Any tips for watermelon newbie?

OK, this isn't a vegetable, but I thought this would be an appropriate forum for the question.

I am really new to growing melons and have a few questions. I would like to grow some melons this year, but space at my house is aty a premium. I have heard you can grow these in containers, but am not sure I want to do that.

How much space Could I expect two or three vines of a small variety (Golden Midget) to take up?

There is a spot on the isde of my house that would be perfect, but it only gets maybe 4-5 hours of direct sunlight (west facing wall) and it is blazing hot when it hits. Would this be too little light/too much heat for most melons?

If anybody has tips for this foray I would be very appreciative
Thank you

That is a tough one. Just going out to put in 200 hills of watermelon. I have never tried but would not expect watermelon to do well in a container. The feeder roots extend the lenght of the vines so they take a lot of horizontal space. Golden midget is very small, vine as well as melon. I have grown New Hampshire Midgets and Bush Fordhook in a five foot by 5 foot space. I don't think you will get away with much less than that. Watermelons need sun light especially morning sun, heat doesn't bother them much. They also prefer a sandy soil.

Farmerdill, I'm coming to YOUR place at harvest time! Yummy!

Shane, I've grown some of the ice box types (Sugar Baby) up a fence before and they did okay. They'll need a good amount of moisture being up in the air like that tho, and you'll need to make a sling (t-shirt, pantyhose) to cradle the melons in to hold them to the fence. It's a great sight to see!

I had some ice box size melons growing on the fence last year. Too bad they were on the outside of the fence, as dang teenage boys picked them all! And they were not ripe, they picked them to be doing something. Kids!

Thanks for the tips. I have decided to "allocate" some more land in the backyard for this year's garden as well as try to grow them on a fence

I'm going to try watermelon in an earthbox in two weeks. I'll be in our new home by then. Thought I'd try honeydew also. This is my first time growing them so any advice would be appreciated. Can't wait! I'm going to have a FULL SUN GARDEN at last.

Hi everyone,
From what I have been told watermelon and cantaloupe's really like very sandy soil. So, I am planting my garden and dividing it with 2x4's turned upright to get the highest part of the wood.. In the boxes where I will be planting watermelons, I am dumping a whole bag of sand, and will do the same in the box with the cantaloupe's. My Grandpa always done that and his melons were always so good, and I think it helps with the bottoms not getting too moist. I do not really know what or why it has always seemed to work, I just know that it does. So, wherever you plant them. I would add alot of sand and I do not know about cointainers, unless you plan on having a very strong trellis, w/ a strong way of holding the fruit once it does start to make. And, I would fertilize it good w/ miracle grow, or 10-10-10. which is my old timey favorite. Do you not have much of a yard to plant them?

Good Luck!
Traci S