planting melons in a 6' x 5' plot?

14 years ago

There were some watermelon and cantaloupe seeds that were 0.33 per packet, so I figured I had nothing to lose.

Unfortunately I didn't realize until after I looked at the watermelon seed packet, that the variety of watermelon

is the type that can reach up to 25 pounds.

Is it possible to plant melons in a plot as small as 6' x 5'? That is only a total of 30 square feet. I would also like to plant some cantaloupes too however you have to give row spacing of 6 ft per row with the watermelons.

Is it too hot to plant cantaloupes now? What type of soil do melons like in general? I hear they like soil that's a little sandy and you have to give them lots of fertilizer cause to my knowledge, any type of melon is what's considered a "heavy feeder".

For melons, how deep should I dig the soil?

Also how far apart would you space the watermelon hills in one row? It doesn't specify this information on the seed packet; it just says to plant 6-8 seeds in a hill that's 12" in diameter, then thin to 2-3 plants per hill. Doesn't specify how far apart to space each hill in one row; essentially doesn't give the plant spacing per hill.

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Comments (2)

zuni
14 years ago
Small melons can actually be planted on a trellis or fence: just make a sling out of old pantyhose or mesh onion sacks, whatever, and make a cradle for the fruit as it starts to develop. The seed packets give you the spacing between plants. Allow the same spacing in both directions when doing vertical plantings. I suggest you cultivate deeply the first time you plant a bed, then add amendments to the top from there on.
paul_
14 years ago
Zuni's suggestion for smaller melons is a good one. Large melons like the watermelon ... well they may take up some serious ground space.

Oh and I suspect you may have waited too late to get great results from seed sown plants. (Won't help either that we've been having a really wacked out summer -- chilly then warm then chilly .... not a normal summer at all for us.) Because of our short growing season, many folks -=- if they're going to start plants from seed -- either start the plants indoors in April or do winter sowing.

Good luck!