Strange that your cukes won't climb the trellis. Mine usually need a little help at first but then they usually climb on their own but there are always a vine or 2 that need to be reminded once in awhile.

You can grow muskmelon and maybe some of the icebox watermelons on a trellis but you will need to provide slings for the fruit before they start to size up. Some types of smaller vining squash would probably work but I can't recommend any as I only grow summer squash.

I too am surprised about the cukes as they are probably the second most common climbing vegetables after pole beans. Those suckers will climb just about anything if they have direct access to it. What is your trellis made out of? That may be part of the problem.

Otherwise, peas, melons, squash, grapes, even tomatoes but they will need some tying.

Dave

They are metal cattle panels. The cukes did better than the melon, but still needed some help, AND, as opposed to beans, I think we're just as happy if not happier to bypass growing up and instead growing along ground.

was curious about varieties that wanted to grow up, and you didn't have to tie or train

You mention a "low slope". Were the cukes planted right up next to the trellis or not? If not then that is part of the problem as those first strong tendrils are what get it started up the trellis

On my cattle panel trellises, given the wide spacing, I also tie strings between the wires. Sometimes the tendrils will prefer to grab the string since it isn't as hot as the wire gets..

My current personal favorite climbing cukes are Sweet Success and Straight Eight.

Dave

My cukes grow well on hemp strings. I just have to wind them now and again. I grow the variety Baby Fingers.

I'm trying Bush Limas this year as my Christmas Lima pole beans were nice, but not overly productive in our short season.

Linda

Seems like you want a maintenance free garden between this post and the other post regarding growing tomatoes in the same spot. IMO a maintenance free garden is unattainable, a few minutes a couple times a week to tie up some vines or fruit is not much for a plant to ask.

I had an extra trellis this year and am trying Zucchino Rampicante (or Tromboncino squash), which is supposed to be a vigorous climber with large zucchini. They've grabbed on and started climbing, no zukes yet, but it's still early for that here. Or you could try some yard long beans - they have a completely different taste than "normal" green beans and are also crazy climbers.

I do agree with everyone else that cucumbers should easily climb cattle panel - but I have noticed that some varieties climb much better than others. You might try experimenting with some different types if you're still into trying cukes.

I am into minimizing maintenance, yes. For me, it is part of the challenge, and needed due to my time constraints. I'd imagine I'm not the only one. The cukes were right next to it, and did climb up, but maybe I'll try some different varieties. The long beans and climbing squash are great suggestions too. Thanks!

I recommend tromboncino, for taste and productivity and of course resistance to SVB. And it will climb for sure, easily 15 feet vines.

In this position, I'd probably trial several different cucumber varieties, to find the best lower-maintenance candidates for a future year. If some of them just lie there on the ground, they fail the trial and you know for next time.

Any interest in dry beans?

Wider spacing of your pole beans and less water use? (Only really useful if you live in a place where water is scarce.)

Nasturtiums, just because they're pretty?

Yak! Nasturtiums in a vege garden??????? NOT here in CA! I rip them out like weeds! Same with morning glories! I do have both in other areas of the yard. Far far away from the vege garden! Nancy

Dave, I was wondering.....you mentioned peas. I know we aren't really in the season for them, but how many plants would you want for a household of 2? I never see them in the grocery store anymore and have just recently started seeing them at farmers markets.

I fondly recall my mom sending us out to the back porch to split and shuck (if that's the right word) peas.

Normally as the summer season shuts down, I kinda loose interest in the garden, but now that I'm retired, I can do a couple of beds. I would be interested in freezing some too. Nancy

nancyjane_gardener, what do the nasturtiums do wrong in your garden? I used to garden in a small community garden plot in California, and they were always very mild-mannered for me. Morning glories, yes, those are the Walking Dead of the garden. And Four O'Clocks covered the ground with seeds, AND went perennial with the mild winters. But I would have liked the nasturtiums to be a little bit more aggressive.

I grow all of my vines just like I do tomatoes - up a string. If you have a cross beam, tie a string, loosely, (jute twine is what I use) to the plant first then up to the cross beam. Then maybe once a day, every other day, or once a week, (I do it when I can remember) twist or wind the plant stem around the string.

Yes, believe it or not that will hold it. ALL vines need some encouragement to go (grow) where you want them to. For some this is not a problem.

They will grow towards the sunlight.

IF the vine reaches the crossbeam you can let it go down the other side or the same side.