Grow Cantaloupes Vertically

Growing cantaloupes vertically using a cattle panel trellis with mesh slings and hose. From seed to hanging fruit in 4 months. April 1st 2020 - July 29th, 2020.

[@rrbb36]

I know a 65 year old woman who sets up cattle panel arches in her garden… BY HERSELF! With the panel lying flat on the ground, she ties a piece of baling twine- one to each corner on the same end of the panel. Then she takes each length of twine into her hards like a set of reins for a horse and starts walking backwards on top of the panel. The panel then begins to roll over on itself into an arch and when all four corners are lined up, she secures the arch with the baling twine “reins”. The arch laying on its side, is now stable enough to be tipped up and placed in the desired location. Then she pounds 4 T- posts into the ground on the outside of the arch, one per corner… removes the baling twine and VOILA! Easy peasy 👍

[@TheTexasGardener]

Another way to get it done! Thanks for sharing and for watching!

[@MadTracker]

Wow!!! That’s brilliant. I don’t have anyone to help me. I’m going to try that thank you!

[@freewaybaby]

What a beautiful grow! Were they in full sun? The two years that I attempted cantaloupe, it was the Charentais variety and every one of them split open right before maturity. I’m in 8b (Bryan-College Station)….about to try again. Your success is inspirational!😊

[@onomybeau2646]

rrbb36, Great instructions, thank you!

[@victoriao1828]

Wow that's awesome 👍😎 thank you so much 😊

[@Jjchg]

I bet knee highs keep bugs off of them too. That’s what I’m gonna use! Great video ❤

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching! Let me know how your cantaloupes are doing!

[@bluefeatherhomestead]

Trying to grow cantelope vertically this season & ran across your video. This was so helpful. Great video. New friend here. Thanks for sharing this.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad it helped you. I have a new video that I’m uploading tomorrow that shows the 3 different ways I support cantaloupes and watermelon growing vertically. It may be helpful for you. Thanks for commenting and watching!

[@sherryjohnson3804]

First yr gardener here, I used pantyhose to support mine and doing good so far! Your trellis looks beautifully done

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thank you! I use hose and mesh bags for supporting fruit on the trellis and they both work well! Glad yours are doing well and thanks for watching!

[@jwiheath1928]

I put my cow panel up be myself it was tricky but I did it alone.

[@heroweasel790]

This will be my first year growing cantaloupes, this was a helpful resource, I hadnt considered vertical, just researching trellis options, and saw this. I may try it!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad it was helpful. The cattle panel trellis was easy to build and I have a video on my channel showing how I did it you can check out. Also another option is to use your fence for a trellis. I have a video where I grow cantaloupes and watermelons vertically using my wood fence. Thanks for watching!

[@rrbb36]

P S …. You know, it’s completely unnecessary to make hammocks for most trellised melons. I’ve never had one fall off and it gets pretty windy in my location.

[@TheTexasGardener]

I’ve had two fall off so I don’t mind making the hammocks. I’ve also found that occasionally when a animal eats part of one of them it’s always one that I haven’t put in a hammock yet. Thanks for watching!

[@romannavratilid]

How many cantaloupes did u grew like that and on how many square meters/feet did u planted them?

[@TheTexasGardener]

The space is about 10 feet x 10 feet. With about 15 cantaloupe plants. Each plant produced a 1-3 cantaloupes. More had I kept a better watch in them. Thanks for watching!

[@eduardochavacano]

Those black poles, what are they called. No nails or cement was used?

[@TheTexasGardener]

They are U-posts. Also called T-posts and they vary slightly. No cement was used! They work well! Thanks for watching!

[@teresajeffrey6165]

Thank you for sharing start to finish. This helpful and inspirational for my son's cantaloupe and also another garden project as well. Keep enjoying with your awesome family.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad you enjoyed it and I hope you have a great growing season! Thanks for watching!

