How to Grow a Cucumber on a Teepee Trellis

Prepare your garden bed at least two weeks before planting by mixing compost into the soil. Mix thoroughly to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. For earlier yields, cover the planting bed in black plastic. Pull it tight and secure it with metal or plastic stakes. Black plastic mulch conserves water, controls weeds and warms the soil.

Plant seeds in the spring when all danger of frost has passed. Plant them 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep and thin to one, strong seedling every 12 inches. If you used black plastic, just cut slits in the plastic prior to planting. Plant the seeds next to a vertical wire or piece of twine in your trellis so you won't have to bend the vine to reach this support.

Tie the vines to the trellis with twine as soon as they are long enough to reach it. At this point, dig a trench next to your plants and apply nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound per 100 feet of row. Continue to tie the vines to the trellis as they grow.

Irrigate deeply once a week. One inch of water per vine per week is best. Cucumbers are shallow-rooted, and adequate moisture is critical for fruit development.

Harvest regularly, before your cucumbers turn yellow. They are best picked when immature, but the size depends on the variety. According to the University of Illinois, pickling varieties should be no more than 2 inches; no more than 4 to 6 inches for dill pickles, and no more than 6 to 8 inches for slicing varieties.