Sugar baby watermelon in container?

Assuming it was only one strong plant and it was a large container, what's the chances that I'll actually get some watermelons? Tamara

I grow melons in a type of container called www.earthbox.com but my climate is much longer than yours. If you are referring to a large clay pot I'd give it a try!

Well, it can't hurt to try. These are ready to pick 75 days after germination, so if I start them around April 15 (indoors), I will hopefully get something. Tamara

zone5girl, I've grown many a Sugar Baby! Love 'em!

If you grow them in a container you'll need one that is approx 2 ft deep as they need a good root system. If you like, you can make a trellis and train the vine up the trellis, eventually supporting the fruit with a "sling" made of old panty hose or mesh of some kind.

Wishing you a good harvest!

Shoe

Thanks, Shoe! Hopefully I'll have more luck than I did with my pumpkins last summer...I didn't get a single one!
:-P Tamara

Shoe --- Thanks for the great idea of growing Sugar Babies on a trellis? I've done it with honeydew but never thought of trying it with small melons! Now I'll be able to set out another variety for my EBs.

In lieu of a trellis, do you think a wooden tripod would work? How do you do the sling? Tamara

It would have to be about five feet tall as the vines spread out and you will have to string the tripod so they can climb. I grow my melons against a four foot chain link fence plus a trellis for additional support but never thought of Sugar Babys...

The poles I have are about 6'. I used them last year for tomatoes and cukes. I did that thing where you loop some twine around a pole, then go to the next one and do it again, eventually working your way to the top. I would have to train the watermelon to corkscrew up. Guess I'll do some research online to see if others have done this and had success. Tamara

I would love to see some actual photos of the watermelons on a trellis. Did folks end up actually having several melons per vine or only 1 or 2 ?

Here's some photos and kind of a "how to" making the mesh tie ups from NC State University.

http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wmelon/wmhndbk/wmfruitsupport.html

Not sure why it's not directing to the site, but just cut and paste and the link is good :)

Dea

Ou r vegetable queen in the Master Gardening program grew a bunch of Sugar Babies seccessfully last year in a half whisky barrel....no trellis just let the fruits drape over the side.

carol

Thanks, Carol! I was wondering if I could do that, and now I will! Tamara