Do I Need to Stake Bush Cucumbers?

Bush Cultivars

• Bush cucumber varieties have been developed over the years to make growing cucumbers in small gardens an easier process. As their name suggests, bush cucumber varieties have a more upright, robust growth habit than traditional cucumber vines. Bush cucumbers tend to produce smaller fruits than normal cucumber vines, but several varieties, such as Salad Bush and Spacemaster, are known for producing crisp, flavorful slicing cucumbers ideal for salads.

Site Preparation

• Bush cucumber varieties have the same environmental requirements as other cucumbers. They require moist, well-drained soils in full sunlight. Mix in organic compost to the parent soil of the planting location and apply a general, well-balanced garden fertilizer to the soil before planting. While bush cucumbers have an upright growth habit, you can place a garden stake in the planting location to help support the cucumber bush as it grows in your garden. Its best to install the support stake before you plant the bush cucumber to prevent damaging the roots of the plant.

Planting

• Plant bush cucumbers in your garden once the risk of frost has passed. Bush cucumbers can be planted much closer to neighboring plants than vines due to their compact size. Space bush cucumbers 3 feet away from other garden plants if using a garden stake; otherwise, provide 4 to 5 feet between other plants to allow bush cucumbers to develop healthily and unobstructed in your garden.

Training to a Stake

• Use soft twine to loosely tie bush cucumber vines to the garden stake for support. Twine is a soft material that will not damage the vines of bush cucumber plants as they shift with the weight of developing cucumbers. Tie the vines as they develop to encourage the plant to grow upward around the stake. Plants that are trained to a trellis tend to produce cucumbers that are straighter and longer than plants that are not trained, according to the University of Minnesota Extension.