skip to main content

Vegetable Gardening

melon in a 2x4 bed... where should I plant it?

9 years ago

Ok... I haven't grown melons since I was a teenager and I can't remember how they vine out.... I am growing one watermelon plant and one cantelope (I know not that much but I like to start with one plant b/c its only me and my 4 year old eating them and we don't need that much).

I have two 2x 4 bed one each for a escorial and watermelon... should I plant them at the northern most end and let them vine toward the south... or plant them in the middle and let them vine in both directions.

(I figure if there is extra space I'll do some radishes or something quick while the vines are growing)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

ltilton
9 years ago
You need to figure what you'll do with your vines when they outgrow their beds - as they surely will if they thrive.
digdirt2
9 years ago
In a 2 foot wide bed they are going to vine out into the yard around the bed no matter which place you plant them so put them in the bed next to where they can roam the most without creating problems for you.

Same holds for a 4' long bed - it makes no difference where you plant them - a bed that small won't contain them either way. Even a 4'x4' bed or a 4'x6' bed couldn't contain them. So plant them anyplace in the bed but prepared for all the roaming vines outside it.

Dave
Related Discussions
Bought some Small Lantana Camera ..where should I Plant?
Q
Comments (10)
I love lantana, too. I usually keep mine in pots or hanging baskets because of the winter cold. I rarely have it come back unless it's on the west side of the house. When I go off the mountain and down into the warmer So.Cal. zones I can find it growing like a tall shrub. There is a center median on a street near Loma Linda Hospital where it is huge and in bloom nearly year round. Gorgeous oranges, pinks and purples - always makes me want some skittles after I see it. ; ) I hope yours grows well for you. It really is a nice cottage plant. Diana
...See More
Should I give up on radishes and plant melons/cucumbers?
Q
Comments (5)
I planted 16 seeds per square. No thinning. All were planted 3" apart which corresponds to the seed packet requirement. I checked them again tonight. The leaves are still small on a few of them. I poked around a few of the larger ones and didn't find any radishes. I pulled one and saw the red root was less than 2" long and thin. These are Pink Beauty, an early variety that should mature in less than 30 days. Going to pull them and plant something else. Also going to try and plant them in the ground and see if it makes a difference.
...See More
My daughter’s 2x4’ Cedar planter
Q
Comments (4)
Here’s an updated photo of how it looks now. Her lettuce is growing so fast, we can barely keep up eating it! And everything else is growing well. We may have been a bit too ambitious with how much we planted but it’s a good experiment in intensive gardening. Here is what is in the bed from left to right: - radishes, we just planted more seeds as the last ones bolted in the heat we are having - corn - drying beans - carrots - peas - bell pepper - cucumber - tomato - green onion - lettuce I’ve started writing an ebook that goes through the full construction process of the bed/planter which I hope to have for sale by next month.
...See More
Should I get rid of plant beds around my house?
Q
Comments (6)
As recommended learn about taking care of your yard from the local agricultural agent or equivalent. What works in Texas may not work in your area. As for ants. Any active natural environment will have bugs, frogs, snakes, and many different types of animals insects, and birds. We did not know we had opossums, foxes, and coyotes until we got our trail camera. We have a butterfly garden so we have several types of caterpillars. If the ants get to be a problem go down to the Lowes and buy a bag of insecticide and apply in the area where they area a problem.
...See More
Prachi
Original Author
9 years ago
Its fine if they grow outside the bed... I have wide aisles so thats not a problem.

I think at the end of the day I am going to have to start experimenting with vertical trellising these melons... my kids really have been asking for several season for them. Maybe I'll try trellising them in one corner and see if I can keep up. Thanks folks...

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Summer Crops: How to Grow Melons

By Marianne Lipanovich

Drink in the refreshing sweetness of melons from your own garden this summer — they can last well into fall too

HOMES AROUND THE WORLD World of Design: 11 Book Lovers and Where They Like to Read

Bibliophiles across the globe reveal their top books and favorite reading spots, from a 2-story library to an artfully curated book nook

LIFE Houzz Call: Where (and What) Are You Reading This Summer?

By Stacy Briscoe

Whether you favor contemporary, classic or beach reads, do the long and lazy days of summer bring out the lit lover in you?

EDIBLE GARDENS Houzz Call: Where Are the Craziest Places You Grow Edibles?

By Annie Thornton

Basil in a bathtub, spinach stacked up a wall ... If your edibles occupy an odd spot, we’d like to know

EXTERIORS Where Front Yards Collide: Property Lines in Pictures

By Mitchell Parker

Some could be twins; others channel the Odd Couple. You may never look at property boundaries the same way again

GROUND COVERS Native Alternatives to English Ivy, Japanese Pachysandra and Periwinkle

By Curtis Adams

These shade-loving ground covers are good for the environment and say something about where you are

SMALL SPACES Downsizing Help: Where to Put Your Overnight Guests

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Lack of space needn’t mean lack of visitors, thanks to sleep sofas, trundle beds and imaginative sleeping options

LIFE What You’re Reading This Summer — and Where

By Stacy Briscoe

Check out Houzzers’ summer reading lists and get some ideas for your own!

HOLIDAYS Guys, Where Do You Feel Most at Home?

By Erin Carlyle

For Father’s Day, we’d like to hear from the men. What part of your house makes you feel most like yourself — grounded and alive?

THE ART OF ARCHITECTURE How to Make Your House Feel at Home Where It Is

By Rebecca Naughtin Architect

Take cues from nature for placement, materials, shapes and patterns, for a house that sits well in its surroundings

Sponsored

More Discussions

gave my garlic a haircut today

8

I'm completely devastated

28

Hardening seeding temperatures

17

What are rabbits favorite veggies?

11

Al's Potting Mix-pine bark fines

4