Regional Evaluation of Cucumber High Tunnel Trellising Systems

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: cucurbits

Practices

• Crop Production: high tunnels or hoop houses
• Pest Management: integrated pest management, physical control

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of common trellising techniques used in small-scale, sustainable high tunnel cucumber production. Downy mildew (Peronospora sparsa) and powdery mildew (Ascomycotaphylum) are the primary diseases affecting cucumber production, with limited organic control options available (McGrath, 2013). High tunnels can be used to mitigate some disease pressure by reducing leaf wetness, while simultaneously extending the growing season. Trellising is essential for successful cucumber production in high tunnels. However, there is very little research on which trellising types are better at controlling diseases in the Southeast. 

While trellising in high tunnel cucumber production was widely accepted as a best management practice, research had not yet quantified the benefits of different techniques on southeastern farms. This study utilized two trellising methods—drop line and netting—on six cucumber varieties representing common market types (pickling, slicer, and European) in a randomized complete split-plot block design.

Research was conducted at five sites: the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s (CFSA) Elma C. Lomax Research and Education Center in Concord, North Carolina, and four commercial farms located across the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plains of North and South Carolina.

An economic analysis was conducted for each trellising system, evaluating labor inputs and system implementation costs in relation to crop revenue. This analysis helped identify the profitability of each trellising method and cucumber variety.

Field days were held annually at the Lomax Research Farm to provide training and demonstrations on high tunnel management, cucumber production, trellising techniques, and soil health in high tunnels. Additionally, three participating farms hosted a field day to demonstrate the effectiveness of trellising in sustainable farming systems.

Research results were disseminated at CFSA’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference in 2023 and 2024, through CFSA’s electronic newsletter, and on the organization’s website. In the final year of the project, a High Tunnel Cucumber Production Guide was developed and published online.

This project generated quantitative data to support organic and sustainable vegetable growers in the Southeast with decision-making regarding high tunnel management, trellising systems, and cucumber variety selection, considering cost of implementation, labor requirements, disease management, marketable yield, and projected market value.

1. Evaluate the performance of two common high tunnel cucumber trellising systems (drop line and  netting) on six cucumber varieties on one research station and five farms.

• 1.1 Utilize six cucumber varieties grown in a high tunnel on two commonly used trellising systems at one research station in the Southeast region.  Each cucumber variety will represent a specific type of cucumber.
• 1.2 Conduct small-scale trials at farms located in North and South Carolina using specific combinations of established trellis systems and chosen varieties to assess their performance across the region.

2. Conduct an economic analysis of each trellising system to provide growers with the information they need to determine which trellising technique is best suited for their operation.

• 2.1 Determine the best trellising system for each variety of cucumber to determine the most appropriate use within high tunnels throughout the Southeast.  
• 2.2 Assess the performance of all cucumber varieties and the suitability of each to be grown in high tunnels in the southeast region.
• 2.3 Conduct an economic analysis of inputs, labor, and yield data to better inform farmers in the Southeast when making trellising and varietal decisions for cucumber production in high tunnels.

3. Disseminate research results and provide technical information to farmers on high tunnel cucumber production and trellising systems best suited for different variety types grown in different regions of North and South Carolina in different types of high tunnels.

• 3.1 Conduct Field Days at Lomax Farm in project years two and three and at each cooperating farm once during the project period to demonstrate trellising systems and provide training on high tunnel management, variety selection, and vegetable crop production (105 attendees).
• 3.2 Create and publish Seasonal High Tunnel Production: Organic Cucumber Guide via CFSA’s website. This guide will include best management practices on high tunnel production of organic cucumbers, an economic evaluation of different trellising systems, and research results from this project.  
• 3.3 Submit article(s) to peer-reviewed, open access journals.
• 3.4 Present research results at CFSA’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference during project years two and three (30 participants). 
• 3.5 Conduct 15 one-on-one consultations with area North and South Carolina farmers on integrating trellising techniques and maximizing high tunnel production (15 participants).
• 3.6 Conduct two high tunnel workshops to deliver study information in regions not reached via study location field days (30 participants).  Participate in two non-CFSA events or conferences to deliver study information (30 participants).
• 3.7 Conduct monthly regional high tunnel meetings, in-person or virtual, for all project years. (360 participants).