[@charlescoker7752]

When you do videos. Could you put the month date, and year in the Show more section. You Tube has stopped showing the posted date.

[@TheTexasGardener]

I will look into this - I haven’t heard anything about what you said KZbin is doing. Thanks!

[@gzartuche]

Think I'ma try this I got melon and honey dew that's just popped.. now just waiting on pumpkins

[@TheTexasGardener]

Great! Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching!

[@dawnpetitt8162]

Attempting this in NC and needed the information. Thank you!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad to help! Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching!

[@VashtheStampede007]

Hi, 👋👋👋 this video inspired me to grow cantaloupe this year for the very first tine. On a cattle panel. 😊 So far so good, there are some melons already a handful in size. Just today I noticed two vines showed brown on one side. The brown part is long, runs along one side of the vine for more than a foot. It almost looks like wounded and healed tomato stems, but it is not. And a few leaves on one of these vines seem to be affected as well. Parts of two leaves turn yellow and brown. What’s wrong? Fungal or something else?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad you liked the video! I have the same things each year with some parts of the vine turning brown. Could be many things. I find squash bugs/beetles I think they are called. I put up some yellow sticky sheets and that helps. Sometimes the plant still survives and the fruit makes it to ripe. Other times the whole vine slowly dies off. Thankfully, I plant several seeds and they grow up and go all over the cattle panel so if I lose a few I don’t worry about it that much. Hope you have a great harvest and thanks for watching!

[@rrbb36]

@@TheTexasGardener They’re likely Squash Vine Borers, which attack squash and melon plants, as well.

[@kansastraveler1476]

What size bags are you using? Where did you locate them? Last year I just carefully propped the fruit up. This year I'm going to protect them a bit better.

[@TheTexasGardener]

The bags were from the grocery store. They had a cantaloupe in it when I bought it so I just reused the bags! It worked well. I also used hose to make hammocks and that works well. Thanks for commenting and for watching!

[@1John5-13-Lisa]

Great job looks amazing! I wonder if I can do the same on my pergola with tough string, creating a cattle panel? Will it be strong enough?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Depends on how sturdy it is and if you’re ok with it potentially causing damage to it? I used the cattle panels and they have worked well. What do you plan to do? Thanks for watching!

[@JessicaHolmes]

This is what I’ll be doing with my kids! I let them pick out some melon seeds, and then I bought a cattle panel to grow them vertically. Loved the video. Thanks for sharing!!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad you liked it. My kids had a lot of fun watching them grow and then harvesting and eating! Hope y’all have a great season!

[@TheTexasGardener]

How’d it go? Did your kids help put up the trellis?

[@JessicaHolmes]

@@TheTexasGardener it was GREAT!! Thank you for checking back in! 🙌🏽 We successfully grew cucumbers, tomatoes, and melons along the trellis!

[@TheTexasGardener]

@@JessicaHolmes Fantastic!

[@brianmoore4299]

Ive been growing my vines vertically for years and have never needed those slings. Its a vine. They're meant to hang. The plant will hold it. I currently have at least 20-25lbs watermelons hanging. And have had thirty pound pumpkins and banana squash growing before. Pictures to prove it all. Even pics of the weights. Now the cantaloupe do fall off when ripe. But hey that just lets you know its ready.

[@TheTexasGardener]

I’ve had a few fall off and split - so I use the hammocks. Now I use the hammocks only for the ones that are higher up and leave the lower ones alone. It’s been working well!

[@brianmoore4299]

@@TheTexasGardener I did find a watermelon on the ground this morning along with one cantaloupe. The cantaloupe was there because it was ready. The watermelon however was there I believe because of the recent tropical storm we had here in so cal. It may be put too much water into the fruit too quickly. Not sure. Maybe needed another week on the vine till fully ripe but was still edible. I think I'll try the hammock method out next year and see if it's more beneficial to me.

[@victoriao1828]

Thank you. Great video.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Are you growing any cantaloupes?! Thanks for watching!

