Canteloupe in 5 gallon buckets
 

Has anyone grown cantaloupe or other melon successfully in a 5 gallon bucket? If so, was it a self watering bucket? What growing medium did you use? Fertilization? Watering frequency in the summer heat with full sun? Look forward to ideas and suggestions since I have no garden space to let the plants sprawl.

Not melons but I did butternut squash that way, under a cattle panel. It climbed up and gave more than a dozen squash by the end of the season.

5 gallon bucket, gallon milk jug buried with holes punched in the top and shoulders for the roots to reach through, neck above the soil line with a piece of pvc as a fill tube, straight compost in the bucket over some rocks, no extra ferts; fill jug when empty. Pretty simple but works great with peppers and summer squash too. I think the idea came from someone on YouTube growing strawberries that way and I just modified it.

As long as you give the vines something to climb and support the fruit with slings or ties, you should be good.

Good solution for the watering. Did the 5 gallon bucket have drain holes at the bottom or around the lower portion to allow for heavy rain to drain?

Yes, around the lower sides. When I filled the milk jug I could tell it was full because the water would be coming out of the bucket holes. This past season though, it rained so often I didn't have to fill with the hose; maybe once all season for the peppers and they performed beautifully. It's my favorite way so far to keep peppers happy.

How far down do you drill the holes on the plastic jug and what size holes?

Hubby did use a drill but I don't know what size bit; I'll see if he remembers. The holes are just scattered around the top of the jug, down to where it starts to curve; not so large that tons of dirt falls in or clogs the holes. If it isn't raining too hard tomorrow, I'll try to get a photo of one of the pepper buckets.

You could do it, but the yield might be small. Maybe try Minnesota Midget or something like that. I've done melons in 15 gallon containers.

From what I know these are pretty leafy big plants. The water requirements will be huge, so drip irrigation seems like the way to go.

Okay, here's a shot of one we used last season. It's not full enough but that will be fixed at plant out. You can see the nail used to keep the PVC from falling into the jug, and the holes at the bottom of the 5 gallon. It's crude, but effective; the peppers and squash have done really well with it the past 3 seasons and I don't see why melons would have any problems. If you do it let us know how it goes!

:)

Very well done. Is that a 1 gallon milk jug or a 1/2 gallon jug?

1 gallon jug. When you're putting them together it seems that it's too big but the plants do great.

Another question. Do you use a fert in the water filling the milk jug or a granular fert in the planting medium?

I don't use either but I'm sure you could do that successfully. There are so many ways to container grow and many of them are better than mine, I'm sure; but I like to keep things as simple and natural as I can so this is just straight compost with the soilless mix from the potted up pepper seedlings mixed in. The squash are all direct seeded into the buckets and if I was going to grow melons this way I'd direct seed those as well.

Edweather is right regarding a reduced yield, but if you need more space, vertical space, or just want to try too many varieties (my case), this is a good way to go.

Thanks for the idea & pix! I like your idea, and think I'll try a milk jug in my 10-gallon gro-bags.

The gallon jug only has holes at the shoulder (none at the bottom)? So in order for the jug to provide moisture between waterings, the plants roots must grow into the holes?

If possible, could you post a pic of the jug with its holes? (Trying to get an idea of how large/how many).

Wouldn't a gallon jug in a 5 gallon bucket take up too much valuable space leaving a minimal amount of soil?
What about something like a Global bucket design?


The less soil you have the quicker it can dry out.


If you use the grow bag, leave the jug out and place the grow bag in a drip pan.
You could use any large Tupperware or Rubbermaid container just measure up about an inch or two and drill an overflow hole.
You can then either top water or bottom water.


I do this with my indoor garden.
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I used to grow a lot in bags but only use a few now.


