Humour me, please... I need trellis advice

[Yasai]

I’m into year three or four of pondering how to build my own structure up which to grow squash (uchiki kuri). I did use a couple of pallets once, balanced together as an inverted V. What is really like to do, though, is just build a simple: two verticals sides and a flat top construction. What wood to use, whether it should be treated or untreated, what size, always leaves me stumped. I just want a basic framework over which to put robust netting. Would 2x2 (tryna sound like I know what I’m talking about) suffice? Say six metres tall. It’s not an arch to walk under, I want it parallel to my fence. Or for this kind of squash, would sturdy bamboo canes be enough?

Any advice would be helpful. Pretty please....

[Muddy_Boots]

OK the only squash I grow is butternut and I grow it up a trellis made from 6ft bamboo canes each year, the design is an inverted V much like my runner beans with diagonal canes to add extra strength.

You can google growing squash vertically and there are alot of websites about the subject, here's just one:

https://getbusygardening.com/trellising-squash/

I'm planning to get two metal trellis exactly like the picture of the Pumkins growing up a trellis which is more or less how I build my canes only it will save time not having to build it every year and then dismantle it at the end. Picture below if you don't want to go to the site.



Hope that helps.

[Yasai]

Thank you, Muddy Boots. If the bamboo canes support butternut squash they should support Uchiki Keri. I do like the look of the metal trellis, though. I shall have a look for some. Every time I google the subject, I see that lovely, big arch made with rebar and tubing. That’s the dream. The other dream is having somewhere to put it, lol. One day...

[SarrissUK]

I got three metal arches for £7 each from Wilko, and I'm planning to put them a couple of foot apart, in a tunnel, and put mesh or string or something kind of netting in between that stuff can grow up. The arches were sturdy enough for tromboncinos last year, a few of which weight between 2 and 4kg, so sturdy enough for most squashes I'd think!

6 meters tall though? That's more than the average height of a human times three!

[Yasai]

I got three metal arches for £7 each from Wilko, and I'm planning to put them a couple of foot apart, in a tunnel, and put mesh or string or something kind of netting in between that stuff can grow up. The arches were sturdy enough for tromboncinos last year, a few of which weight between 2 and 4kg, so sturdy enough for most squashes I'd think!

6 meters tall though? That's more than the average height of a human times three!

Lol, sorry... I meant six feet Thanks for the heads up

[SarrissUK]

haha I thought that you might have meant feet after I'd posted... I get them mixed up too, having been brought up with metres.

Here's the arch that I bought last year from Wilko, and this year three more for the allotment:
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-24...arch/p/0298561

[nickdub]

Sometimes the pound shops have 6' long bamboo in bundles - that would be these easiest thing to use imo.

Several years ago I bought a small black bamboo plant in Wilkinson, now I have a clump about 8' hihg and 10' in diameter, good for use in the garden and no trouble - I'd recommend it to anyone who has an awkward spot where they don't want to grow anything-else much.