January 9, 2016

Cucumber Trellises for the Farm

As you all know, I am a very serious gardener, and am always interested in learning new ways to improve the productivity of the gardens at my farm. During one of my trips to Maine last year, while visiting the Rockefeller Gardens, I saw some beautiful trellises made specifically for the cucumber crops. They were stand-alone frames, with one side slanted to a 45-degree angle, covered with wire fencing. Their purpose was to allow the cucumber vines to grow on the diagonal side and the cucumbers to hang down through the holes of the fence for easy harvesting.

The trellises inspired me to have some made for my vegetable greenhouse in Bedford. I sent photos to my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, and he and my outdoor grounds crew foreman, Chhiring Sherpa, designed their own version of the cucumber trellis based on those images. Two trellises were completed this week, and they look terrific. I am so excited to see how our cucumbers grow on them.

These photos show how the trellises were made - I hope you find them inspirational too. Enjoy.

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