to anyone interested for future reference. The tendrils alone
are sufficient as my vines have now grown over the 5 foot cages and about
halfway to the ground again and are in full production.
I chose straight 8 and marketmore and the cucumbers are almost perfectly
straight because they hang down unobstructed rather than lay on the ground
needing to overcome the soil resistance while growing and in the past, have
usually been shape-deformed (almost half moon)! Since the cages are only
about 2 feet wide, a person needs an eagle eye to find them amongst all the
leaves inside the cages.
I was forced to try to grow them vertically for the first time ever because
of moving into a much smaller garden.