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How to Plant Watermelons in a Big Pot
How to Plant Watermelons in a Big Pot. Growing watermelons is not just something for those that have plots of land to till. You can grow watermelons in a big pot and enjoy this sweet melon no matter where you live. Growing watermelons or any vegetables in a pot requires a little more care. The key is to have a pot that is large enough for the roots...
Growing watermelons is not just something for those that have plots of land to till. You can grow watermelons in a big pot and enjoy this sweet melon no matter where you live. Growing watermelons or any vegetables in a pot requires a little more care. The key is to have a pot that is large enough for the roots of the mature watermelon plants. Many people use the wooden half barrels that are available at home improvement centers. You can also purchase watermelon seeds there, or at most nurseries.
Things You'll Need
Wooden half barrel or 18-inch pot
Drill
7/16-inch drill bit
Pea gravel
Organic vegetable soil
Watermelon seeds
Water soluble fertilizer
Drill holes in the bottom of your container if there are none; they're necessary to allow the excess water to drain. Drill holes with a 7/16-inch drill bit, one in the bottom center with several around the circumference.
Layer the bottom of the container with 2 inches of pea gravel, which will aid water drainage without losing soil through the drainage holes.
Fill the container with an organic vegetable soil to within 2 inches of the rim. Pour more soil on top to form a mound, just as if you were building a planting mound in a standard garden. The center top of the mound should be level with the container rim with the sides just below the rim.
Make three holes 1-inch deep with your finger. Place a single seed into each hole and cover the seeds with soil. Water until the soil is thoroughly wet but not saturated like a sponge.
Remove the weaker one of the three seedlings when the plants are 3 inches tall. The two healthy watermelon plants will fertilize each other, which will bring you a bountiful harvest.
Keep watering the watermelon plants to keep the soil moist without it feeling spongy. Plants growing in pots need more water than an average garden plot plant. The soil in pots dries out quickly, and the plant roots have nowhere else to draw water from.
Fertilize the watermelon plants with a water soluble vegetable fertilizer available at nurseries and home improvement centers. Use the fertilizer once every three weeks.
Tips & Warnings
Watermelons are part of the cucurbit family, which also includes cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and gourds
