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Squash on a trellis?

muskymojo

muskymojo

I grew cucumbers on a trellis last year for the first time, and it worked great. The cukes were beautiful, and it saved a TON of room in the garden. Wondering if anyone grows squash on a trellis, and what kinds of squash do well on a trellis. It would be great if it works as good as cukes!

Thanks!
 
I've grown acorn squash on a trellis/fence that do well as they're not too heavy. Other winter squash does not do as well because of the weight. Cucumbers do so well on a trellis because they're vining plants and the right weight.
 
I grew cucumbers and butternut squash on a nylon trellis last year with no problems. I got the nylon from the square foot gardening foundation website for a decent price. You just need to use a strong enough material for the frame and bury it deep enough that the weight of the squash doesn't pull it over. Don't waste your time trying to trellis zucchini though... it doesn't train up.
 
I grow Kalabasa squash on a chain link fence, if that counts as a trellis! The fruits are about 6 to 8-inch diameter and weigh around 2 pounds, so if you had a sturdy trellis it would work. The fruits grow pretty spread out, but if the vines were forced to stay the size of the trellis, it might encourage more blossoms closer together. Or just plant a few extra starts at the base of the trellis and crop them all when they reach the top. The vines will go out 20-ft or more if left un-pruned.

I concur with Stickman on zucchini, acorn and crookneck--at least the varieties I grow. They don't like to go vertical.
 
Everyone has a good point, If it's vining it will have tendrils, If not it is of the bush variety. (good example is with beans, pole,ground)
The problem with summer squash is you really don't want to handle the plants stems or foliage.......especially without gloves.........OUCH!
But the plants are delicate and fragile. If you try to train them they will crack or split, big chance of encouraging summer beetles, and the possibility of transferring early blight or bacterial wilt from plant to plant. I usually plant squash in the raised beds, but last year I put a few into some 18 gal containers. That worked out pretty good, the plants sprawled over the sides and the fruit was easy to pick. My English, Armenian, and Straight 8 cukes all grow on a mesh netting, with a little help with some occasional training.........vertical growing keeps the cukes straight


Greg
 
I have grown crookneck in my CRW cages and it does wonderful, no tendrils ,so it doesnt actually climb, but it does train easily to grow up the inside of the cage!

Kevin
 
Hey, Kevin, do you have a particular crookneck variety that worked for the cages? Mine are from Seed Saver Exchange described as "semi-open bush plants." Great production, but liked to stay low. I caged them for awhile, but they just got too constricted. Ended up caging with a really wide 18-inches tall max. That at least helped keeps the lower part of the plant off the ground and easier to spot squash bugs!

I'd like to get a variety that would at TRY to go up! Crookneck my favorite squash... :cool:
 
Crookneck is awesome! :cool:

I just grab Yellow Crookneck at the Depot, Usually Burpee brand.
No particular variety that I am aware of.

BTW, My Zucchinni did great in the CRW cages too! :)


Kevin
 
Hmmm. Maybe its that crazy good Georgia dirt and sun you got there. What's a guesstimate of how tall your cages and the diameter? Do you lop off a bunch of low lying leaves early on?
 
Thanks for the input y'all! I'll try it out this year. Hopefully it will save some room in the garden. My cukes on a trellis took up about as much space as 2 pepper plants. On the ground they took up at least 4 times that space, and still managed to wrap around other plants.
 
As long as your trellis and supports are sturdy enough, it's surprising what you can grow. I've grown butternut squash, spaghetti squash, icebox watermelons (10-25lb), and sugar pie pumpkins (10-15lb)
 
My "trellis" from last year consisted of a 6-foot T-post tied to a section of heavy wire fencing I found tossed away next to my yard. Not the most glamorous of designs, but once the cucumbers filled in you could hardly tell.
 
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