[beki]

Ooooh... i'm going to be bold and experiment!  

Just seen this on the square foot gardening site, and thought it looked fun, so why not give it a go?  

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

EDIT - Link didn't work properly. You then have to go to 'mel's column' and then click on something about growing zuchinni...

I wonder if it'd work as well with pumpkins? I assume not as they're so heavy...

[dangolding]

Down the road from me, last year one of the locals grew butternut squash along a trellis on his fence.

Apart from a great harvest (he had loads on there), it looked really impressive.

I've just got to convince my wife to let me cut down her jasmine to plant my own squashes!

[Wildeone]

Just think how impressed your neighbors will be when you grow all your squash vertically in just a few square feet of ground space.

I think he's overestimating my neighbours interest!!!  

[beki]

Down the road from me, last year one of the locals grew butternut squash along a trellis on his fence.

Apart from a great harvest (he had loads on there), it looked really impressive.

Wow! That's encouraging! Think i'll definitely be giving it a go now  

I've just got to convince my wife to let me cut down her jasmine to plant my own squashes!

     I can just imagine her face at the suggestion    

I think he's overestimating my neighbours interest!!!

     

[puravida]

I'm so stoked on that idea. I'm going to try it too.

Maybe I can run a foot wide strip of trellis vertically from floor to ceiling of my pergola and grow a butternut up there.

Think that will work??

[WhippetMaster]

Sounds like a good idea, when do the seeds need to go in???

[Trillium]

Seeds can be started indoors about 3 weeks before planting out time, perhaps late April.

Only the fairly heavy squashes, etc won't do well on trellises, sheer weight. Years ago we used to collect the legs of pantyhose (tights) to put the squash/melon into then tie the cut end to the trellis to support the weight. You can also use squares of netting to take the weight. Some folk wedge planks up to hold pumpkins.

[agapanthus]

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/product/239

Try this variety....have grown them before and they're very tasty!

[muntjac]

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/product/239

Try this variety....have grown them before and they're very tasty!

 i can vouch for them ,,,,,,,,,,,, didnt get one as big as aggys tho  :cry:

[tomato-joy]

I grew butternuts last year vertically. I put 4 stakes in the ground in a square that then put 2 levels of horizontal stakes around this frame. Planted a butternut at each corner of the frame and just kept training them round it - worked like a dream!

[puravida]

I grew butternuts last year vertically. I put 4 stakes in the ground in a square that then put 2 levels of horizontal stakes around this frame. Planted a butternut at each corner of the frame and just kept training them round it - worked like a dream!

How tall were your stakes? How high can I expect them to grow vertically?

[beki]

Wow! This is really encouraging!    

I'd be interested to know more about the stakes too... although i'm now toying with the idea of all manner of squashes/courgettes growing up trellis... open to ideas though  

[chrissie B]

last year we grew our cucumbers and courgettes vertical they stay much cleaner and the ants and other bugs don't spoil them .
Chrissie b

[compostqueen]

Some will climb or trail but I'm not sure they all do cos some are bush types

They need strong support though. Sweet Mama squash will grow up supports. I grew mine with the runner beans

[flowerlady]

Saw a brillinat photo once of squash growing up a 'retired' football goal !!