How to Create a Melon Sling or Hammock

With their trailing vine, melons are a fantastic fruit to include in a vertical vegetable garden. But when growing melons vertically, you may need to create a melon sling or hammock to support heavy fruits. This stops them from falling or damaging the vine itself.

Even some mini melon varieties will need support as they grow. Generally, any fruits over 3 pounds will need a melon sling. When melons ripen they can also slip, or fall from the vine, so having a sling or hammock ready to catch them will save you from cleaning up crushed melons off your balcony or deck.

What can you use to sling heavy fruits?

Reusing old materials and fabrics is a great way to keep costs down and make your vertical garden more sustainable. Here are some of the most common household items you can use to make melon slings:

• Pantyhose, stockings, and tights
• Stretchy fabrics like jersey or spandex
• Old t-shirts or fat quarters
• Old fabric masks
• Netted grocery bags
• Old fishing nets

The pantyhose sock method

You can cut the leg ends off a pair of pantyhose and stretch the sock end over a growing melon, then tie the loose end to your trellis. This method is ideal for mini melon varieties like sprite melon and early silver line. 

Because the melon is fully enclosed in the pantyhose end, it can keep pests at bay too, like caterpillars or slugs. Stretchy fabric is best as it will always expand as your melon grows.

The reusable fabric mask method

For mini melons, you could also reuse old fabric masks that you have hanging around the house. Simply cup the melon inside the fabric and tie each end of the mask to your vertical support.

The melon sling method

Another method is to again cut the legs off a pair of pantyhose but then cut along them lengthwise to create a long panel. You can then tie each end of this panel to your vertical garden support horizontally, just above the melon you want to support. You can then open out the fabric and stretch it underneath the melon to create a melon sling.

If you don’t have any old pantyhose on hand, you could use a long length of any stretchy fabric, like jersey or spandex. This method is best for medium-sized melons.

The melon hammock method

For heavier melons, you’ll need fabrics that are stronger than a pair of pantyhose. You could reuse old t-shirts or fat quarters to support the weight of heavier melons. Gently wrap the material under the melon, then tie opposite fabric corners together onto your trellis or frame to create a secure melon hammock.

Other heavy fruits

Lots of vertical vining fruits will benefit from a heavy fruit sling or hammock as they grow. Even some mini winter squash and mini pumpkin varieties will also need a bit of support.

Other fruits that may benefit from a melon sling include:

• Pumpkins
• Winter squash
• Bottle gourds

Featured Image: Images by Thanawatn Swasdisee and D S from Pixabay.