If I understand your question, you want to know if cantaloupes trellis. EG has some great pics proving they do. However I think they need help.

I will be growing Minnesota Midgets on a trellis this year.

I think the main concern you'll have is the need to support the fruit hanging down in mid air. Panty hose are good, as is plastic netting.

Good luck and take pics please.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

We're trellising 'MN Midgets' this year as well, and are saving any sort of nylon netting we find - onion bags, etc. for this purpose. Hopefully it'll do better than on the ground, as the taste is quite fine.

Nonetheless, 4 cantaloupes in that size box will not work. Maybe two will. Your nylon netting for a 'trellis' should be able to hold enough weight, as these will be quite heavy. You'll have to train the vines up the netting so they won't sprawl.

Dan

I know they "will" trellis, and I know I'll need slings. What I really want to know is if I plant them on the inside of the "tent" of netting, will they grow up through it? It'll be a skinny "tent" - 2 ft across at the bottom and about 6 ft tall.

I was thinking of this kind of net.

Here is a link that might be useful: trellis netting

Like Sinfonian said, they'll need help. So if you help them to get through, they should continue on up.

Thanks! Worth a try at least I guess and if it works? Well, I LOVE melons!

That netting should work, combined with the restrictions in my last para above. It should hold, depending upon variety, likely all the cantaloupes that the box size will allow.

Dan

Ive had better luck w/ cantelope (Ambrosia variety) than w/ anything else. I put 2 along the back of a 4x4 and train them up nylon netting, supporting the melons w/ pantyhose slings. I've tried letting them run along the ground but pillbugs and other nasties get to them. I train them straight up, vertically and horizontally, letting the plant do most of the deciding.

Watermelon I just let sprawl, and FTR I've had terrible luck w/ watermelon. This will be the third year trying--I'm an optimist and we love watermelon.