Garden Space?

[Mike Belt]

Has anyone ever planted running plants like squash, cucumbers, watermelons, etc. and used some type of vertical fencing, etc. for them to climb on instead of covering ground in your garden? I was thinking with something like melons you might could put in a post with a platform on top and rest the fruit on it.

 

[WTM]

yep a couple of steel posts and some 4ft high fencing from the co op. you can either do them vertically or at a 60 deg angle. if doing heavy stuff like melons or big squash you can sling them with old wrags or t shirts. i usd to do this whn i had a 20x20 semi raised bed. works good.

since i have a bigger garden now i just plant my cukes 6 ft from the corn and let them run the corn stalks. doesnt seem to hurt the corn. you can also plant runner beans between corn rows to utilize even more spac and the N the beans add to the soil helps the corn.

 

[MickThompson]

I have cucumbers on a trellis this year. I had to prop up the vines at first but they are taking to it just fine now. It's a great space saver. I proabably wouldn't grow them otherwise. I put some butternut squash on the other end, but they have been pretty content to just run along the ground. I am fine with that as long as I can keep them out of my green beans.

 

[DaveB]

The trick for melons is panty hose. pull the hose up until the formed cantaloupe is a bit below crotch. Tie it off below so it doesn't have room to move and hang it securely.

I tried it in California along with a trellis. The process works and works well. It just looks simply awful.