- Zone
- 7b/8a
I'm looking into a new project for the 2026 season, and I wanted to see if anyone here has tried it. I'm planning on building a large trellis, using 16-foot cattle panels, to create a "tunnel" or archway.
The Goal:
I want to plant cucumbers on both sides of the arch and let the cucumber vines climb over the top. The idea is that the actual cucumbers will hang down through the mesh of the wire, allowing me to just walk underneath and pick the veggies at eye level.
Why I think this might be a game-changer:
The Plan:
I'm going to use four t-posts to anchor the corners of each cattle panel into the ground to prevent our 50-mph wind gusts from relocating my cucumbers into the neighbors hard. I'm hoping I can bend the 16-foot cattle panels to make approximately a 7-foot tall arch.
Has anyone done this?
Do the vines actually find their way up naturally, or do I need to train them? Also, for those in windy areas (like here in north Texas), did yours stay standing during storms, or should I double-up on the t-posts?
I'd love to see photos if you've built one of these before!
The Goal:
I want to plant cucumbers on both sides of the arch and let the cucumber vines climb over the top. The idea is that the actual cucumbers will hang down through the mesh of the wire, allowing me to just walk underneath and pick the veggies at eye level.
Why I think this might be a game-changer:
- The "Back-Saver" Factor: This is the biggest one for me. Harvesting cucumbers is back-breaking work. Hopefully with this, there will be no more crouching, kneeling, or bending over for an hour to find cucumbers. I'm looking forward to being able to walk through the tunnel with a basket and harvest everything at chest-height. My lower back is thanking me already!
- The Texas "Shade-Maker": I've read that there is a possibility that the canopy can get so thick that it creates a shaded "micro-climate" underneath. I'm hoping I can plant some heat-sensitive things like lettuce and spinach under the arch to keep them from bolting as soon as June rolls around.
- Saving Space: Instead of several 4-foot wide rows of cucumbers, the "footprint" is only about 12 inches on each side.
- No More Hide-and-Seek: I always hate finding a yellow blimp cucumber that I missed because it was hidden under the foliage on the ground.
- Straight Fruit: Hanging cucumbers, from what I've read, will grow straighter and cleaner.
The Plan:
I'm going to use four t-posts to anchor the corners of each cattle panel into the ground to prevent our 50-mph wind gusts from relocating my cucumbers into the neighbors hard. I'm hoping I can bend the 16-foot cattle panels to make approximately a 7-foot tall arch.
Has anyone done this?
Do the vines actually find their way up naturally, or do I need to train them? Also, for those in windy areas (like here in north Texas), did yours stay standing during storms, or should I double-up on the t-posts?
I'd love to see photos if you've built one of these before!