[@kathleenosullivan8601]

I’ve been using the blue COVID masks as ‘hammocks’ to support my cantaloupe on my cattle panels. Has been working great for 3 years now. 😷

[@TheTexasGardener]

Ha! I have several cloth masks that we got from a friend - I might have to try using those! Thanks for the idea and thanks for watching!

[@elizabethtaylor9947]

Best use for a COVID mask!

[@chno4422]

Very nice trellis using cattle panels. Did you do any kind of pruning like cutting off suckers growing ahead of your fruits? How many fruits do you let grow per plant?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks! At first I just let them grow however many got pollinated. Now I do 1 sometimes 2 per plant and I do some pruning of the main vine after it gets up high on the cattle panel and then thin it out to usually one cantaloupe per vine. Are you using cattle panels for a trellis? Thanks for watching!

[@ardoinsofkaty5671]

Tip: melon supporters not required. Ever. The vine can handle the weight, 100%. I’ve never had one fall off.

[@TheTexasGardener]

I did a video experimenting with this. I had two fall off last month. They were larger ones and/or could have been from the wind. The hammocks are easy to do and work well for me. Thanks for watching!

[@tomosterholt2712]

Excellent video

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thank you! Are you growing any cantaloupes this year? Thanks for watching!

[@tomosterholt2712]

@@TheTexasGardener yes just got it in the ground, using your method, hopefully will work out better than last year. Thanks for the tips!

[@LadyTaraMarie]

Awesomeness!! Thanks for the video 🐝💃🏽🐝🐝💃🏽

[@TheTexasGardener]

Glad you liked it - thanks for watching!

[@partyof9418]

What’s your plant spacing for vertical melons?

[@TheTexasGardener]

I plant them about 2 feet apart. I start them indoors in February and then transplant them outside into the vertical growing area. Each row is about 10 feet long and I put 5 plants per row about 2 feet apart. Are you growing vertical? Give it a try! Thanks for watching!

[@mickeyflanagan4019]

Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!

[@olafemio]

I am getting ready to sow my melons this year so thanks for the tips. Do melons need direct sun (on the actual fruit) to improve ripening or is it all about the leaves?

[@TheTexasGardener]

I think it’s only the leaves that need the sun. Sometimes melons get covered in the tall grass and by all the vines and leaves anyway. Thanks for watching! Are you growing vertically this year?

[@olafemio]

@@TheTexasGardener Yes, I have four types of cucurbits I'm growing this year: galia, limelon, cantaloupe and La Diva cucumbers. I hope to imitate your successes. I still need to buy some tights though...

[@dennfox1464]

Can I get away with growing 2 plants in a 1\2 whiskey barell? Thnx

[@TheTexasGardener]

You should be able to. I currently have several items growing in large containers. Apple tree, peach tree and an avocado tree are all doing well! Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

[@trae74]

Really nice! I'm currently growing in containers on my balcony.

[@TheTexasGardener]

I hope you get some great results this season! Thanks for watching!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Are you growing again this year?

[@trae74]

@@TheTexasGardener I have cabbage, bush beans and salad greens already growing. I haven't started the cantaloupe yet. I think it was too hot last summer when I did them. I should really start them now before it happens again!

[@TheTexasGardener]

@@trae74 That sounds good! I start mine indoors around February so I can get a jump on the growing season! Hope you have a great harvest!

[@Bf26fge]

My grandmother grew cantaloupe vertically and never supported the fruit. She never lost one. Cantaloupe fruits do not need a hammock

[@TheTexasGardener]

I wonder if hers were a smaller variety? I’ve had 2 fall this year. Since I already have a lot of hammocks - it’s easy for me to reuse them each year and support them. Thanks for watching!

