Not knowing the structural integrity of the trellis made of tree branches (old branches, soft wood, etc?), or how long it will have structural integrity, or how well the trellis is anchored to the fence behind it, seems to me you might start with snow peas on that one. It will be a bad day if your trellis falls with melons and squash on it, and the extra weight of those won't help it stand. Cherry tomatoes would be a good bet as well. Trellising big fruit, even on a solid trellis, can be a challenge.

I generally agree with Dan, but I have found that peas work better on trellises with thin parts they can wrap around, more like the chain link panel. If the wood trellis is well anchored, cucumbers would climb it. But, I am wondering about the orientation of the solid wooden fence in relation to the sun. All the veggies you mention, except peas, prefer 8 hours or more of full sun and good air circulation.

I would stake the black beauty because the full sized fruits can bring it down. The long purple is a shorter plant with much lighter fruit, so it doesn't need staking unless you have high winds.

Honestly, no offense but I wouldn't recommend growing anything on that trellis in the photo, at least not without substantial addition of branches. If it is substantial enough, it is far too open in structure (far too big spaces and not enough attachments) for effective climbing or for support of anything but the lightest weight crop. Add a bunch of additional branches and reduce the spaces to something like 6" square or less and grow snow peas on it.

Chain link fence can be used as a trellis but it is a PITB to pick from and especially to clean at seasons end. You can spend hours untangling and removing dead vines from it and still no get them all.

And double ditto what Dan said that trying to trellis large fruit like melons and squash is doubly difficult as they require slings to support the fruit and usually will not climb without lots of tying assistance. In such a small space and along a fence you'd do better to use bush varieties of squash and melons rather than the vining types.

Dave

Haha well I appreciate the brutal honesty!

Daninthedirt, the trellis is made from mostly mature (but not brittle) wood, and is held together with a combination of string and screws. It's pretty solid. It's attached to the fence with wire and screws, so I don't *think* it's going anywhere. Still, I think ya'll are right about the lighter crop!

Ohiofem, the fence is along the north side of my property, so sunlight shouldn't be a problem. In fact, I live in west Texas, so is too much sun or heat something to worry about with these crops?

Digdirt2, I took your advice and filled the trellis in with more branches (I still may add a few more). Because this is my first time growing these kinds of vegetables, I wasn't sure how close the branches should be. That's why I came here for help.

I know this isn't an ideal setup, but I'm working my way through college and don't really have the money to do what I'd like. The chain link was free, so even if it is a "PITB", it's what I have to work with for this season! Here's a picture of what I've got so far. It may not be pretty, but I'm hoping it will get the job done. The chain link panel is screwed securely to the fence.

(Excuse the white dog sunbathing in the freshly tilled dirt. *sigh*)

Right now, I'm leaning toward snow peas and cucumbers on the branch trellis, and I'm still debating what to grow on the chain link. I'm willing to create hammocks and tie up the melons and squash as needed. Will bigger plants like that grow okay on chain link with the smaller openings though?

That sounds like a smarter plan. Now, as noted, peas will be reaching everywhere for things to grab onto, and you appear to have some big gaps in that branch trellis that will make life a little hard for them. If you want to leave it that way, I guess you could just gently push the vines in the direction of something to grab onto. The chain link fence, which I now see next to the branch trellis, would be fine for peas. Now be advised that, where you are (which almost where I am), peas are NOT a summer crop (and "summer" starts pretty early in our neck of the woods). They don't like heat, and are frost-tolerant to about 22F. Again, I see cherry tomatoes on that trellis/fence for the summer. Of course, they don't climb, but they are vining, so you just tie them up as they vine. With reasonably good soil, they'll easily reach the top of your fence.

I'd just keep the melons and squash on the ground, if you have the room.

Don't let us discourage you. You are being pretty creative given your limitations. If you have your heart set on growing melons and squash on a trellis, just be prepared to use some kind of soft slings tied to the fence to cradle them. Cucumbers and peas don't normally need to be tied to a trellis; you can just gently guide the vines toward the trellis. But melons and squash may need to be very gently tied to the fence trellis. Their vines are more tender and can invite disease if they are damaged. People do all sorts of things to adapt their gardens to their environment, and if you see it as a learning experience, it can be worthwhile.

Thanks daninthedirt. That's got me thinking that if I hold off on the peas, I can grow my cherry tomatoes (would the beefsteaks be too heavy?) on the branch trellis, and cucumbers on the chain link.

I don't really have a problem growing the squash and melons on the ground, but I am trying to avoid too much more tilling! If I were to plant those in a couple of corners in my main garden plot (7x14 ft), could I train them to grow out and away from the rest of the garden or would I risk them taking over the whole garden?

Ohiofem, thank you for explaining about the melons and squash (and the eggplants earlier)! Trying to figure this all out can be a little overwhelming, so I appreciate the help :)

I grew melons with smaller fruits on the chain link fence. They were fine. I made supports for the melon fruits from the net bags. The type which is often used for bagged onions and tangerines. You can also use a fabric from an old t-shirt, although it won't be very pretty. I would also suggest you to plant beans on your wooden trellis. They are not heavy vines and they can climb on any sticks. There are so many varieties of beans and you can freeze the excess for winter. Cucumbers will be also fine on both of your trellises. You can still plant snow peas in autumn when it will be colder. I always plant my snap peas near chain link fence but they never climb on it and I have to support them with sticks and twine.

I think the branches will support peas ad beans. Peas will not outgrow the branches but beans most definitely will (12 ft is the norm). On the chain link, regrettably half the melons will grow in the back, making you work hard to reach them. My trellises for cucurbita are cattle panels, and for beans, nylon trellis netting. If you resist the temptation to pull your spent vines, trellis netting lasts many years.

