How you guys grow your watermelons?

[SaltyNuts]

I know they need a lot of space to sprawl. Do you grow them in pots, and just let them sprawl down and out? Or just plant them in the ground in the first instance? Or a raised garden, and let them sprawl down and out below it? Or try and make them sprawl up with stakes and what not, and presumably prop up the watermelons as they grow?

Thanks!

 

[SaltyNuts]

So I got some big-arse pot thing from wal-mart. I filled it 3/4th full with a manure/humus blend, link is here:

Earthgro 1 cu. ft. Organic Humus and Manure 71451180 - The Home Depot

Earthgro Organic Humus* and Manure is a general purpose soil amendment. Formulated from humus and manure, it can be used for in-ground gardening. *Organic Humus: derived from peat, compost, forest products,

www.homedepot.com

You can see its rated at .5x.5x.5

To make it even easier on the seedlings to grow, and not have to worry about that mix burning them or taking away nutrients to the extent it is still decomposing, I filled the top 1/4 of the pot with a VERY nice and affordable potting/raised bed soil, link here:

Kellogg Garden Organics 2 cu. ft. All Natural Raised Bed and Potting Mix Premium Outdoor Container Mix 6490 - The Home Depot

Kellogg Garden Organics Raised Bed and Potting Mix is specially formulated for raised beds and container gardening. This earthy mix creates a growing environment that is rich and nourishing for the entire

www.homedepot.com

It will take a bit for the watermelon plants to get their roots down into the manure/humus mix, and this potting soil looks perfect for them in the mean time.

I planted 4 sugar baby, 4 crimson sweet melons in that one pot. Too many for sure I think, I'll probably cull a few of them when they get bigger. I plan just to let them run to the ground and spread a bit, if they start spreading too much I'll train them back over themselves.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[mindless1]

I grow other melons instead of watermelons, and just put them in the ground. I grow many things in pots but they just sprawl out too much and the issue of dropping from a height downward can be a problem with produce that heavy, can strain the stem.

It shouldn't be on concrete or blacktop because it gets too hot and can burn the contact area. It shouldn't be on highly compacted soil because lack of ventilation and moisture removal can cause fungus on the bottom, but ultimately you use what you have.

Or try and make them sprawl up with stakes and what not, and presumably prop up the watermelons as they grow?

lol, I would love to see a picture of that, but don't think it'll work out well.

 

[SaltyNuts]

Thanks mindless1! I was hoping the plants would sprawl down out of the pots, onto the grass below, then sprawl out on the grass, and grow their melons there. Going to see I guess. If they try and grow their melons on the vines before the vines hit the ground that will be.... interesting lol.

 

[mindless1]

Why are you going to limit them with the pots? They don't need special soil, and moisture control is much easier in the ground as long as you don't live in a region that gets massive amounts of rain.

Granted if you grow similar things season after season in the same soil, it'll need amended with compost or at least fertilizer, but the same is as true growing in a pot.

In other words if the grass is green, it doesn't need watered in the ground. Grass turns brown, it needs watered, but then you can water deeper a couple times a week instead of daily. However, I wouldn't let it grow directly onto the grass, because then how will you mow it?

It is really easy to go overboard growing things, extra steps and expenses, when ultimately it's mostly about the space and sun. You can go to great measures trying to grow a few plants very large, or just grow more plants in the same space and get similar yield without a lot of fuss. I can see the urge to max out each plant if you bought something expensive like super hot peppers where the seller was stingy and only sentyou 10 seeds, but most things, after a season where you saved seeds, you have more seed than you know what to do with.

 

[mopardude87]

https://imgur.com/a/pXqvuur

This may be a good lot for me to get a few alongside my herbs, i just finished this and its been blessed i feel by my goddess Been 20 years since i grew anything especially watermelons but those and cantalopes wow grew like weeds with my hands. That and squash and cucumbers. Lots of sun lots of water Hoping back plot gets done soon, need to remove a fence to access as its a big drop off. Maybe a good spot to let those babies grow perhaps?

 

[turtile]

Unless you have massive pots, you are going to have issues providing the necessary water.