Melons on trellis?

[Greenthumb18]

Every year I seem to fail at growing melons. I can never get any to harvest, the plants just get fungus and other diseases and die without producing any melons. I did some research and they suggest to try growing melons on a trellis. They say the melon plants get less problems with diseases, since their not so close to the soil and the sun is able to keep the leaves dry. I'm going to try this next season instead of always letting them sprawl across the garden, wasting all that space without any harvest, I could grow something else there. Maybe I'll have a greater chance of actually harvesting some melons next season.

:/ Has anyone ever tried growing melons this way?

How about growing the melons on the same trellis with some cucumbers?, or will that affect the pollination.

Thanks!

 

[hoodat]

Remember if you grow melons or Winter squash on a trellis you have to make preperations for some sort of hammock to support the weight. Your melons will pull the vine down or break off at the stem if their weight is not supported.

 

[Collector]

That sounds like it would save alot of space, which would be perfect for a small garden like mine.

 

[lesa]

I think cukes and melons on the same trellis is probably pushing it. You do want a lot of air circulation, to avoid powdery mildew, etc. You can make the sling that hoodat mentions, with pantyhose. I have grown very large pumpkins on my fence, without the sling method- but I expect the stems are stronger on pumpkins...Make sure you are choosing an early variety too. That can make all the difference.

 

[wifezilla]

If you don't want to worry about melon "bras", just grow little melons. Collective Farm Woman, rich sweetness 132, golden sweet, etc...

 

[Greenthumb18]

Thanks guys for all the replies!!

Yeah lesa, I was thinking the same thing maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to have the melons with the cukes. Then if the cukes get powdery mildew or something else they'll give it to the melons. I may have the melons on a trellis with some pole green beans, that should be fine, right?
And yes I'll support the weight of the melons with pantyhose or onion mesh bags they have at the grocery stores. I've seen small varieties of melons that probably wouldn't weigh so much.
Do you guys think I could grow watermelons on a trellis?, I bet though they'll need a pretty strong support. I wonder if it could be done....

 

[wifezilla]

Are you going to make your trellis out of 2" steel pipe?

 

[Ariel301]

I got a book from a garage sale on 'square foot gardening'...it's the official, 'as seen on tv' one. It claims that melons of any kind can be grown on a vertical trellis without supporting the fruits, the guy says in there that even watermelons will do fine, they just grow a thicker stem. I've never tried it yet...going to this year, though. I'll just watch and see if they seem to be wanting support, and give them some if they need it.

Hahaha....melon bras...

 

[vfem]

I do my melons on a trellis... if I can find pictures I'll show ya. I use panty hose (knee highs) to put them melon in when its small and then tie that to the trellis. As the melon grows, the knee highs expand and have give for the melons. It worked with my smaller watermelon the first year, didn't bother last year as I had more room.

This year I will do it with my pumpkins, cantaloupe and honey dews. Its a real space saver... and they get better air flow so less diseases caused by moisture. Though I noticed more bugs... but that could have been other factors.

 

[RustyDHart]

I've used the "Pantyhose" method with my cabbages as well....cabbage worms won't chew thru the nylons....nicer looking heads without using pesticides....and the heads expand and grow in the nylons.