trellising small pumpkins and butternut

[itzj]

Has anyone done this before?

I'm trying to figure out where to put mine but am not sure of the trellis design (I think I need to just break down and buy square foot gardening). Last year I had some in the garden and some in our lower retaining wall. They grew like crazy but eventually the squash bugs won and then those areas were not fun to be in. So I'm trying to plant some away from the house and play areas but don't have a great grassless spot. I don't think DH is in the mood to clear another garden area but I think I could convince him to trellis and we'll hope the deer don't care about them (last year they left them alone).

[Kiara.I]

Yup, I've only ever grown squash on a trellis. DH built an aluminum frame, bolted it to the garden box, and we zap-strapped that green plastic mesh to it. Squash liked it just fine. :yes (We had acorn and spaghetti, not butternut, but still...)

I haven't done pumpkins, but they're just another variety of squash.

[itzj]

How high did you make yours?

[Kiara.I]

I think it's 5 feet. Certainly it could have gone higher, some of the stuff went higher. I think the cucumbers had to be woven in and around a bit at the top. But then, the crops were all lower down, only about 3.5 to 4 feet up probably, so the top wasn't as big a deal.

[itzj]

Cool. Thank you. :)

[canadiyank]

I've not done it, but I've seen pics in mags with slings made out of pantyhose or whatnot to support the fruit. One time I had a pumpkin grow in the middle of my holly bush and it turned out perfectly round - cute!