Ground versus trellis growing for Waltham butternut squash?

10 years ago

This is the first year I've tried growing them up a cattle panel, formed into an arch. I've had NO squash bugs (yet)....which is pretty unusual. But I'm not getting nearly the amount of squash I tend to get when growing them on the ground. I think I'll get 8-9 this year. One year, on the ground, I got 40! Just curious if any of you have grown them both ways and what your experience has been. Do you think the fact that they're on a trellis has somehow deterred the squash bugs? .......or am I just lucky this time? Thanks!

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Comments (3)

catherinet
Original Author
10 years ago
anyone?
catherinet
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks weirdtrev! I guess I liked the cattle panels, but I feel like most vining plants like slightly thinner "wire" to hang on to. I use concrete reinforcing wire trellises for my pole beans and cucumbers, and they love it. Seems like it might be a little too light weight for heavier squash though. I only had a one-arch tunnel, and the squash only grew about 2/3rds the way up the sides. But there were a few run-away vines that are on the ground. I tried growing pole beans up a cattle panel arch once and they didn't seem to like it. I did make my son a tunnel with them, covered with tarps for a fort when he was young, and he really liked it! I will probably use this cattle panel again next year. It sure uses less space than when they are on the ground. I had 2 lined up end-to-end one year (not as an arch), and they seemed to like that.....but only after they had run out of ground space. I really do like trellising though.....for lots of things...especially now that I'm older, and the ground gets further and further away! :)

Thanks again!