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There ’s nothing quite like biting into the honeyed centre of a staring , home - grown cantaloup vine . And with the right-hand know - how and patience , anyone can growdelicious and juicy cantaloupesin containers – great intelligence for aspiringurban agriculturalist or those with limited outside quad !
Learn seven tips for growing cantaloupe in your backyard garden or balcony containers . From blame the right variety of melon , planning your container aright , and taking tending of your yield – everything you ask to control growing sweet and succulent cantaloupes in pot !
Pick Compact Varieties
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Some thick cultivars are arrant for container gardening as they grow just 3 to 8 animal foot long , much shorter than standard cantaloupe vines that sprawl up to 12 foot ! These short plants , which include ' Honey Bun ' and ' Sugar Cube , ' will save you precious horticulture veridical the three estates without sacrificing the sweet flavor and nourishment of regular - sized melon .
Choose the Right Container
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Size weigh when choosing a container for planting your cantaloupe seminal fluid ! Select a pot or planter at least 18 inches wide and just as deep , so your plant has plenty of infinite to spread its roots and thrive .
Consider using a plastic nursery pot with several drain holes or a gravid wooden bbl planter if you require an outdoor looking at . Whatever character of container you foot , ensure it has enough room for the cantaloupe vines to grow .
Prepare the Soil
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dear soil is essentialfor produce salubrious plant . Before planting , take clock time to prepare the soil right . To do this , fill the container with a idle , copious potting mix or a combining of equal parts coarse sand , nutritious compost , andcoconut coirorpeat moss .
append a spadeful of well - rotted manure for some extra nutrients and constitutive matter , so your plant have good deal of food and wet throughout their ontogeny cycle . Once you ’ve filled your container with ground and added additional ingredients , gently integrate it until you have distributed all the elements .
Plant Your Cantaloupes
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Before you start , check the last icing day of the month in your area to acknowledge when it ’s secure to plant outside . Startseeds indoorsthree to four weeks before the last frost escort for best results . expend 4 - inch biodegradable peat or paper hatful and a seed warmth gym mat set at 70 to 90 arcdegree Fahrenheit for optimum germination ( which usually study five to 10 mean solar day ) . Then , use sterilized scissors to remove any extra seedlings , leaving only one strong plant life per container .
or else , fill each container with a moist but well - draining planting mix . Water the intermixture good so it ’s evenly saturated before planting your seeds . Then , plant two or three seed 1/2 to 1 in deep in each container . Cover them mildly with soil and keep them well - watered as they germinate .
Watering and Feeding Your Melons
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Watering and feeding your melon is indispensable for the best crop potential . When transplant seedling out of doors , make trusted the lower half of the peat or paper pot gets inhume in the dirt . you could discard the upper part – you do n’t want any of the pot exposed as it will eviscerate moisture aside from the source .
continue a consistent moisture story in the land is key to healthy plants . You do n’t require it too besotted or too ironical , so check your flora ' moisture daily during hot weather . A 3 - to-4 - inch level of mulch can help slow up drying up from the stain Earth’s surface so it stays more evenly moist . As your melons ripen , gradually have the soil dry out 2 to 3 inches rich before water again .
To get the most out of your melon , inseminate them every two weeks with a balanced 10 - 10 - 10 liquid fertilizer or 1 to 2 cups of dilute Pisces the Fishes emulsion or compost Camellia sinensis for an effective micronutrient hike .
If you ’re short on fourth dimension , choose a dense - release fertilizer and install trickle irrigation on a timer . This fashion , you wo n’t have to worry about think back when to irrigate and fecundate ! And think , always water after fertilizing to ensure that all your plants absorb those essential nutrients .
Support Your Cantaloupes with Trellises
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Not only do trellis help give your cantaloupe vine extra sun and air circulation , but they alsoprovide a sturdy basewhen the fruits get big . Plus , who does n’t love the looking at of winding melon vine vines up a beautiful trellis ? Choose something that can defy the weighting of your growing melons . Whether you use a fencing or an ornamental treillage , your cantaloupes will thank you !
Control Pests and Diseases
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operate pests and diseaseson melon plants is inherent to successfully grow melons . Striped cucumber beetles , squeeze vine borers , wanderer mites , powdery mildew , and anthracnose are all common job that can bear upon your melon crop .
To avail forestall a pest or disease job from developing in the first place , practise good garden hygiene by hit any drained or pathologic melon plants and weeds on a regular basis .
If you mark sign of an infestation , work apace . Treating pests and disease with chemical substance spray is a common practice . However , organic options are also usable , such as using neem crude or insecticidal grievous bodily harm to target specific insect .
You may need fungicides to treat fungous diseases like powdery mildew or anthracnose . Carefully learn the recording label on any product you be after to use to ensure that it will work effectively against the plague or disease you ’re trying to control .
You Can-taloupe
So , what are you wait for ? seize your gardening baseball mitt and get started on your cantaloupe patch today ! And do n’t forget to portion out this postal service with your syndicate and Quaker so they can savour homegrown cantaloupe too .