[@casadelsoltenerife6085]

perfect idea

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@slydog7131]

Nice video. I just installed a cattle panel across 2 raised beds starting from one bed and over onto the other, so I have a path between. I put each end of the panels 1 foot inside the beds, then planted cantaloupes on both sides of each end of the panels spaced 1 foot apart. So 16 plants in all. I'm not sure if this is too dense, but I guess I'll find out. This is my first time raising cantaloupes on panels so it's somewhat of an experiment, though one that I'm hoping turns out well.

[@TheTexasGardener]

That sounds good! If it’s too dense then you can always thin out the number of vines. Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching!

[@almostskate69]

How wide did you space the t post?

[@TheTexasGardener]

I did 2 T posts for each side of the cattle panel. Each cattle panel is 5 feet wide so close to 5 feet apart. Thanks for watching!

[@verawallace9055]

I have some seeds, what soil did you use I would like to know please

[@TheTexasGardener]

I dug up the grass and then used two bags of basic garden bed soil from Lowe’s. Poured out each bag down the line to make a row. 1 bag for each row. That’s all I did this first year in this video. Hope that helps you!

[@verawallace9055]

@@TheTexasGardener Thank you, it sure did, I normally plant new Plants with Garden soil with great success too ,so this is right up my alley ,thanks again

[@bh.774]

If you are ever on the gulf coast, check fishing docks where you will probably find discarded sections of fishing netting. Pogie netting is perfect and free.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Interesting - thanks for the idea!

[@ChristinaBoozer]

Any additional suggestions for reducing squash bugs? Thanks for the video

[@TheTexasGardener]

I have found using yellow sticky traps early in the season and throughout helps. 7:30 into this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnPCqpSpatp3bqMsi=ppxNbhSXImIwB0Eo Also spraying homemade insecticidal soap helps. Thanks for watching!

[@kimdileo6064]

Can you add a link to the cantaloupe trellis?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Yes I can. I’ll add it in the video as well. Here’s the link. This has worked out really well and I’m glad I did it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3O8mHydiLyhos0 Thanks for watching!

[@tommyluck19]

awesome setup!!! thanks for your video!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching! Are you growing any this year?!

[@tommyluck19]

@@TheTexasGardener yes! here in pensacola FL. very beginner. just moved here last summer. try to learn and collect as much information as I can

[@sandrasmith1928]

My grandkids would love this. Think I will give it a try .Its good to see another Texas gardener !

[@TheTexasGardener]

My kids had a lot of fun planting the seeds, watching them grow and picking their own fruit and eating it fresh! I imagine yours will too and I hope you’re able to get some seeds in the ground!

[@TheTexasGardener]

We’re your grandkids able help with this? Hope you had a great growing season!

[@Inpreesme]

@@TheTexasGardener I’ve never seen a You Tube creator follow up on his own comment/question, you have a new subscriber

[@TheTexasGardener]

@@Inpreesme Thank you for your comment and for watching!

[@lizz7805]

what's the size of your raised bed?

[@TheTexasGardener]

8 feet by 10 feet. Thanks for watching!

[@PAG-ib1zj]

I haven't seen ONE bee, this year!!

[@TheTexasGardener]

I’ve seen fewer this year too but maybe because it’s been rainy?! You can hand pollinate as well. I’ve done that some this year again!

[@rrbb36]

It rains rather often in our area, but it doesn’t impact the bee population at all. Try adding flowers in and around your garden-mine is always ‘swarming’ with honey bees, bumble bees and MANY other pollinators. You might also want to do a little homework on “companion planting” in your garden for the best effect and let “nature” be your pesticide. 👍

[@einsteinscat1591]

Excellent video 👍

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@lizreyna4787]

How big was the trellis wire?

[@TheTexasGardener]

These are standard cattle panels. They are about 5 feet by 16 feet. The individual lines on the panels are maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Thanks for watching!

[@lizreyna4787]

@@TheTexasGardener thank you for your time.

[@bonniecarlstrom6014]

👍👍🇺🇸 Eugene Oregon

[@TheTexasGardener]

How’s your garden doing and what are you growing?!

