The new garden bed, measuring 4’x8′ has run out of room. As I thought would happen, the melon vines have monopolized the existing space in the garden, leaving nowhere to go but UP. With a little bit of expediency this weekend, I fashioned a homemade trellis using 2×3’s and nylon cord. Luckily, I planted right and put the melons on the south side of the bed. By trellising the melon vines on the south side of the bed, I won’t be blocking any sunlight from the rest of the veggie plants.
The materials used consisted of two eight-foot sections of 2″x3″ boards, each cut into halves. I staked the four four-foot sections into the ground a couple of inches, then screwed each into the side of the garden bed and, for good measure, reinforced each attached board with two galvanized steel braces. I drilled a hole every eight inches or so up each four-foot section and ran nylon cord through each hole and pulled the cord taught before tying it off.
After the trellis was installed, I carefully tied the cantaloupe vines to the cords to begin training the vines up and through the trellis. The watermelon (planted last) isn’t quite long enough to start training, but I attached cords to the vines to begin pulling them towards the trellis. I imagine that within a week it will be creeping up through the cords alongside the cantaloupe.
I have lots of flowers so far and the bees have been very interested, so hopefully soon I’ll start seeing the first of the melons!
Looking West
Looking East
Looking South
The southeast corner of the veggie bed
Cantaloupe tied to trellis
Now hopefully we'll get some melons!
A Round Rock Garden 
Comments on: "Trellising the Melons" (10)
LOVE your blog!! Just found it through Blotanical, so happy to have come across it in time for veggie season =)
I appreciate you visiting, Julia. Blotanical is great for meeting gardeners from all over the world. I don’t get on there enough!
Oh, I love all the pictures of your trellis. We (ok my husband) square foot garden and have always struggled a bit with the trellising ideas. In Wisconsin where I am it’s still at least a couple of months away before we’ll need a trellis, but I know my husband will love pondering the idea for our boxes until then.
This was a simple and inexpensive solution for us. The supplies cost less than $20. If you’re doing square foot gardening, then you’re already well-versed in getting the most out of every square inch of planting space. It only makes sense to go vertical if you have plants that can grow that way. Hopefully this works out for us. So, check back later for updates! By the way, you’re already on my blogroll – I love the political flavor of many of your posts!
I don’t know what the problem is. It looks like you have PLENTY of room for a second 4×8 bed ; )
I do! And a second bed might be in the works for the fall garden. ; ) The grass doesn’t like growing anyway!
My landlady (we rent the house) has been pretty accommodating for whatever we want to do in the yard, so I’m sure she won’t mind if I expand … yet again! If anything, I may just have to resod later, but that’s not too expensive for such a little plot.
garden is looking good!
Thanks, Teresa! HEY, I didn’t know you had a bulldog! My parents have been breeders/judges of English bulldogs for most of my life. We always had about twenty dogs and litters of puppies while I was growing up!
Hey, I work with a woman who breeds/shows Bulldogs. She just organized a show a few months back. Small world.
[…] Trellising the Melons | A Round Rock Garden – Apr 25, 2011 · I do! And a second bed might be in the works for the fall garden. ; ) The grass doesn’t like growing anyway! My landlady (we rent the house) has been …… […]