[jeannie]

have some very vigorous cucumbers plants but staking is a problem(for a lot of reasons) could I let them just drape over the edge of the staging with support shaped 'crutches' from underneath as necessary. The plants are producing
fruit, flowers and tendrils.  What a beautiful plant it is, isn't it?

[Optimistic Gardener]

I don't think you have to; it's just that most people do because they can take up quite a bit of space otherwise.

OG

[jeannie]

Just the reply I hoped for - thanks.

[Headgardener22]

I don't know what your problems are with stakes, but I use string or wires and twist the plant around that. The tendrils also grab hold of the strings.

[T3DM]

I am trying 2 methods this year I have 3 plants climbing up a trelis in my greenhouse and 2 onthe ground with pumpkins

[Asherweef]

I'm hoping that they're fine just all over the garden... I'm a novice and whilst I have seen that everyone has them growing upwards - I simply don't have the facilities; the closest I can get is some string on the fence but I'm afraid that next door's side wont take a nail (they haven't looked after the fence in years by the look of it).

[3759allen]

if your training then up string or canes i would advise you just leaving one side shoot otherwise as i found you end up with a thick jungle at the bottom. with no way of accurately watering, and some of the side shoots on mine started to rot. now they're cut back they're flying a lot with no rot at all.

they seem to be happy crawling as they are climbing, imo they take up a lot more space.

from what i've heard if you use trellis or mesh you can just let them do their thing, side shoots and all. i was surprised how aggressive mine grew.

if your twisting them round string you don't need the tendrils, mine tried to grab hold of everything but the string so now i pinch them all off.

[Headgardener22]

The problem I have had in the past with letting cucumbers scramble around is slugs. If they're lifted off the ground (even if only a little) the slugs seem to leave them alone.