GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

30-04-2006, 08:19 PM posted to rec.gardens

In article says...
My problem is that I'm not sure I want to dedicate three large (greater
than 20 gal) containers for these melons. Can these melons be grown in
5 gallon bucket sized containers successfully?

Not really. The melons grow high up on the vine. The support system will
topple the pots, unless you let the vines trail onto the ground. And, unless
you're home all day to water, or find an automatic watering system, the pots
will dry out too quickly. Can't you grow them in the ground?

I don't have any ground to plant. My entire veggie garden is on a
rooftop so I'm stuck with containers. Plus space is at a premium up
there. I will have horizontal trellises for these (and the cukes) to
climb over and stay above the surface.

I do have a container that's a little more than 10 gallons and I'm
trying out a new container soil mixture that includes a healthy dose of
sphagnum peat moss that should help retain water. Right now I'm
thinking of putting one in a big pot, one in the 10 gal pot, and give
the other away.