How to Make a Trellis Tepee With Bamboo for Cucumbers

Insert the tip of a trowel or stick in the ground over the desired planting site and extend it all around to form a 4- to 5-foot-wide circle. Ensure the spot receives full sunlight exposure. Form five equally spaced marks along the circular outline.

Measure and cut the bamboo poles down to 7 feet with a saw. Form each cut directly above a node to keep rain water from entering the hollow poles and damaging the trellis.

Position the tip of a pole over a mark along the circular outline, slightly at an angle so it leans slightly inward. Push the pole to insert its lower end 8 inches into the soil. Mound soil around the base of the pole to secure it in place and keep it from falling.

Assign a helper to grasp the pole in place while you repeat the procedure of inserting the remaining poles over the marks. Angle the poles as you insert them so their tops meet in the center of the circular outline.

Grasp the bamboo poles near the top, 12 inches from their tips, and wind a length of rope securely around them. Tuck the ends of the rope over and under the wire encircling the poles to keep it from unraveling.

Weave a series of ropes around the poles, spaced 8 to 10 inches from each other, starting from the uppermost rope joint until a few inches from the ground. Wrap each rope securely around a pole and weave it over and under the adjacent poles until you reach the same pole. Pull the rope taut to keep it from sagging under the weight of the cucumber vines during their ascent. Secure the rope to the pole and cut excess length off with scissors or a sharp knife.