Growing cantaloupes vertically-a little differently this year.

I been meaning to post this about a 3 weeks ago, i think. I was getting tired of the fight at the end of the season getting those plants off the web netting. So I tried another experiment, gleaning a technique from the  Mittlelder method , which did well. I only use some pvc, because I didn't want to invest in it, if it didn't work. 



The style I'm looking at is similar to these picture, except I going to use fence material, since I have that installed. I'get the adapter from here- tent canopy

So instead of cross-hatched trellises you would use vertical strings or twine?

I'm assuming you remove the string before composting the plant...?

Great video, Has55!  Thanks for sharing it.  Now I've got some serious thinking to do...  

I HATE cleanup.  And you're right, the web netting is a hassle for those vining things.  I spent more time than I care to admit getting stuff out of it before it got sleeted on and tore.

I used a thin rope on an emt frame set on rebar to do the same idea.  Assisted the plants with some velcro ties.  



Ropes tied to the bucket handle to make a sturdy trellis. Vines are kept suckered.  Two ropes about a foot apart per bucket would allow for double leaders per plant and still give plenty of air space.  It is easy to untie the rope from the handle and move a bucket out if one plant gets in trouble (blight) and to do the fall cleanup and bucket cleaning for fresh compost/mm.


Kay

PS
there are free standing buckets with pvc poles set in the MM in the background of this picture.
These work as well and the plants can be picked up to follow the best sun.

Kay, Can you take a couple of close ups? Are those doubled-buckets?

Has55, that was super helpful! I have not done the web netting, as I owned several metal trellisses from my traditional gardening days. But I really want to try to grow some melons next year, and some of the Canadian folks have done so, therefore I believe my season is long enough to do so successfully!

Very neat and tidy. Thanks!

Those buckets are also a great idea, Kay.

AtlantaMarie wrote:I'm assuming you remove the string before composting the plant...?

Great video, Has55!  Thanks for sharing it.  Now I've got some serious thinking to do...  

I HATE cleanup.  And you're right, the web netting is a hassle for those vining things.  I spent more time than I care to admit getting stuff out of it before it got sleeted on and tore.

Yes, I just cut the string and it over. Yea!!
The string is 140 or greater lbs and tolerated the weather quite well. I got it at tractor supply.

walshevak wrote:I used a thin rope on an emt frame set on rebar to do the same idea.  Assisted the plants with some velcro ties.  



Ropes tied to the bucket handle to make a sturdy trellis. Vines are kept suckered.  Two ropes about a foot apart per bucket would allow for double leaders per plant and still give plenty of air space.  It is easy to untie the rope from the handle and move a bucket out if one plant gets in trouble (blight) and to do the fall cleanup and bucket cleaning for fresh compost/mm.


Kay

PS
there are free standing buckets with pvc poles set in the MM in the background of this picture.
These work as well and the plants can be picked up to follow the best sun.

Kay, I love your set up. it much simpler. please add some close up. Thanks. next year I'm going to try the criss cross. I found my cantaloupes wanted to grab the next wire when close together.

My net trellises have lasted 3 summers and 2 winters so I hate to replace them at this point. However, beans, with their sticky vines, would be great on natural twine for clean up. Snip snip. I think Camprn composts the whole mess.

I forgot to add these four pictures yesterday. different ideas.

This is the best closeup I've got.  Taken June 5, 2012

It looks like 5 buckets per 10' of EMT. Is it 1/2" EMT. Are the vertical pole over rebar pounded in the dirt? Really simple but effective setup.

How tall is the emt?

sanderson wrote:It looks like 5 buckets per 10' of EMT.  Is it 1/2" EMT.  Are the vertical pole over rebar pounded in the dirt?  Really simple but effective setup.  

exactly.  made of 3 ten ft  pieces

Kay

Have you ever tied 2 pieces of string to the bucket handle, V-shape, to have 2 leaders? I am sooo considering this set up for next summer.

sanderson wrote:Have you ever tied 2 pieces of string to the bucket handle, V-shape, to have 2 leaders?  I am sooo considering this set up for next summer.

 

Me 3, looks very efficient. And gets me some additional SF, I didn't do any containers this year. Maiden voyage.

sanderson wrote:Have you ever tied 2 pieces of string to the bucket handle, V-shape, to have 2 leaders?  I am sooo considering this set up for next summer.

 

Yes, this year.  chose the best looking sucker to let it go.  snipped the rest  seemed to work fine but needed to give that bucket extra water and food. 

 Closeup was only single buckets.  The first posted picture shows double buckets connected with pipes and the blue bucket was the water source bucket.

Kay

I know it's too early for melons, but looking forward to next year. I switched to string for growing cantaloupes this year and had good success, except later I found that some of my vines fell down. This was due to not using clips. I was weaving them using their stalk. This video was helpful with identifying my error. She doesn't discussed her technique, but I was able to find my error from watching the video. 't you noticed her vines are easily managed,like my melons in a past post. 
I know this is the same person, i posted a few times. but these are some great ideas. Glean and grow.

After my successful experiment using the trellis string method on a smaller scale, I decided to do away with the rest of my netting. I going to use the string method for the tomatoes,peppers and cantaloupes . I found a different tools for growing vertically with a string. I going with this method. But I'm trying to find a empty spool to use my strong unwaxed bailing string. Since the experiment last fall , I just completed setting up 3 beds for growing vertically using a string in the SFG beds. I use wire on top attached to turnbuckles to tighten it down. see below.





I was going tied a string with a slip knot on top and attached to the wire below. Here's the  tool that the greenhouse industry uses. I'm going  to give it a try. I trying to find a smaller amount of this tool.
Rollerhook

Has, I don't remember seeing beds of cinder block?? Talk about lasting forever!

I think I mentioned it in another post, not sure, DW, said it time to raised some of the beds, " I'm tired of bending to get food or plant seeds, transplant,etc..." You get the point. I don't think I put in pictures out. I used the cinderblocks after I reading from the EPA site they were safe for use in a garden. It took me a while to find the info, when I did the research. I might have posted the link when I found it, not sure. I hope I did because it took a while to find it.
I just converted the 3 front beds to cinder blocks and reduced it from four feet to one ft within the beds, since the other beds where extended to 8ft , using the space in between that I had allotted for my cart in the past. When I started on the SFG Journey, I was locked in my imagination to only have 4 x 4 beds. This forum open up my imagination. The beds are not perfect, but My skills are limited and it takes me a longggg time to implement the idea and complete it.

I'm going to to raise them another entire block(8 inches), per DW request. When the mulched was returned to the site it raise the floor level. Even though plastic was placed on the ground to prevent contamination from weeds seedlings when the soil was removed, it was not perfect, some dirt got on the old mulched. So it needed to be recovered with mulched to prevent new weed seeds growth.

Here's closer look of the beds. This a quick side shot. The ground is wet, I'm in slipper and don't want my feet wet.

Looks real nice Has.  Bet that took a lot of work and muscle.

yolos wrote:Looks real nice Has.  Bet that took a lot of work and muscle.

uh,yes, I praise the young buck for his youth and strength.

Beautiful, and permanent.

has55 wrote:

Can someone explain what is going on in this picture? I don't understand all the strings, but if I did, I think I could use it in my setup