Ideas for melon slings?
 

I'm trellising cantaloupes and small watermelons on cattle panel and it's time to give them support. What have you used with good success? I have a lot of net bags from citrus fruits, woven sacks from bulk alfalfa seed meal and could scrounge up enough fabric, I think. Just looking for some tried and true techniques so I minimize loss. Thanks all!

kath

Kath,
Pantyhose slings always worked well for my grandfather. They can hold a lot weight and don't retain any water.

James- I might be able to get some of those. Maybe a stupid question, but do you know if he let the fruits develop inside the leg or if he used them like hammocks?

Kath,
The only stupid question is the one not asked!!!;)

He did it hammock style. I remember he would occasionally use 2 in an X for xtra support.

Kathy, I trellis my watermelon (Sugar Baby) and grow them into onion bags. They just fill and stretch the netting. Always works well for me. Here's a shot of one growing in the garden right now:

Ok, that makes sense, James- I was a little worried about the hammock for fear the melon would somehow fall out.

Randall, thanks for the picture. I've got a lot of these things hanging around and I'm pretty sure I could tie them securely enough- maybe with zip ties.

I knew I could count on you guys- thanks much!:yes:

kath

Randall,
I like that too!

[QUOTE=Randall;294017]Kathy, I trellis my watermelon (Sugar Baby) and grow them into onion bags. They just fill and stretch the netting. Always works well for me. Here's a shot of one growing in the garden right now:[/QUOTE]

Very neat idea, thank you for sharing Randall! I bet this may also work well for squashes.

Well, it took a whole lot longer than I thought and DH's help but we had success with both the net bags and pantyhose slings.:yes: I was a scratchy mess and kinda crabby by the time we were finished, though, as I get quite a skin reaction to those spiny leaves.:evil:We found one poor watermelon that is firmly wedged into a square in the cattle panel so that one isn't going anywhere...guess when it's ripe we'll have to cut it in the garden.:lol:

Thanks again for sharing your tips!

kath

Really surprised no one has suggested a bra. Is Worth not around today?

[QUOTE]Really surprised no one has suggested a bra[/QUOTE]:))

Although this is only a good idea if you wear a size parachute for support.....

Glad that all worked out for you, Kathy. I like the pantyhose technique also, James. It's pretty sleek. It may even impart a little Sheer Energy to those plants! :))

Sheer Energy - Good one!!!

Bumping this thread.

Tonight I went out and discovered the new net pouches I made for my cantaloupe were stretching and tearing under the weight of the cantaloupe. I used the shower puffs I bought at Dollar Tree a few weeks back so I guess they aren't so good to use them. I added a new pouch over the tops of the ones that were tearing and used zip ties to tie them on again. I hope I can get through this season with these. I don't have any onion bags, or nylons. I think it's too windy here to try to support in a sling. They would come right off in a strong gust of wind we get out here.

Mrs N's old knee highs or panty hose.
A tomato clip to trellising string will hold a small cantaloupe size melon.
Fruit is positioned inside the stocking, a hole is placed in the stocking so the clip can go through.

I have come up with a solution that works for me. I have seen photos of people using nylons to trellis with and the melons getting so big and heavy they tear the nylon and they have to find something else to use. I've seen the mesh onion bags like above but I don't buy bagged onions because it is only hubby and I here and wouldn't use them fast enough.

A few weeks ago I went to dollar tree and bought some of those bath scrubbies to make slings with to use on the cantaloupes on my trellis. They worked for a while but they also tore under the strained weight of the cantaloupes, I added more layers of those to keep the cantaloupes up on the trellis. It did work and I didn't lose any of them but I did lose the one watermelon I had growing on the other trellis, because it's support tore, and it fell to the dirt below.

I ordered produce bags off Amazon thinking they would be big enough to use them on the watermelon but they are not big enough. I thought I could go ahead and make three slings for one watermelon but they are just too small. These produce bags are not a loss because they will be perfect for cantaloupes and small squashes I trellis next season.

So, my final idea seems to be the best one of all. I cut some white knitted shade cloth and cut it into large oblong pieces 16.5" x 18" and folded each corner to add a grommet to them. The knitted shade cloth doesn't unravel when cut. Hubby and I then very carefully pulled the at least 10 pound sugar baby watermelon away from the trellis, being careful not to break the vine connection, and slipped one long side of the new sling between the watermelon and trellis then let the watermelon rest on it.

I carefully added a releasable zip tie to both corners and secured them to the trellis. We then moved onto the other side and secured the watermelon to the trellis. This left all five of the other supports I had to keep adding onto the watermelon as it outgrew them, or the support was tearing from the weight. These layers were really tight because the watermelon kept out growing them. Even the new produce bag sling was extremely tight on the bottom of the watermelon. So hubby lifted the watermelon slightly from the new shade cloth sling and I cut all the zip ties to the other supports and removed them all. Then he set the watermelon back down into it's new sling and it seems to be doing very well out there.

Now I have 6 more watermelons to sling up that are growing real well. Tonight we will do that, hubby is currently adding the grommets to the new slings I cut for them.

:yes: :D :) ;) :surprised:

For smaller melons, I have used pantihose, for watermelon or other large melons, an old T shirt, wire tied at two corners closely to the trellis, the other side ( neck and hem) sometimes tied to the trellis with two or three wire ties. twine to gape a bit, for the melon to be able to grow.

[QUOTE=imp;653262]For smaller melons, I have used pantihose, for watermelon or other large melons, an old T shirt, wire tied at two corners closely to the trellis, the other side ( neck and hem) sometimes tied to the trellis with two or three wire ties. twine to gape a bit, for the melon to be able to grow.[/QUOTE]

I searched and searched for the huge bag of old cotton t shirts I knew I had bagged up but could not find it. So, I either gave them away or threw them away making them unavailable to me. I was surely wanting to try that mode of support. :yes:

[QUOTE=Rockporter;653266]I searched and searched for the huge bag of old cotton t shirts I knew I had bagged up but could not find it. So, I either gave them away or threw them away making them unavailable to me. I was surely wanting to try that mode of support. :yes:[/QUOTE]

Never ever throw old tee shirts away.
Their last duty here is shop rags.

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;653369]Never ever throw old tee shirts away.
Their last duty here is shop rags.

Worth[/QUOTE]

LOL, I asked hubby if he wanted them for shop rags, nope! :lol:

Update:

Picked the 17 pound sugar baby watermelon that hung very well on the trellis using my knitted shade cloth hammock. :yes:

I've got orangeglo, Ali baba and sweet siberian in need of support.

Tshirt it shall be.

I am sure this has been said before in a different context, but them's some big melons!