Grow Watermelons in your Garden, Vertically!

While I would be the first to admit that growing watermelons vertically isn't the best method, for many of us, when you lack space, you have to do what is best to get the results you are looking for.  

There is nothing wrong with growing watermelons vertically, you will just need to do a couple of extra steps to ensure that the watermelon has something to grow up and of course can be propped up.

Let's start with what you can use as a vertical support system.  If you have grown cucumbers, beans, or peas then you already have the experience needed for vertical watermelons.  You will simply use a trellis.

A trellis made from some wood or netting will work, but keep in mind the watermelon vines and the watermelon itself will get fairly heavy, so try to use something that can easily withstand their weight.  As you can see in the photo above I am using a lattice trellis made from pine wood and then stained with a water based outdoor stain.  This gives me the strength I need to support the vines, and of course the watermelon.

 

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This brings me to the support portion.  How do you support such a heavy fruit?  Well, there are a number of ways that I have seen it done, but the one that works best for me is a simple shelf.  

I took two pieces of old pine wood that I had in my garage and made an "L" shaped shelf.   One part of the shelf will attach to the trellis itself, I will get to more on that in a moment, and the other part will support the watermelon.

I took this step to the extreme and attached the two pieces of wood to make the shelving unit, using dove tail joinery.  If you have been following my blog you also know by now that I love woodworking as well.  This type of joint is very strong, and gets just some glue to keep the two pieces of wood together. 

You can use outdoor deck screws to attach the pieces as well, as that will hold also.  I try not to use nails as they are not as strong as screws or the dovetail joints....at least in my opinion.

I attached the shelving unit to the trellis using nothing more than two deck screws, long enough to go through the shelf and of course the trellis.  Try not to go all the way through the trellis as you will have the pointed end of the screw sticking out which could scrape you later. 

And that's it!  You can stain the shelf itself if you would like it to withstand the weather for a few seasons.  Pine does not wear well in the outdoors.  I did not preserve this particular shelf, but might sand it down and give it a couple coats of water based stain in the gardening off season.  We'll see.  I included another photo below of larger watermelons sitting on another shelf for support, attached to the same trellis.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Vegetable Gardening in Small Spaces

Do not let the lack of space be a reason or an excuse to not have a vegetable garden at your home. Thousands of people are in the same situation as you and that is the space they have available to grow fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from seeds is very limited.

Maybe you live in a big city and land available is scarce, or you reside in a condominium or apartment and the only thing available to you is a patio. Either way, there are some great solutions to help you through this. You can be growing your own fresh veggies in no time.

I recently spoke with Tracy Godsey who runs the small container blog Eden’s Container. Tracy started her small space vegetable gardening adventures when growing fruits, vegetables and herbs in containers is all she could do with her limited apartment space, which consisted mainly of a balcony.

“I currently grow herbs on my patio including basil, parsley oregano, thyme, mint and chives. The basil and parsley are the only plants that won't overwinter in my containers outdoors.”, says Tracy. “In a vegetable garden, full-sized plants can grow in any pot that holds 3-5 gallons of soil. Large plants like tomatoes need 5 gallons, while plants with shallow roots like lettuce can get by in a 3 gallon pot. Even smaller plants like radishes can grow well in trays and produce a harvest very quickly. If you don't have a container handy, you can make one by filling a plastic tube (such as a garbage bag or bread wrapper) with potting soil. These types of tubes are known as grow bags.”

Tracy reminded me of a very important factor that I had not thought about and that was the weight of what you are growing. If you are on a second floor balcony where weight will be an issue, Tracy recommends, selecting smaller heirloom varieties and grow them in hanging baskets.

Just because you are limited on space does not mean you are limited on what you can grow. Remember to select fruits, vegetables and herbs that you and your family will consume. Since space is a premium you do not want to waste any with items that will get discarded. Be careful not to over water your items in containers and make sure your containers have adequate drainage holes. To protect from the loss of dirt through those drainage holes use coffee filters at the bottom or paper towels. Both options allow water to pass through but not dirt.

On a final note, “never put ordinary dirt in containers, only potting soil,” says Tracy. “You will have much better success since the soil is already formulated for growing plants in pots.”

Now it’s your turn to roll your sleeves up, get some containers, fill them with potting soil and plant the seeds of your favorite fruits, veggies and herbs. Don’t let space, or in this case, the lack thereof, prohibit you from eating fresh from the garden.


About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Podcast Episode #90: Vertical Gardening

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Short on space?  Try vertical gardening.  Listen in as Mike talks about some creative ways to maximize your limited area.  For information on vertical gardening, be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club: