It'll be support but the wind will still shred the leaves. I direct-sow mine and I did about a week ago, last frost was (hopefully) last Saturday and one is coming up. I used a little cloche over the seed to protect from any frost. Not sure I care for the potting soil idea, esp. if it has perlite, as the stuff gets all over.

Dan

I'll start mine in a week or so, indoors, using 2x2x2 inch seedling pots. I use heating mats, so they sprout in a couple-three days, and then I let them go for 2 or 3 weeks, until the first true leaf is well formed, and the next one is on it's way as well. Contrary to popular folk lore, they transplant very easily. I either run them up a trellis, or leave them run along the ground - it's more a question of available trellis space.

Here, my soil won't really warm up until mid-June, and there isn't much use in planting any warm weather stuff out before that - It just won't grow.

If I'm not mistaken, the Wyoming wind will also start to slow down a bit in June.

I've planted cucumber seeds on the 4th of July and still got a good crop, btw.

Hi Babysteps,
Welcome! I lived in Cheyenne for 4 years - I'd recommend really getting to know your land before you set up your vegetable garden. Figure out where the wind and the sun come from and then set about planting. Like david52 said, it takes a while for the soil to warm up so you have some time to plan. I haven't heard of anyone planting them in bags of potting soil before, so i can't really offer opinions on that. Good luck with them! I'd love to see what your trellis arrangements end up being.

Babysteps,

Since dryad suggested that you have some time to plan, you might try to split open a bag of soil and see how long it takes for it to dry out in your windy area. Yes, the winds will slow a bit into June, however, once there is a very thirsty plant growing and sucking all the moisture out of it, you might find it difficult to keep the soil moist enough to get good cukes. I use self-watering containers that have a 4-gallon water reservoir and have to fill them up daily when the vines really get going--they really do dry out that fast, and mine are semi-sheltered from the drying winds.

Let us know what you end up doing with the trellis--I'm curious how that might affect setting fruit in the "stiff breezes" of Wyoming. Of course, it's been so windy here lately that I have taken to scolding (loving joke) my husband because he knows "I don't WANT to live in Wyoming!" I usually end up staking my cucumbers DOWN so that the vines don't get whipped around, but I have always had the room to do this... seems like less wind closer to ground-level, but that may just be wishful thinking!

May,

Good idea. I like all your suggestions. Could you describer your container a bit.? DH has a couple of raised beds build and will built more, but I'm open to all options!

Cucumbers are important to our family, because it is one vegetable/fruit that my dd12 will eat. She practically lives on them in the summer. It's a great snack.

There is an entire container gardening forum, and there are a few of us here who make Self-Watering Containers (SWCs). I make mine out of numerous things, but 2 Rubbermaid containers now on sale, plus a few parts you can make an 18-gal SWC for ~ 12.00 and grow all the cukes you want. Mine this year are for tomatoes and peppers.

Dan

As soon as my seedlings awaken, I set a fan on them if I can't take them outside. I try to get them used to the wind, develop resistance early. Mine tend to stand as strong as young saplings, but still need the backup of a support post. But they don't faint dead away from the wind and the leaves tend to be pretty sturdy. Just don't let them get leggy in the beginning. The wind will literally eat theose.

The other things I use are hotkaps, wall o water cloches, raised-bed culture. Although none of these brings me the Texas climate I used to have, it gets me a lot closer.