WaterMelons

I would like to grow some melons this spring but garden space is limited.
Can they be grown in a container and let run across part of the lawn ?
I thought I could wind the vine around the pot and they would not look so bad.
Do you think this idea would work ?

You can grow watermelons with shorter vines:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher[common]=watermelon&searcher[family]=&searcher[genus]=&searcher[species]=&searcher[cultivar]=bush&searcher[hybridizer]=&search_prefs[blank_cultivar]=&search_prefs[sort_by]=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

Here is a short article from Sunset Magazine regarding the bush varieties they planted:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n4_v196/ai_18285082

I've not planted watermelons in pots. Maybe someone else has and can advise you on this.

Karen

They use an unreal amount of water. You'd be watering all the time.
How would you mow your lawn?
Do you happen to know youngman?

LOL, dp, my first thought too!

I've seen cantaloupes and small ?icebox? melons growing on a chain link fence. The fruit was supported with hosiery - tho' it didn't seem to work very well towards the end of the growing season.

Rentman~ we have grown sugar bush baby watermelons successfully in containers. We use our compost as the "soil" and mulch with grass clippings to help conserve moisture. The vines are compact and manageable on our patio. We usually get about 4-6 watermelons per container which is nice for us.

garden6, Wanted to thank you for the info. I wanted to try a couple this year too and was'nt sure. Now i'll try.
What was the name of the ones you used?

I was looking at this one to both start early in containers in the GH and have available for market earlier in the summer. Seems to me it would work for trellising like cantaloupes along a fence. http://www.burpee.com/product/vegetables/watermelon/www.burpee.com-snack-pack-watermelon.do

Hello msrobin, haven't seen you on here for awhile.

Hi! Been lurking mostly on DG. Doing a lot of research otherwise.

Regarding container grown melons, this is a great idea that works well for other vetgetables that require more water. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/926516/

I lurk here all the time LOL so many interesting things to read. Got into a couple co-ops and this that and another. Has it been cold down your way? Sure has been cold here.

Cando~ you're welcome! 'Bush sugar baby' watermelon seeds sold by Burpees, at Walmart or online. Growing watermelons in a container, really started out for a project for the boy pumpkin and grew into a family favorite. It's easy and there are a few lessons we learned along the way. One lesson, is for the boy pumpkin to take a cleansed gallon sized milk jug and poke a few tiny pinholes in the bottom. Sink the milk jug about 2/3rd's down into the soil for slow and steady water irrigation, especially on hot days. The containers we used are our former round rubbermaid containers with the 2 rope handles (with many drainage holes punched into the bottom.) As a matter of fact, these containers work so well for the watermelons, that we bought new containers to grow muskmelons, cucumbers and patty pan squash. Oh yes, I'm sure you know this already, but don't forget to grow your containers of watermelons at a good distance from your squash, muskmelons and cucumbers. We plant 2 hills of 5-6 seeds in each container planted about 3 weeks apart and have enjoyed fresh watermelon up to frost. Hope that helps.

Garden6, Thanks for the info! Enlighten me, please..." grow your containers of watermelons at a good distance from your squash, muskmelons and cucumbers"...hadn't heard that before.

Msrobin~Squash, watermelon, cucumber and muskmelon will cross pollinate if planted too closely. If the bees pollinating the squash, etc, pollinates the watermelon with squash pollen, then the watermelon will taste bitter.

dp, where did you come up w/the name "youngman'? You do know don't you that whoever youngman and youngman1,2 and so on are banned from DG forever.

Ann

Oh....guess I better rework my garden plans. Thanks for the explanation.

Msrobin~ you're welcome! Bitter watermelon...another lesson learned! LOL!

The flavor of this year's fruits are determined by the genetics of the seed you planted--any cross-pollination wouldn't affect the flavor of the fruits you get this year, but if you are planning to collect seeds from this year's crop, then if there is cross pollination going on next year's plants could produce fruit that tastes different. So if you were planning to buy new seeds for next year anyway then I wouldn't worry. I also don't think melons will cross with squash, although different types of melons could certainly cross with each other. But again it won't affect the fruit you get this year, the impact would be on plants grown next year from seeds that you collect this year.

Oh my, so much to learn!

Ecrane~ perhaps that was our undoing, as we do save our watermelon seeds and one year experienced bitter tasting watermelon. The extension explained to the boy pumpkin that cross pollination caused the bitter fruit even though the melon was quite lovely!

Msrobin~ here's a site about some watermelon questions, just scroll down to watermelon....
http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/hort/g06400.htm

Thanks, THANKS to everyone for the info, I'm overloaded now ^_^
We are on the road, not getting on everyday, Love the WIFI at McDonald's