Slings for cantaloupes?

MrRandy on 6/9/2010, 7:56 pm

Mel's book says to make slings for cantaloupes going up the trellis. Are they too heavy for vertical climbing without help? and what do I use to make slings for them?.My trellis is just like the book and the seeds just sprouted but would really like some advice on the slings before they start climbing.. Slings for cantaloupes? Icon_lol

Thanks.

extremesoccermom on 6/9/2010, 7:58 pm

We use old pantyhose or tee shirts we have cut up.

MrRandy on 6/9/2010, 8:19 pm

@extremesoccermom wrote:We use old pantyhose or tee shirts we have cut up.

Thanks so much..

Chopper on 6/9/2010, 11:44 pm

I asked this earlier in the season and someone gave me the tensile strength of nylon net and I ceased worrying about it.

HouseofWool on 6/9/2010, 11:59 pm

If you use pantyhose, how do you secure it to the trellis?

MrRandy on 6/10/2010, 12:01 am

@Chopper wrote:I asked this earlier in the season and someone gave me the tensile strength of nylon net and I ceased worrying about it.

Hey Chopper,
That's good to hear. when I put up the trellis. I hung an 8 pound sledge in the netting.. So I assumed the reason for the sling was that the vine won't hold the fruit off the ground.. If the vine is okay with the weight I know the trellis is !

nancy on 6/10/2010, 9:22 am

HouseofWool - I put a square cage around my watermelons. I plan to make slings out of old nylons for the fruit & tie it to alternating sides of the cage. That is if my plants ever get tall enough. Slings for cantaloupes? Icon_smile

extremesoccermom on 6/10/2010, 9:32 am

@HouseofWool wrote:If you use pantyhose, how do you secure it to the trellis?

I put the little cantaloupe in to the foot or tied and cut off leg. Leave room for growth and tie it to the nylon netting.
T shirts are more like a sling with one side tied to one vertical string of the netting and the other side tied to another string with the melon cradled in the center. I don't think I have any pictures from previous years but I will make sure to take one later this year.

LaFee on 6/10/2010, 9:52 am

It's my understanding that the sling is needed because the vine itself has a hard time fighting gravity once the fruit begins to get to a good size, especially as the fruit gets *almost* ripe, but isn't quite there yet.

Little Thumb on 6/10/2010, 10:34 am

Hey, maybe boffer has some pictures to share, he seems to have all kinds of pictures. Hey Boffer, where are you? Got any pictures of melons in slings?

boffer on 6/10/2010, 10:42 am

Gotta wait for Chocolatepop. She has support pantyhose pics. I checked her gallery but nothing there.

Little Thumb on 6/10/2010, 10:44 am

Thanks Boffer!

Bart on 7/13/2016, 1:47 pm

How do I tell when it's time to put the cantaloupe in a sling?

Thanks
Bart

**sanderson** on 7/13/2016, 2:01 pm

Hi Bart, This thread is from 2010. You can set the date to show the year by going into your profile to change the setting.

Cantaloupe do not necessarily need slings. Water melons, probably, but cantaloupe vines and tendrils are strong. There is another thread about this subject. I'll try to find it and edit this reply.

Couldn't find the thread I was thinking of, but here is a photo of my cantaloupes last summer:

johnmcc on 7/13/2016, 3:29 pm

I decided this year I'm going to grow black diamond watermelons on a trellis. I'm wondering if the melons really need to be supported? The vines attached to the melons are pretty tough so I don't see how they can break.

When I pulled my watermelon plants at the end of the last season I was amazed at the strength of the vines. Even the smallest of vines were impossible to break.

Has anyone tried growing trellised watermelons without supporting them?

yolos on 7/13/2016, 4:16 pm

I did. It worked just fine with a small icebox watermellon - Sugar Baby.

johnmcc on 7/13/2016, 8:57 pm

@yolos wrote:I did. It worked just fine with a small icebox watermellon - Sugar Baby.

That's what I am thinking about doing. Im growing a larger size melon but I think it will be fine.

**sanderson** on 7/14/2016, 2:04 am

I just read that black diamonds can reach 50#. ??

MrBooker on 7/14/2016, 6:05 am

I haven't done this in many years but I used to grow cantaloupe and sugar baby watermelons on a trellis. I would shred a few bales of straw on the ground below the melons. When they were ripe enough, they would fall from the vine into the straw undamaged. Sort of "picked themselves".

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Slings for cantaloupes?

Slings for cantaloupes?

Re: Slings for cantaloupes?

Great idea!!

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Nice to hear

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Supporting trellised watermelons?

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Looks good

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Re: Slings for cantaloupes?


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