Beefsteak tomatoes aren't vining. They'll just sit at the bottom of the trellis. If you want vines, you want cherries.

As to growing them on the ground, we're not talking about more tilling. We're talking abut letting them expand horizontally (maybe over your lawn) instead of vertically. In fact, you look like you have a garden bed all the way along your fence. Just make the vines grow along that bed, under the fence.

It's certainly true that you can bag each large fruit on a trellis, but that's a lot of work. You can have a lot of work, or you can take up some more space. It's up to you.

look for items at junk pickup... if your town has them. I found more stuff that way... broom handles, lattice, old fencing pieces, oldd wooden dowel rods... OH even dishwasher racks... let squah etc grow up in them ,keep levesoff the ground... I had a chance back in 2011 to get a perfect coil springs from a bed set. But missed out,

Those I read are fantastic to let melon family grow up.thru....

Hubby was not home to help me.. It was heavy even though only three blocks away from my home...

Plus no more tilling for me.. Now just smother the grass and preferable with cardboard after cutting it real short or weedeating it down down...then muching.. that what I did back in 2011 in my front yard.....

I grew stuff in my front yard in my former home bak in 2011... cause my backyard, already had stuff like berries and was VERY shallow........

Good luck do what you can......Just my thoughts

Interesting! I didn't know that cherry tomatoes (or any kind of tomatoes) were vining - I thought that I would have to tie either variety up to the trellis (my original plan was to tie both the cherry and beefsteak tomatoes to stakes in the main garden).

Again, thanks - I'm definitely still learning and figuring things out :)

I will definitely plant stuff (including the melons and squash) so that they grow out into my yard where I can. My lesson of the day: just because the internet tells you you can grow something on a trellis doesn't necessarily mean you should. And thankfully I have a very large yard to work with!

Jeanwedding, what a great idea! I never thought about junk pickup... my dad buys and manages rental properties though, and that's how I managed to get the chain link panel. He's always finding the most random stuff at his houses! I'll have to keep an eye out.

Just a note, I've found that with things like beans and cukes, if you angle the upper area out, rather than in (like a bean teepee), it is MUCH easier to harvest cause the fruit/veges hang down within reach rather than going inside the teepee and searching for them! If I ever figure out how to post pics, I will! Nancy

Cherry tomatoes don't have tentacles that grab a trellis like peas, but they grow in long vines. No, you don't use a regular tomato cage for those! In my garden the cherry vines reach a length of eight feet. They branch, but the main stem vines. Always tie them up. Don't let cherry tomatoes crawl on the ground like cukes and melons.

Your lesson of the day is well stated. Yes, you CAN grow these things on trellises, and it's kinda cool when you do, but it is invariably more work. One advantage of growing them on trellises, however, is you keep the fruit off the dirt which may or may not be a problem, depending how wet the ground it is. Another is that it takes less space. But if you have plenty of space, these plants will be happy to use it.

Junk. Oh yeah. Junk. Junk is your friend for gardening.

I find that the plants usually need some help to get going up any trellis and use these little clips to help them stay in place until the tendrils take over and really grab on to things and hold the plants up. I grow cucumbers in my greenhouse and they need help until they are about 3ft tall otherwise they just seem to keep falling off the netting.

Vegetable Garden Plant Clips

I just use the paper or plastic-coated wire wraps you get in supermarket veggie departments, and which often are used to close commercial plastic bags. Work great. Free. I keep a bunch hanging on my trellis, so they're there when I need them. When the paper wears off, dump 'em.

If you want really tall tomato plants (vines), look for ones labeled as indeterminate. You can find cherries, but also plum tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes that are indeterminate. They are the only kind I grow since they can usually outgrow any foliage diseases that effect the lower leaves on the plants. You will need to fasten the vines to the trellis. We use cotton or wool fabric strips (old socks, tshirts, sheets,etc) because at the end of season you can cut everything off the trellis together and put it in the compost. Manmade fibers, plastic, or metal would have to be separated before adding to the compost. Determinate tomatoes are the shorter bush type.

I have grown both melons and squash up wire trellises. I used old t-shirts or stockings as slings and just tied them to the trellis or else picked the squash when it was still quite small. With chain link you will need to be sure that the newly forming melon/squash isn't positioned between the wires as it will get stuck as it expands. I have also grown vining squash sprawling across the ground. They weave through the bottom of the tomatoes growing nearby, but could smother shorter plants like beets and carrots. If you will be growing them across the ground, be aware that mowing that area of your lawn won't be possible (though I don't know how much lawn grows in a TX summer.) Mine often goes into the field that borders my garden, but since that only gets mowed a couple of times a year, DH just waits until after frost for the final mowing.

If you are going to grow peas, the usual suggestion is to plant as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring as they don't like hot weather. I don't know if it is too late for you now, but if it is you can try a fall crop. Check the days to harvest and figure out whether a fall or spring crop would work best.

Beans can be grown bush form or vine form like squash and tomatoes, so check the package to be sure that you get what you want.

Enjoy the garden, and I'd love to hear progress reports.

I love what you are doing. Good for you!

Personally, I think you could put an indeterminate tomato on that pretty branch trellis. If it looks as if your plant might need extra support, you can simply tie a few key sections to the fence behind it to bear the weight.

I use a natural string made of cotton or hemp, even raffia, to tie up my plants so that I can compost it along with the plant later on.

The chain link is great too. Lean it against the fence with enough room for you to reach behind to pick peas or beans and it should be fine. It would probably work for cucumbers too. Check Pinterest for pea trellis and you will see all sorts of fun ones. I spotted one made from an innerspring from a mattress this morning.

A simple, cheap and renewable pea trellis is pea sticks, i.e. twiggy prunings. At the end of the season they can be composted along with the pea vines.