Growing squash over an arch

[sand]

I'm pondering growing my Red Kuri squash over an arch, would it be ok on something like this?

http://www.wilkoplus.co.uk/wcsstore/ConsumerDirect/upload//html/ViewImage.htm?/wcsstore/ConsumerDirect/upload/products/0124892_lg.jpg

Stanley and I are at loggerheads over this, be careful before you answer... :-\

Sand

[sand]

[cambourne7]

I cant see why not?

You might need to use some support netting ( like for melons ) when the fruit form.

[Emagggie]

I intend to do similar. I have some strong plastic netting to attach (somehow) to the arch, a Wilco's bargain. ;D Tell Stanley it's the only thing to do, and will give more growing space on the ground, keep the fruits away from slugs, look devastatingly artistic, be a topic of conversation when you've done the weather, price of fish, etc. etc, etc. ;D ;D ;)

[mc55]

I'm growing a jack be little up one of these arches

[Raisedbed]

I am also attempting to grow two Butternut squashes up and over an arch.   But my squashes don't seem to be doing much at the moment and haven't really grown a lot more in the last month.   Perhaps they got a bit chilled and will catch up now we've got some more sunshine.  I filled a trench with garden compost and that manure soil stuff you can buy at the garden centre to give them a good start but I was expecting the leaves to be giant sized instead of the small things I've got.   We'll see what happens.

[stanley]

OI Maggie, we rarely discuss the weather (I Lie) and the thought of a cheap and nasty tin clothes drier in me garden doesnt thrill me.




ps.



Have you seen the price of fish recently............................ frightening!

Stanley

[theothermarg]

i,m sure i have seen this done at one of the gardens i,v visited on one of our allotment trips ryton or rosemore i think i remember thinking you would have to mind your head any way it seems like a goo idea
marg

[Emagggie]

   But my squashes don't seem to be doing much at the moment and haven't really grown a lot more in the last month. 

Raisedbed don't panic ;D I blithely offered a friend one of mine, got home, looked at them and panicked. Gave them a dollop of tlc after repotting them and they are now thanking me bigtime. Patience is the word. ;)

[Emagggie]

OI Maggie, we rarely discuss the weather (I Lie) and the thought of a cheap and nasty tin clothes drier in me garden doesnt thrill me.

Ooooh Stanley, you HAVE to think of the bigger picture. Think of all the folk you can invite to walk through who will benifit from a clonk on the head as Omarg so rightly points out. It has to be worth it just for the entertainment value. ;D

[sand]

Oh dear, Stanley is tall...

Sand

[Raisedbed]

Thanks Emaggie.   I want BNS's that Jeannine would be proud of, LOL.

[Emagggie]

Oh dear, Stanley is tall...Sand

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[weedin project]

What a good idea..... we have just put up an arch in the garden and I was wondering what to grow up it this year.

We saw some quite chunky wall-trained squashes at West Dean Gardens a couple of years ago, so given a bit of netting (or some of Jordan's worn-out clothing) it should be a practical idea.

[sand]

Just to keep you posted.

Stanley has gone away on a boys trip, so I've purchased the said item and cobbled it together, it looks pretty good and quite big.

So tomorrow I will continue to play my new erection around the gate from the pretty garden to the veggie garden.  The squash is now pointing in the right direction and a passion flower is aiming at it from the other side.

I just need to make the whole thing nice and secure before he gets back.

While the cats away... ;)

Sand

[Emagggie]

Glad yours went up ok Sand, no. 1 arch was fine but no. 2 arch had a rogue curved piece- I ended up with 2 wide ends and had to wire them together :o  All done in a big hurry before our lovely Allotment sec. came back as we aren't allowed to have 'structures above 2' high without written permission of the council' I'm hoping he wont notice 'til it's too late and there is stuff growing over it. ;D Whoever wrote the rules didn't think about the beans, did they ;D..................You never know, Stanley might not notice either. 8)

[sand]

Good luck Emaggie, hopefully neither of us will be wailing on here next week after we've pulled them down again...fat chance.  What kind of squash are you growing over yours?

Sand

[Emagggie]

Butternuts, Futsu, Jaspee de Vendee, and Japanese dumpling (think that's correct). I've only grown butternuts before, so it's all new to me!
Wot you got?

[queen of the cobs]

I really wanted to grow my butternuts over an arch but have been told that they are too heavy - I might follow your lead and give it a go!

[Deb P]

OH put together one of these arches together the other day (I'd bought six in a purchasing frenzy on eBay a few months back), it was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, but also quite difficult to get into the ground without the lower edges buckling where they are screwed together....anyone else had the same problem? How have you secured yours? The only thing I can think of is either bang the lower supports in first then screw them together, or put something inside the lower bits to anchor them to....help!

[Emagggie]

Mine pushed in quite easily, but then the earth was quite soft after the rain. I built it first, then gently persuaded one leg at a time on one side by pressing on the bottom  cross bar first on side, then the other-not in the middle as I did this and it bent ::), doing a bit each side 'til it looks even.