The Melon Bag

We keep coming up with new ways to use our Grow Bags. Sarah, our display garden manager, wanted to try growing melons in the Potato Bag. Melons love heat, and she thought the black fabric of the bag would warm the soil.

July 13: A melon ripens in the Potato Grow Bag.

We keep coming up with new ways to use our Grow Bags. Sarah, our display garden manager, wanted to try growing melons in the Potato Bag.

Melons love heat, and she thought the black fabric of the bag would warm the soil. To make it even more cozy, she added a Tomato Teepee, which has insulating, water-filled cells. A Tomato Ladder provides support for the growing vine. The best part is, you put the whole thing together at planting time and leave it in place throughout the season. Old stockings can be used to create slings to support the ripening melons.

So far, the experiment has been a success. We already have one large melon ripening on the vine, with others on the way. Because melons do best with regular watering and good drainage, it’s important to monitor moisture levels. Don’t let the pot dry out.

Any kind of melon would work, though small varieties — such as charentais — would be more suitable. Next year, we’d like to try a small watermelon.