Watermelons and trellis

Simso 12/31/2021, 10:33 pm

So, being new to square foot gardening and never really needing to use a trellis for melons etc, this is all new to me the raised garden beds and growing up rather than out.

I have 4ft of trellis above my raised bed which sits 2.5 ft high to start with

Here is my watermelon example, do I let the vines grow up and then just hang down the sides or should i put something around the base as well so the vines can cling to them

Do we pinch off the ends to limit the growth?

Simso 12/31/2021, 10:41 pm

Another view

**Scorpio Rising** 1/1/2022, 10:34 am

Hi Simso! I have never grown watermelons up a trellis, but have done about every other type and they do very well. You have a great set-up! I have never pinched them off either—what did you do before? You might need to add support as the melons get large, a lot of people use pantyhose as a hammock, tied to the trellis. Keep us posted, we will see what others have done!

Simso 1/2/2022, 6:06 am

Before sfg, would let them sprawl over the ground in the garden beds.

Got another 3 sfg beds I wish to install over the next few months, so should be a super nice grow area.

Never had so many flowers on one plant before, there is at least a dozen female flowers already on this watermelon

**Scorpio Rising** 1/2/2022, 3:23 pm

Simso wrote:Before sfg, would let them sprawl over the ground in the garden beds.

Got another 3 sfg beds I wish to install over the next few months, so should be a super nice grow area.

Never had so many flowers on one plant before, there is at least a dozen female flowers already on this watermelon

Yay! Then I wouldn’t pinch. I don’t. It’s the compost that makes the plants so productive! Excited to hear and see what you do!

Simso 1/8/2022, 10:16 pm

Put a nappy on one of them this morning, made it from some bird netting, will see how it fairs

**Scorpio Rising** 1/8/2022, 11:22 pm

I like it!

**sanderson** 1/10/2022, 4:30 pm

Late getting back to this thread.

Nappies shouldn't be necessary for small watermelon varieties. The vine and tendrils should strengthen all on their own. I'm shocked that you have a melon that big so soon. Shocked

Regarding pinching, I tried pinching off 3 leaves past the fruit. As a punishment to me, the plant grew new laterals. Razz

**Scorpio Rising** 1/11/2022, 9:11 am

What kind of corn are you growing in that container, simso?

Simso 1/11/2022, 9:32 am

Just a standard sweet corn, I planted 10 to the container, container is 2.2 sq feet

**Scorpio Rising** 1/11/2022, 1:13 pm

I’m going to try that! I love sweet corn.

**donnainzone5** 1/11/2022, 6:53 pm

Simso,

What type or brand of trellis are you using for your watermelons? I haven't seen one remotely like it.

Simso 1/11/2022, 7:32 pm

The trellis is just a flat plant trainer stand from local hardware store (brand is whites), i stacked two of them into a t shape, to provide support to each other

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