The Renter-Friendly Solution To No-Garden Watermelon Growing

Watermelons are beloved summer fruit, but many people avoid growing them because they're notorious for needing large amounts of space. If you're gardening in a small yard or in a rental where you only have a patio or balcony, growing your own watermelon likely seems impossible. That isn't necessarily the case, though. You can skip the digging and save space by growing your watermelons in containers.

The reason watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) generally require so much space is because their long vines can sprawl several feet from where they are planted. By growing your watermelon in a large planter and training it up a trellis, you can have delicious fruit on your balcony or patio — no massive garden or yard required! For your no-dig watermelon adventure, you'll need large planters or food-safe buckets with holes in the bottom. Don't try to fit more than one plant per 5-gallon container. You'll also need some sort of trellis for your watermelon vine to climb. While there is a wide variety of watermelon cultivars available, you should opt for a short-vining variety that produces relatively small melons. 'Sugar Baby' and 'Sweet Petite' are both good options. 

You may want to start your melon seeds indoors and transplant them into their containers once temperatures are warm and all risk of frost has passed. Giving your seeds a head start inside is especially important if you're hoping to grow watermelon in a chilly climate. Able to thrive in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 11, watermelons require fertile and well-draining soil to grow well, so it's important to use good quality potting soil, amended with gypsum, in your watermelon containers. You'll need to add additional fertilizer as your plants grow.

Make sure your container garden is in a full sun location, and water it regularly to keep the soil moist. Once the vine begins to run you'll need to have a trellis handy for it to climb. Whether you buy or DIY your trellis, it's important for it to be sturdy enough to support your watermelon plant. When the melons begin to form, they'll need some support to keep them from falling from the vine. You can use mesh produce bags for this or follow one popular hack for growing melons vertically with pantyhose. Secure your bags or stockings to the trellis, and use it like a hammock to support the heavy melons until they're ripe and ready to pick.