Are you interested in sustainability, gardening, architectural design or permaculture? How would you design a vertical growing system for melons & other vines that is low cost, durable & produces high quality fruit? Got an idea? Enter our juried design competition & help urban gardeners increase food production.
“This year’s competition challenges our contestants to build a low-cost, durable trellis system for growing melons & other vine crops in tight urban spaces,” says Paula Westmoreland, Executive Director of PRI Cold Climate.
Why melons? Lindsay Rebhan, who is helping organize the competition, explains, “They present a challenge not only because of their weight & the need to support each fruit, but also because their long growing seasons make them a gamble in cold climates.”
Designs will be judged on their ability to not only support 50 pounds of melons & other vines, but also to create healthy microclimates for them by moderating rapid weather changes & incorporating companion plants. Contestants are encouraged to use recycled materials in their construction.
The top designs will be displayed at public exhibition on March 12. The winning design team will be awarded $500 toward implementation in the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Big Back Yard.
The application fee is $10 per team. Applications must be received by December 31, 2009. Completed designs are due February 26, 2010. For more information, visit http://www.pricoldclimate.org/event/trellis_about_it_design_competition. Contact Karen Graham at or 763-551-9572 with questions.