Growing cucumber vertically is a great way to save some space in your vegetable garden and maximise yields. It also has the added benefit of providing some extra protection to your plants against pests and pathogens by promoting airflow in the foliage and promoting quicker drying of leaves after rain.

In order to grow cucumbers vertically you should select a vining variety (not bushing) as these will climb poles or trellises by sending out tendrils. These plants can be coaxed to grow almost completely vertically,, the ultimate space saver! You can do this with a simple teepee design allowing 5-6 ft of support. Whatever support you opt for, make sure that you don’t leave too much space between individual posts or bars to give the plants the maximum chance of climbing successfully.