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I had a successful experiment last year with a five gallon bucket design. I drilled a large hole about 2.5" up from the bottom, then drilled smaller 1/2" holes around the rest of the bucket for aeration. I got a cheap plastic colander from the dollar store. I had to snip off the handle to make it fit into the bucket, but it fit nice and snug. So now I've got an easy to fill self watering container. Just run the hose into the large side hole until it runs back out. I grew peppers in it, but I have no doubt it would work for almost anything.

[QUOTE=MuddyBuckets;727539]Has anyone grown cantaloupe or other melon successfully in a 5 gallon bucket? If so, was it a self watering bucket? What growing medium did you use? Fertilization? Watering frequency in the summer heat with full sun? Look forward to ideas and suggestions since I have no garden space to let the plants sprawl.[/QUOTE]



[IMG]https://opimedia.azureedge.net/-/media/images/men/editorial/articles/online-articles/2011/02-01/build-a-self-watering-container/rooftop-garden.jpg[/IMG]

I've seen watermelons grow pretty on rooftops in 5 gallon buckets.

[QUOTE=Greatgardens;730659]Thanks for the idea & pix! I like your idea, and think I'll try a milk jug in my 10-gallon gro-bags.

The gallon jug only has holes at the shoulder (none at the bottom)? So in order for the jug to provide moisture between waterings, the plants roots must grow into the holes?

If possible, could you post a pic of the jug with its holes? (Trying to get an idea of how large/how many).[/QUOTE]




You're welcome! I can't take credit for the idea but I hope it helps some gardeners out there - for us they're simple and we already had most of the materials on hand. Nice pics SQUIBB and Scooty by the way!


Some roots will grow into the milk jug but others spread out in the bucket. Just plant somewhere over the "holes" area so they can reach it soonest. I've read container info over the years that make it seem that the roots in the water would drown, rot, and make the plants ill but I've not seen that happen in three seasons so .... ?? YMMV When you're pulling the plant you'll see roots going everywhere, it's pretty cool. Maybe it would be a problem if it was more long-term? I don't know.



It seems that grow bags would work similarly, and I think the extra volume would be even better for the plants and might allow extra yield.


The pictures below show the milk jug uncovered and then I pulled the PVC out to show that part. Really simple.

The alternative build is to double bucket.

[IMG]https://opimedia.azureedge.net/-/media/images/men/editorial/articles/online-articles/2011/02-01/build-a-self-watering-container/self-watering-container.jpg[/IMG]


[URL="https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/garden-yard/self-watering-container-ze0z11zhir"]Source.[/URL]
The jug method is simpler, but you also have less soil mass, which may or may not be good depending on what you plan to grow. The double bucket alloys you to design a bigger reservoir, though.

I did brussels sprouts last year bucket in bucket. like scooty's pic...4 gal white deli food buckets. They did so well right up until late august when they got mobbed by harlequin bugs. I use dairy pint cups (sour cream etc) for the wick. I've used a raingutter system for a few years now as well that works the same way, but a communal reservoir. The original mix I use is compost/aged horsemanure/peat/perlite. After the season I cut off the plant, cover top with leaf mulch, and leave the bucket intact until spring. When replanting in Spring, I dump the bucket into a wheelbarrow, remove roots, add compost and a couple TBSP of 10-10-10, and reset wick with peat and perlite. It has worked really well for peas, lettuce, beets, among others. I tried summer squash and got SVB just like on the ground. Cucumbers still got cucumber beetles and wilted up before really producing.

If you grow melons onto a trellis I don't see why it wouldn't produce, but the pests still get on it. I am considering doing cantaloupe myself this year on the rain gutter. When I do them on the ground I always lose half to splits from heavy rains and hidden fruit.

Last year I did peppers in the rain gutter and modified my regimen with a large amount of 10-10-10, something like 3/4 cup in a ring around the top edge - an idea from here on tomatoville...the production from that was quite astounding. They put out until November, but I haven't dumped them yet to see what the medium looks like now.

Thanks for the added pic of the jug w/holes. I think that it will work great in my 10 gal grow bags. IIRC, they are 15" wide, so there should be plenty of room. I really like the simplicity.