i want to train some melons (crenshaw, hale's best) onto a trellis. my understanding is that using electrical conduit to build the outer frame is well received by many gardeners, but i have some questions about doing it this way...
1) how is the conduit secured to the ground? should i merely bury it very deep, or must it be additionally secured to the wall that it will be placed next to? (brick wall)
2) i've read that fencing can be secured within the conduit frame to act as the actual trellis - - but what type of fencing is best for melons? things like chicken wire seem so thin that they might cut into the plants once the weight from the fruit increases. also, some of the fencing which i've considered is made of metal and is already showing rust while sitting at the store (home depot). i was concerned that the rust might adversely affect the plant/fruit in some way. it would be nice if that wasn't the case because it is certainly strong enough.
3) lastly, since the wall this is going next to is brick, i am able to drill holes into the wall with masonry bits, screw in eye hooks and suspend the trellis rather than support it from below. if i did this using a metal screen as the trellis, it would not need the conduit frame as i see it. any thoughts appreciated.
thanks!
