How to Grow Watermelon: Growing Watermelon in Containers

Growing Watermelon in Containers – Watermelon, which comes in seeded and seedless variants, is a bright, delicious summer favorite. Growing watermelon in your backyard takes perseverance, sunlight, and regular upkeep. Watermelon is a warm-weather crop with a lengthy growth season.

Watermelon requires three months of warm weather to flourish, so gardeners in cooler regions may need to start the seeds inside before transplanting them to an outdoor garden once the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Growing watermelons isn’t as difficult as you may imagine, and a little garden planning can go a long way. I’ll teach you all you need to know about producing these luscious fruits in your own yard, and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying homegrown watermelon for breakfast, summer picnics, and drinks.

7 Tips of Growing Watermelon in Containers

1. Choose the highest quality seeds for your environment and region.

• Most types thrive in warm temperatures. Crimson Sweet and Moon and Stars are two of my favorites.
• Choose short-season cultivars or kinds suited to summer heat, such as Desert King and Hopi Yellow, in hot summer conditions like Arizona’s low desert.
• Choose short-season cultivars like as Golden Midget and Sugar Baby in colder regions.
• A smaller growing area? Mini-Love, Bush Sugar Baby, or Cal Sweet Bush are good choices for shorter-vining varietals. These cultivars may be cultivated in a single 44-foot bed or less.

2. Select and prepare a suitable site for watermelon planting.

• Watermelon requires a lot of space. Some vines may grow to be 20 feet tall or more. Give your watermelon enough room to develop.
• Compost and aged manure should be added to the planting area. Before planting, apply a balanced organic fertilizer.
• Choose a place that receives a lot of sunshine.

3. Directly plant watermelon seeds in warm soil.

• Watermelon grows best when planted immediately after soil temps exceed 70°F. Plant outdoors 2-3 weeks after the latest frost date in your area. Sow 3-4 seeds 1 inch deep and spaced 4-5 feet apart. After planting, thoroughly water with seaweed emulsion. When plants have 3-4 leaves, thin to the strongest plant.
• Plant shorter shrub types and anticipate on one plant taking up a full 44 foot plot if utilizing square foot gardening.
• The month of March is the ideal time to plant in Arizona’s low desert.
• Start seeds inside in 4 inch or bigger pots 1 month before planting outdoors in colder regions. Watermelon is extremely frost sensitive; if there is a chance of frost, postpone planting.

4. For the finest taste watermelon, hydrate it properly.

• Water gently and deeply to encourage the growth of deep watermelon roots.
• Avoid getting the leaves damp. Wet leaves promote the growth of illnesses such as powdery mildew.
• Reduce the amount of water you use as the watermelon ripens to promote sweetness.

5. Watermelon should be fed throughout the growth season.

• Once the vines have begun to develop nicely, feed them with a balanced organic fertilizer.
• When the fruit begins to form on the plant, sprinkle the soil with seaweed fertilizer.

6. Protect the fruit by mulching the plant.

• Mulch plants well to keep weeds at bay and moisture in the soil.
• Once the fruit has set, raise it off the ground using cardboard or a melon cradle to protect it from pests and illnesses. Vertical expansion? Melon hammocks may be used to assist the growth of fruit.
• Is it possible to grow watermelon vertically? Melon hammocks may be used to assist the growth of fruit. I connect the melon hammock to the trellis using zip ties.

7. Harvest at the appropriate time.

• The most difficult aspect of producing watermelons is determining when they are ripe. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for:
• Three tendrils that go down the stem (back to the base) are brown, dry, stiff, and curled.
• The watermelon’s bottom develops a creamy yellow or white color.
• When you gently beat it, it makes a low-pitched thud — try hitting unripe melons to notice the difference.
• The sheen of watermelon goes from glossy to dull.

Growing  watermelon in containers is very easy, regardless of whether you choose early season, main season, or seedless varieties. Make sure to maintain your watermelon plants happy throughout the season by providing them with the appropriate quantity of water, protecting them from illnesses and pests, and adding additional nutrients to the soil.