What's the trick to growing squash up a trellis?
22 days ago
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- 22 days ago
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Training squash/cuke vines to trellis
Comments (6)My trellis (cattle panels attached to T-posts) starts about a foot off the ground. When the cucumber and gourd vines get tall enough, I use garden twine to tie them to the lowest part of the trellis. After that, I use trellis clips to attach them temporarily to the trellis till the tendrils take hold. I do some hand manipulation of tendrils to encourage them to do what they're supposed to do. The nice thing about using trellis clips is that they're easy to put in place and easy to remove (well, some brands are easier than others). In most cases, I'm only leaving them in place for a day or two before moving them to another branch tip. I've seen four kinds of trellis clips. In the page below, the ones I'm talking about are the white plastic pieces that close into a circle. Google Images search for "trellis clips" I've seen the white ones sold by Johnny's Selected Seeds, two kinds of red ones (one with tiny tabs which are difficult to open, and one with large tabs which are easy to open), and some funky green ones from Garden Supply Company which have a different opening mechanism. I use trellis clips for tomatoes too. I weave the vine through the wire, but add trellis clips about every 12-18", and leave them in place throughout the season. If you find yourself addicted to trellis clips, there are places that have wonderful wholesale prices for boxes of 1000....See MoreGrowing old squash seed - any tricks?
Comments (2)There may be some other technique, but this is what I would do. I'd take two or three sheets of paper towel, put them one on top of the other and then fold in half. Then I'd wet them with warm water and squeeze them out until they don't drip. Then I'd place several (not all) of those seeds on top of them and fold the paper towels over them. I'd place them into a plastic bag with the end left unsealed, so some air can get in; and then I'd set the whole shooting match somewhere warm, but out of direct sun. Check on those seeds once a day after two days have gone by. Meanwhile, pick up some jiffy pots and be ready to use them. When you notice a seed sprouting remove it from the paper towel and plant it shallowly in a peat pot. Place it under lights until the cotyledons are both above the soil level. Then, plant them in the garden where you want them, without disturbing their roots. Just plant the whole jiffy pot, making sure that you have torn off the top edges and that none of that pot are sticking above the soil line (otherwise the jiffy pot itself may wick moisture away from the seedling and kill it. Be sure to get it planted as soon as possible, or you'll have to harden it off, which can be risky, if you're like me, and you occasionally forget and let something dry out. That's what I'd do. Try not to plant all your seeds, in case there is a mishap. Squash seed lasts a whole lot longer than onion seed. So you are more likely to have success with this than with the onions. George Tahlequah, OK...See MoreGrowing Waltham butternut squash up a trellis
Comments (1)I decided to try growing this squash up a cattle panel arch trellis. I think I'm supposed to remove some of the side-shoots, but I'm not sure how to I.D. those side shoots. I'd hate to remove something important. Thanks....See MoreGround versus trellis growing for Waltham butternut squash?
Comments (3)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!...See More- 22 days agolast modified: 22 days ago
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Heruga (7a Northern NJ)