Training Vines - Questions

[Northernfox]

I have trolled the forum and have not come across a thread about training vines. Does anyone have any advice on training the vines up the fence. As you can see below I do not have a huge area to work with but am trying to optimize my space. I am going to be growing pumpkins, zucchini, cucumber and watermelon plants on top of the regular veggies. The pumpkins are going to be my focus.

[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/Northernfox14/484bcd8c.jpg[/img]

The three cells in the centre are 10' x 10'

the garden fence is about 17' x 17'

I was thinking of having my pumpkins in the regular garden area and running the vines up the fence when they get there. I also want to make sure they move away from the rest of the garden. I am going to put in a few boxes next to the garden fence and along the back fence (with a trellis) for the zucchini, cucumber and watermelon. Anyone have any advice/tips for training vines. I want to know what I have to get/build to do it successfully this summer.

Thank you very much!

[gumbo2176]

Not to rain on your parade, but that's pretty ambitious for such a small area. Pumpkins and watermelons get to be quite substantial plants. I'm not sure the vines will support any fruit if trained on the fence unless they are held in some sort of sling.

Cucumbers are also great climbers if left alone. From the look of the size of you area, if you only planted about 6 cucumber plants on the left of the gate to the corner, that whole area will fill out in short order.

Zucchini also get to be very large plants. I mentioned in an earlier post that my zucchini and yellow crook-neck squash get about 3 ft. tall and spread about 5 ft per plant.

Not sure what else you think can grow in that area with the above mentioned stuff, but I seriously doubt that area will support all of what you mentioned, let alone additional plants.

[Northernfox]

I guess I should clarify I am not expecting this all to work. I am only a 2nd year gardener and have a lot to learn!

please note this drawing is not to scale

[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/Northernfox14/53035c75.jpg[/img]

I am planning on having one plant in each of the numbered locations. I have yet to build some of the containers that will hold them.

I am looking for some nice looking Trellis for spots 3 and 4 to grow the Zucchini and yellow Zucchini. (this is the area we see from our living room so my wife has requested me to make sure it is "pretty"

I want to train the pumpkins in spots 1 and 2 towards the grey fence and train them vertically. by the time they get there I am kind of expecting the Pumpkins to be on the ground.

in spot 5 yes I will be netting the watermelons on the fence.

any advice on training the vine plants that don't climb naturally is appreciated.

Thanks

[Northernfox]

Here are some pictures that should give better prospective.

[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/Northernfox14/278164_10150732839340394_743570393_19959798_2896093_o.jpg[/img]
my overgrown garden even after taking the potatoes out. I am building some potato boxes for outside the garden area. this is why I am taking the veining plants out of the bed area. I am planning on building them some boxes and moving the compost tower back.

[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/Northernfox14/279498_10150724707270394_743570393_19849185_3964231_o.jpg[/img]
a little further back

I will take a better picture when the snow clears tomorrow.

[The Bearded Farmer]

Thats a cool little area! I think it can be done, you just cant grow more than a plant or 2 of each. As far as vines go when your working with smaller space they need to be pruned and I would walk out there every day and make sure they are going where you want them to.

don't skimp on the trellis height, go 8ft, for sure.

[Northernfox]

Thank you. Unfortunately our property is not huge and we still need play room for future children

Off I go to find something that will work and pass the wife's inspection!