[@saminaahmed4182]

What are you growing in the middle row, against the short trellis?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Cantaloupe on the middle short trellis. Thanks for watching!

[@aaronhrynyk]

That sling idea is brilliant.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks! It works well for me and I hope it helps others!

[@jasminegraham5614]

Where did you buy your cattle panels and how much were they?

[@TheTexasGardener]

I got them at Lowe’s. They were not expensive - around $20 each but this was several years ago. Thanks for watching!

[@GodisJesus]

How close do you stake the trellis to where the plants are planted?

[@TheTexasGardener]

I made the trellis roughly 8 feet b 10 feet and made three rows. The t-posts are right along the border and plant rows are a few inches away from the cedar fence pickets. Thanks for watching!

[@jeremywang9148]

Care to share your watering routine and fertilisers? Thank you very much for the inspiring upload

[@TheTexasGardener]

For fertilizer I’ve just been using compost and sometimes new garden bed soil with fertilizer in it. As for watering, I water about once a week unless it’s Summer and the heat is higher than usual. Then I’ll water when the soil is dry down several inches. Thanks for commenting and watching!

[@Inpreesme]

Thank you

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@aikogiron3449]

How many melons you grow per plant?

[@TheTexasGardener]

Usually 2 per plant. Occasionally, I’ll let a one produce however many it can. Thanks for watching!

[@aikogiron3449]

@@TheTexasGardener I'm afraid to do 2 per plant because I'm just using 10L pot.

[@hadassahhaman7550]

Beautiful!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@Moss94]

Do they need help climbing or will they climb themselves?

[@TheTexasGardener]

They will climb on their own if they start growing towards the trellis but I always help them out anyway. As they start going out, I’ll take one of the vines and tie it up on the bottom of the trellis or weave it in between the panels. Thanks for watching!

[@Moss94]

@@TheTexasGardener thank you!

[@EarzOnTunz]

love your trellis!! i want to do this, too!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thank you! I’m really glad that I made that trellis. Both of them have worked really well and have stayed very sturdy. I hope you get yours done and let me know how it goes! Thanks for watching!

[@SomeGuyNamedRoy]

What size cattle panels are these?

[@TheTexasGardener]

They are roughly 5 feet by 16 feet. Thanks for watching!

[@getrudemusaayinankanja898]

Does this plant needs spraying

[@TheTexasGardener]

This year I have not sprayed and have several cantaloupes growing. I have in the past had to occasionally spray with home made insecticidal soap. Thanks for watching!

[@elizabethtaylor9947]

Would you share your homemade spray recipe?​@@TheTexasGardener

[@TheTexasGardener]

@@elizabethtaylor9947 Absolutely! You don’t have to use the neem oil or the orange oil - if you just want the insecticidal soap then use only the dish soap and vegetable oil. Here’s what I use for a 1 gallon, 1.5 gallon and 32 oz spray bottles. 1 tbsp = 15ml. 1 gallon water 2 1/2 tablespoons dish soap 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons neem oil extract 1 tbsp orange oil. 1.5 gallon water 3 3/4 tablespoons = 55ml dish soap 3 3/4 tablespoons = 55ml vegetable oil 3 tablespoons =45ml neem oil extract 1.5 tbsp = 22ml orange oil. Small 32 ounce bottle = 1/4 of gallon measurements. 10 ml dish soap 10 ml vegetable oil 5ml neem oil.

[@elizabethtaylor9947]

@@TheTexasGardener Thank you

[@lindalambert6554]

Good job! Thanks for sharing!

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thank you for watching! Are you growing anything?!

[@florule1124]

Good video thank you

[@TheTexasGardener]

Thanks for watching! The cattle panel trellis has worked really well! Hope you have a great growing season!

[@jonbfrom254]

Good advice how big were panels like how long are they and how wide are they.

[@TheTexasGardener]

Each cattle panel is about 5 feet x 16 feet. Thanks for watching!