Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

So we have this excellent tomato stringing thread (and probably some others too).
Anyone know if we have a thread on expert cucumber stringing techniques?
If so can someone point me to it, and if not...please share your technique. Especially if you have large scale experience that's not in open field dirt farming.

I'll share how I have mine strung up at the moment, which is working ok but becomes a bit of a mess at times.
It's a piece of plastic mesh cable-tied to the horizontal gal tube that is suspended from the roof of the GH. Before I put the mesh in place the cuke plants were growing is a jungle on the surface of the GB so I initially had to tie them to the mesh until they gripped on.

One of the frustrations I have with this arrangement is that it creates a wall I cannot reach through so have to reach around from either end. I think a single string per plant might be better, like the tomato stringing method.

Here's a link I found that describes training cukes in a greenhouse - http://www.commercial-hydroponic-farming.com/pruning-cucumbers-greenhouses/

This is another link - http://mr-tomato-king.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

There is a bit here - http://geekgardener.in/2011/12/08/hydroponic-cucumber-production-in-greenhouse-part-ii/

I think a trailing variety is needed and if it's in a greenhouse look for a parthenocarpic cucumber variety.

Bonus section -

Here is a method for Peppers - http://www.commercial-hydroponic-farming.com/trellising-hydroponically-grown-peppers/

You should also be able to train them using the plastic clips and roller hooks like Ryan uses for tomatoes.

Yeah good point scotty. I just watched the Youtube vid that Ryan gave a link to in his post of 24 Sep.
Here's the link to the vid, by one of Ryan's students. It shows Ryan's technique with the plastic clips and roller hooks at 2.00 - 2.14 mins and 3.06 - 3.36 mins.
And here's a couple of screen captures from the vid:


As always, credit and thanks to Ryan

oh wow, I'll check out those links. Thanks scotty

Not on topic but thats enviable isn't it

Hi dasboot,
Sorry mate, you lost me. What's not on topic?
Did I mistake those plants in the vid (at 2.00 - 2.14 mins and 3.06 - 3.36 mins) that Ryan has strung on a single line each?
I thought they were cucumbers.
thanks, T

Sweet! an update from Ryan
Check out the pics in his latest posts which have really clear shots of how he uses what looks like the same string and spool/bobbin for the cukes as for the toms. Also shows his amazing produce of course
latest cukes by Ryan

Tallman i found this in a Hydro book on stringing cucumbers.

1.Remove all cucumbers until the plant is 2.5 3 feet tall,dont get impatient or greedy here.
2.Dont remove more than 3 leaves at a time.
3.Dont remove leaves above the lowest fruit.
4.Leave fruits in only half to two thirds of the nodes depending on plant health for european varieties
5.Leave one friut per node on pickles and minis.Productive Mini varieties will kill themselves with over production,if you dont remove fruit,unless you have time for one burst.
6.Cucumbers can be lowered,but the season is still shorter than tomatoes.
7.Make sure your fertilizer levels are plenty high.

Dont know how much information this is....

Thanks for that DB.
The distinction between euro's and mini's is interesting. And the limit of removing three leaves.
Cheers, T

T,the book is on my ipad but i did a quick search and found the link.
https://uaf.edu/files/ces/sare/conferen ... m-COOK.pdf

Excellent little resource that. Always helps when there's lots of pictures.
Thanks DB