I am growing cucumbers inside cages made from rewire (some left-over tomato
cages) to conserve garden space. My concern is whether the vines are
sufficiently supported by the cucumber plants' tendrils only during
production or if the vines need additional support. The cages are 5 feet
tall and 2.5 feet wide. I'm hoping each runner will grow over the cage and
grow back towards the ground helping secure the vines. I have been feeding
the individual runners up inside the cage and the tendrils then twist on the
wire supporting the vines. Advice will be greatly appreciated so if
necessary, I'll have time to tie the vines as the plants are still in the
blossoming stage.

In article EjVPa.43807$Ph3.3366@sccrnsc04, "Angi" wrote:
I am growing cucumbers inside cages made from rewire (some left-over tomato
cages) to conserve garden space. My concern is whether the vines are
sufficiently supported by the cucumber plants' tendrils only during
production or if the vines need additional support. The cages are 5 feet
tall and 2.5 feet wide. I'm hoping each runner will grow over the cage and
grow back towards the ground helping secure the vines. I have been feeding
the individual runners up inside the cage and the tendrils then twist on the
wire supporting the vines. Advice will be greatly appreciated so if
necessary, I'll have time to tie the vines as the plants are still in the
blossoming stage.

It probably depends on conditions such as how healthy the plants are and
if you have a lot of wind. Just watch your plants - they'll 'tell' you
if they need support.

cheers,

Marj

* * *
Marj Tiefert: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/
Mediterranean Garden Shop: http://stores.tiefert.com/garden/
In Sunset zone 14-mild

I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice about
a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is more of a
(chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather than a forum to
advise folks that are trying something new in gardening as in my case where,
for the first time in my life, I'm growing cucumbers in cages because of my
now limited garden space instead of having previously unlimited space to let
the vines sprawl. I feel the question I posted earlier was simply enough to
at least get a normal response from gardeners with experience relative to my
post rather than just the one response mentioning it depends on the health
of the plants and the wind. The plants are healthy and the wind is normal
around here however I wouldn't expect them to survive a hurricane or tornado
but was curious about whether the plant's tendrils wrapped around a tomato
cage wire would be sufficient or if the vines need additional support. If
the vines hold for me with the support of the tendrils only for this first
year after producing normal fruit, I'll be happy to advise a future post
regarding this question.
Please don't any of you computer savvy (chat-room) type trolls post that I
should include part of my message so you know what this is in regards to as
the title of the post should suffice. The neighbor's dog defecating in my
yard seems to the mindset of this newsgroup as those threads go on forever!
Thank You!

"Angi" wrote in news:rnERa.84953$H17.26242@sccrnsc02:

I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice
about a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is
more of a (chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather

Free the cucumbers! Cucumbers have rights, too! No more cucumber
oppression! Stop cucumber enslavement!

)

Angi,
I grow cucumbers in my greenhouse using bamboo and twine as a trellis.
They
have absolutely no problem climbing up this rickety trellis so a strong
tomato cage should
work fine. When I gardened in a climate that allowed for 'outside'
cucumbers, I used an
old wooden clothes drier (on it's side) to trellis my cucumbers.

GML

"Angi" wrote in message
news:rnERa.84953$H17.26242@sccrnsc02...
I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice
about
a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is more of a
(chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather than a forum
to
advise folks that are trying something new in gardening as in my case
where,
for the first time in my life, I'm growing cucumbers in cages because of
my
now limited garden space instead of having previously unlimited space to
let
the vines sprawl. I feel the question I posted earlier was simply enough
to
at least get a normal response from gardeners with experience relative to
my
post rather than just the one response mentioning it depends on the health
of the plants and the wind. The plants are healthy and the wind is normal
around here however I wouldn't expect them to survive a hurricane or
tornado
but was curious about whether the plant's tendrils wrapped around a tomato
cage wire would be sufficient or if the vines need additional support. If
the vines hold for me with the support of the tendrils only for this first
year after producing normal fruit, I'll be happy to advise a future post
regarding this question.
Please don't any of you computer savvy (chat-room) type trolls post that I
should include part of my message so you know what this is in regards to
as
the title of the post should suffice. The neighbor's dog defecating in my
yard seems to the mindset of this newsgroup as those threads go on
forever!
Thank You!

