Wonderful subject. I let my melons sprawl onto my paths at the ends of the rows. I have toyed with he idea of trellising. I grew a luffa gourd up the railing on the front steps of my house last year that produced hugely (and took over the front, beautiful). This year I am working to try to keep my plants better protected from the chickens.

You can trellis melons and winter squash. For summer squash, you should allow about 9 square feet each (3'x3'). I have a plan for a bed that I'd like to do this year. I'm hoping the overlap of the squash will be okay and keep out weeds. The tomatoes were for caged varieties.

Great topic! First, I would suggest you use short vining plants when available. I have grown the Spacemaster cucumbers for two years and they are delicious cucumbers with dramatically shorter vines. I plan to use them in my 4'x8' beds this year. There is a pickling cuc available in shorter vines, but the name escapes my memory right now. I am not aware of a short vine squash, however. Boy, would that be nice! Are you listening, seed companies? :)
I saw in a book somewhere an idea for trellising these vines. It used the same type of fencing that tomato cages are made of. You cut a length of the fencing and create a tunnel effect over your bed. You'd probably want it to "hump" over the width of the bed. Then you plant the vines along the edges of the wire and help them grow up through and over the top. It was very nice and neat. The fruits hung down through the wire and it was easy to see them for harvesting too. I am thinking about giving that a try. Melons would definitely be a challenge. I've never had any success with them, so probably won't bother.

In the meantime, I am also toying with the idea to plant my "hills" on either end of my 8 foot beds, and a cluster of cleome and/or zinnias on a hill in the center. That way the vines will scramble all over the bed, but the flowers will come up through the vines and give some height. I will just try to keep pointing the vines back up onto the beds, I guess. Any feedback?

I think your question depends upon whether you are growing summer squash or winter squash, first of all. Vining winter squash can be trellised. Summer squash usually takes a 3x3 or 4x4 space per plant. I've read several articles that say there are indeed short vining varieties but none of them have given actual variety names. I would suggest reading through the descriptions of Thompsons, Burpees or Gurneys and you will likely find what you are looking for on one of them. Realize, that these are hybrids and will not come true from their own seeds in future years.

Alys, I think your plan looks very workable and your spacing seems like enough for what you are planning to put in that particular planting box, assuming that each square is equal to one square foot.

Donnabaskets, I have found that the secret to growing watermelon is to water the heck out of them. Then when you start to think that they look like they might be ready to pick in a couple weeks, stop watering all together. The lack of continued watering seems to make them all the sweeter and the connecting vine will dry up, when it's dry, pick the melon! I also turn them from side to side when they are small and throughout their growth so I don't end up with a melon that is flat, and raw looking or pitted on one side. I set the melon on one of the leaves to keep them clean. With cantaloupe, I just grow them till they smell like cantaloupe and then I pick. They are always ripe when you can smell them.

I hope my blabbering is helpful to someone out there, LOL!

MeMo

Here is a link that might be useful: Tips for growing squash

I did really well with melons in my container garden a few years ago at our last house.
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Then later
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I plan to use this same container at our new house. I like the covered wagon type trellis idea. Going to use that one for sure.

Chris

Memo it is very helpful to me!! thank you! Never knew about the water melon watering part. Will give it a try. Some one on another board suggested I plant things on the slope on the side of my potager containers. I am giving this serious consideration. This would make lots more room in the containers for other things. Thinking Melons and squash would work great on the bank. Well glad I still have time before starting so I can decide for sure what I want to do.

Chris