Growing a vegetable garden can be fun, relaxing, and rewarding. There are so many amazing vegetables out there that are great for you and simple to grow even if you have limited time. Cucumbers are one of said vegetables, and they can also add some flair to your backyard. With large green leaves and twisting vines, this plant is as stylish as it is bountiful. These six ideas for a repurposed or DIY cucumber trellis for your backyard will help you get started

Growing Cucumbers

cucumber plant on trellis

Image credit: rootstock via Shutterstock

When growing your cucumbers on a trellis, the most important thing is that the trellis be strong and sturdy. Cucumber plants can grow very tall and heavy, so no matter what materials you use, your trellis needs to be able to withstand the weight of the plant, as well as any environmental elements.

Your trellis should be plenty wide and about four to six inches tall with nothing covering the top. Your cucumbers will mostly likely want to grow over the top and down the sides so a covering of any kind is not feasible.

When growing cucumbers it is important to have a trellis available for them, as it makes it easier to avoid wetting the plant's leaves during watering. The trellis will keep the leaves off the ground and it will be easier to water at the roots.  This is important because splashing water on your cucumber plant's leaves can spread disease and kill your plant before it has the chance to grow.

Now that you know the functional details your cucumber trellis will need, it's time for the fun part - picking a style!

1. Bamboo Fence Cucumber Trellis

Bamboo is long-lasting and strong, so it is a perfect material to use when building your cucumber trellis. Making a trellis out of bamboo isn't very difficult.

Start by making a circle of three to six bamboo poles in the garden and tilt the ends into the center. Next, wrap the ends of the poles with strong twine to secure the ends together. Then, attach twine to create a web for your cucumbers to climb. You will have to repeat this a few times, depending on how big your plant is going to be.

Then, you can connect these smaller bamboo trellises to create a large one. Lastly, position two horizontal poles across your trellis, one at the top and the other at the bottom. This will hold the trellis upright.

2. Wooden Ladder Cucumber Trellis

A wooden ladder cucumber trellis is very simple and takes little work to make. If you have an old ladder in your house or shed that you aren't using you, simply place it in your garden. You can paint it, if you'd like, before planting your cucumbers around it. 

Your cucumbers will naturally want to grow up and around it. Plus, the ladder can act as a trellis for other nearby plants that need something to grow up.

3. Hemp Cord and Stick Cucumber Trellis

A hemp cord and stick cucumber trellis can be made in a matter of minutes and you likely have the materials in your home. You can use as many sticks as you want for this one; it just depends on the size of your garden. Lay out your sticks and tie them together with your hemp cord, making a hanging ladder for your cucumbers.

You can hang this one on the side of your home or barn, or you can use extra-large sticks to create posts to stand it up.

4. Chicken Wire Cucumber Trellis

This one may take a bit more work than the other trellis ideas, but it is known for being long-lasting and durable. You can use either wood or metal poles to build the frame for this cucumber trellis. To start, make a square or rectangle out of your wood or poles, then use nails or wire ties to hold them together.

Once you have your frame, you can make your base with poles or sticks by adding two of them to the back of your frame to prop it up. Now that your frame and base are done, you can fit the chicken wire over the top of your frame. You will need to use zip or wire tires to hold it in place. And, you're done!

5. Tent Cucumber Trellis

Tent cucumber trellises are fun to build, look nice anywhere you put them, and can be used for a number of different things.

They can really be made from any materials you have laying around, such as large sticks, tool handles, bamboo sticks, or lumber -- anything that is strong, durable, and can pierce the ground.

Once you have made your trellis base, you can use rope or twine to tie the tops of the sticks/poles together to create your tent. The more poles you use, the more support your trellis will have as the cucumbers climb.

6. Repurposed Garden Tool Cucumber Trellis

If you have old, broken, or rusty garden tools lying around, then you have nearly all the materials you need to build a unique-looking repurposed garden tool trellis in your yard. Shovels, rakes, hoes, and spades work great for this.

Start by taking three or four old garden tools, three boards or sticks for braces, and either nails or zip ties. Put your repurposed tools directly into the ground with the handles pushed into the soil. Nail or tie your support boards to the backside of your tools.

If you want a little extra protection from animals, you can put chicken wire around the bottom of this trellis, which will protect your cucumbers and give them more space to grow.

There You Have It

Well, there you have it, six wonderful and easy DIY cucumber trellis ideas. If you are looking for something simple or long-lasting and durable, there is certain to be an idea for you here. All you need is a little time and a few supplies.