"Angi" wrote in message news:rnERa.84953$H17.26242@sccrnsc02...
I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice about
a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is more of a
(chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather than a forum to
advise folks that are trying something new in gardening as in my case where,
for the first time in my life, I'm growing cucumbers in cages because of my
now limited garden space instead of having previously unlimited space to let
the vines sprawl. I feel the question I posted earlier was simply enough to
at least get a normal response from gardeners with experience relative to my
post rather than just the one response mentioning it depends on the health
of the plants and the wind. The plants are healthy and the wind is normal
around here however I wouldn't expect them to survive a hurricane or tornado
but was curious about whether the plant's tendrils wrapped around a tomato
cage wire would be sufficient or if the vines need additional support. If
the vines hold for me with the support of the tendrils only for this first
year after producing normal fruit, I'll be happy to advise a future post
regarding this question.
Please don't any of you computer savvy (chat-room) type trolls post that I
should include part of my message so you know what this is in regards to as
the title of the post should suffice. The neighbor's dog defecating in my
yard seems to the mindset of this newsgroup as those threads go on forever!
Thank You!

you posted to the wrong group. take it to r.g.e. and be more polite there.

Well, if you are done spewing, slimy, your original message didn't
come up on this server until someone replied. Did you ever think of
that? This group is QUITE helpful.


On 18 Jul 2003 16:43:41 -0700, (simy1) wrote:

"Angi" wrote in message news:rnERa.84953$H17.26242@sccrnsc02...
I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice about
a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is more of a
(chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather than a forum to
advise folks that are trying something new in gardening as in my case where,
for the first time in my life, I'm growing cucumbers in cages because of my
now limited garden space instead of having previously unlimited space to let
the vines sprawl. I feel the question I posted earlier was simply enough to
at least get a normal response from gardeners with experience relative to my
post rather than just the one response mentioning it depends on the health
of the plants and the wind. The plants are healthy and the wind is normal
around here however I wouldn't expect them to survive a hurricane or tornado
but was curious about whether the plant's tendrils wrapped around a tomato
cage wire would be sufficient or if the vines need additional support. If
the vines hold for me with the support of the tendrils only for this first
year after producing normal fruit, I'll be happy to advise a future post
regarding this question.
Please don't any of you computer savvy (chat-room) type trolls post that I
should include part of my message so you know what this is in regards to as
the title of the post should suffice. The neighbor's dog defecating in my
yard seems to the mindset of this newsgroup as those threads go on forever!
Thank You!

you posted to the wrong group. take it to r.g.e. and be more polite there.

Dear Angi,
Maybe you haven't figured out that most of us have busy lives, you know,
kids, work, school,ect. For the most part we are all amateur gardeners.
That's why we use this newsgroup!
Yes your precious cucumbers will be fine in a cage as long as it's
strong enough.
Now %^$@#@-off and join a gardening club
J.Lane
"Angi" wrote in message
news:rnERa.84953$H17.26242@sccrnsc02...
I am bewildered that this so called gardening newsgroup had no advice
about
a typical gardening question! I guess I should realize this is more of a
(chat-room) type of get-together for lonely shut-ins rather than a forum
to
advise folks that are trying something new in gardening as in my case
where,
for the first time in my life, I'm growing cucumbers in cages because of
my
now limited garden space instead of having previously unlimited space to
let
the vines sprawl. I feel the question I posted earlier was simply enough
to
at least get a normal response from gardeners with experience relative to
my
post rather than just the one response mentioning it depends on the health
of the plants and the wind. The plants are healthy and the wind is normal
around here however I wouldn't expect them to survive a hurricane or
tornado
but was curious about whether the plant's tendrils wrapped around a tomato
cage wire would be sufficient or if the vines need additional support. If
the vines hold for me with the support of the tendrils only for this first
year after producing normal fruit, I'll be happy to advise a future post
regarding this question.
Please don't any of you computer savvy (chat-room) type trolls post that I
should include part of my message so you know what this is in regards to
as
the title of the post should suffice. The neighbor's dog defecating in my
yard seems to the mindset of this newsgroup as those threads go on
forever!
Thank You!

I've grown my cucumbers vertical for over ten years. I create a frame from
bamboo and drop strings down for them to climb. I often wrap the string
around the plant to give them a start. Originally I just ran string up and
down and across. Then I started tying bamboo across for more support. Now
I use chicken wire(poultry netting) to let them climb. I weave them through
every once in a while but they grab on great. I've had them over six feet
tall.