[paul.fr]

if i got some metal tubing, and manufatured it in to a corkscrew shape. Then plant a cucumber at the bottom, would the cocumber grow all curly and corkscrew shaped? why, why not

[kdlynn]

i think it might just kill the plant

[dentstudent]

Paul, I've only just seen this thread on the random thread thingy....

It is perfectly possible to alter the shape of plants as they grow. The most commonly seen are the bonsai trees, where wire frameworks are used to keep the branches in their new position. Fruit trees and many others are trained, espaliers for example, to provide the most fruit for the smallest volume of crown. Topiary also features, and it can takes decades to create the required shape. The fruiting bodies can also be trained. 2 examples I have seen are for pumpkins and watermelons, both of which were square. You should try this for Halloween! The problem you would have in your metal tube would be the sunlight required by the fruit to ripen. You would end up with "blanched" (very white) fruit and they would tend to be bitter. This is already used in the growth of white asparagus and chickory. The containers used with the pumpkins were a strong prespex, which might be difficult to mould into a corkscrew. And how would you get it out again?

[another_someone]

The containers used with the pumpkins were a strong prespex, which might be difficult to mould into a corkscrew. And how would you get it out again?

For creating shapes with clear edges (e.g. cubes), then I can understand that perspex might be the material of choice, but for a more rounded form (e.g. a tubular helical shape) could you not use a thick polypropylene tube wrapped helically around a rigid perspex core (the cucumber growing in the polypropylene tube)?