I don't think "hills" are really meant to be mounds. I believe hills are an old-fashioned term meaning a group, like six seeds of melon, planted in a small circle on the ground. When they sprout & start getting leaves, you thin out to the strongest 2 or 3.

People always refer to hills and the true meaning has been lost. Before I knew what "hill" meant, I thought it mean mounds, too, and did that. The mound dried out so quickly in my SoCalif environment, the plants became stressed, and they died. In warm/dry environments, I would even go as far as doing what the Indians of the American southwest did: they made shallow holes for beds (4-6" deep and approx. 3' square) that kept the precious water more confined so it wouldn't run off.

We need to find and use another term. "Group" might be good.

You might search for GOURD+TRELLIS or SQUASH+TRELLIS and see what you get. There is one below.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Wuv'n Acres Gourds

Hills as mounds is right...squash are warm soil lovers, and by making hills in early summer the soil heats up quicker...it also keeps a bit drier which is good in most areas..apparently not in California though.

I just made an arbor out of pvc pipe.The directions are at the PVC Store website.I think it looks great.I spray painted it black.

Debbie, what is the address of the PVC store website?
I made my trellis from stock panels, it should hold up for years. Jeanie

pvcstore.com

In the past, I've used hog panels attached to steel posts. This year, I took the tin sheeting off an old livestock shed, and am in the process of attaching woven wire fencing over the top and most of the sides...it will be like a huge gourd vine house (I hope!)

We make our hills 6 in. or 15 cm. high and 1 ft. to 1 1/2 ft. or 30 cm. to 45 cm. in diameter. Like Sandbager said, this is to help the soil warm faster in the spring.
Sorry no pics but if you have any farms near you could ask for some ideas.
Hope this helps

Thanks Debbie.
Cindy, I hope you post pictures of your gourd vine house, last year I planted gourds in front of my chickenhouse and along the pen fence , they covered every thing.Had the wind not been so strong, they would have even covered the roof. This year those gourds that I left are sending up volunteer plants, no telling what I will get from them because they are probably cross polinated.
Romur, we always made hills too, and planted 3 seeds in each hill, no matter if we were planting melons or squash,:), but I never knew why, just cause mama said so..

Howdy
thought I might chime in here.I am experimenting with dead eastern red cedar trees as trellissssses for gourds, morning glory and other climbing stuff this year. I took a chain saw to some 10-15 foot cedars, dug holes with an auger and planted the dead cedars in the holes. Now I plant my climbers at the bottom of the cedars and let them go. It is easy if you have cedars and space. the cedars will last a long time and
actually look O.K. and will look better as they age and weather.
Do you think this makes me a redneck?

rude

Hey Rude,
(read this with a smile)
You live in the Missouri Ozarks, spell trellisses with a lisp, and replant dead cedars for trellising flowers and gourds.......and you're worried about whether or not folks will think you're a redneck?!?!?!?
awww, heck, you're just another gourd-head!!
Welcome to the gourd forum!

Jan