Want to grow 50 pounds of cantaloupe in a 4x8 foot raised bed? If so, build an incline trellis and create three growing surfaces for your melons.

Unlike a straight up, 90 degree trellis, an inclined trellis gently slopes (27 degrees) over the top of your raised bed. This lets melons grow; (1)on the ground; (2) resting on top of the trellis; and (3) hanging down like a traditional trellis.

The Beds

The raised beds in the pictures are 4ft X 8ft with plenty of compost.

The Inclined Trellis

The Inclined Trellis is made from a 16ft X 50inch cattle panel from Tractor Supply cut in half. The nice folks at Tractor Supply did the cutting for me.

2023 UPDATE: The Double Ended Inclined Trellis

Double the growing area of the original Inclined Trellis for Melons. The Double Ended version uses both halves of the sixteen foot cattle panel. So far so good.

The Melons

This is important. Smaller cantaloupes - 2.5 to 3 pounds each - work best. At this size, the melons hanging underneath the trellis will not break off prematurely, but will only “slip the vine” when they are ripe. They fall a few inches and usually aren’t damaged. This proves to be a major advantage (IMHO) over a traditional vertical trellis. No slings holding heavy melons. No busted melons when they break off the vine.

My favorite variety is Sugar Cube. Sugar Cubes are prolific, very sweet (see ‘Water Starving’ below), and are highly disease resistant. These melons on my inclined trellis average 2.5 to 3 pounds.

Building the Incline

Nothing complicated here. You will need a 4 foot support for the high end of the trellis. The support in these pictures use scrap 2x4s. Whatever you use, the end of the trellis should be 4 feet above the bed surface.

Set the low end of your trellis on something (rock, brick) that raises it a few inches off the soil. This keeps the trellis from crushing young melon plants. Secure the high end of the trellis with zip ties or hammer-down staples.

Planting and Growing

Plant melon seed on 15 inch centers under the inclined trellis. As the melon plants grow on the low end, move their vines with tendrils onto the top of the panel. From time to time, you’ll have to reposition the vines so that they keep growing up the trellis. Water well. As time passes, you will see melons forming under the trellis; on top of the the trellis; and hanging from the trellis.

Water Starving Your Cantaloupe

Water starving means giving the vines just enough water to survive, and should start about a ten days to two weeks before the melons are ready to pick. This causes the melons’ flesh to firm up, and concentrates sugars for a much sweeter taste.

How to Harvest
A ripe cantaloupe will be light tan under pronounced webbing. But your nose will tell you when one is ready to pick. Cracks will form where the stem attaches to the melon releasing a wonderful, fruity aroma. When you smell the smell, move the melon slightly. If it’s ready, it will “slip the vine” - no tugging or cutting required.