Container Gardening

Growing Cantaloupes in Containers - Here are my tips

What type of cantaloupe should I choose?

Just about any variety of cantaloupe can be grown in a container, as long as the container is large enough,enough space for the vines to trail and the fruit to grow. You can even grow some of the jumbo varieties provided that you have space. With smaller spaces as most of us container gardeners are, choosing a short vining and small fruited type would be a good bet.

You may also want a variety which produces early if your growing season is short. Be sure to choose one which you think you will enjoy eating!  It makes the work worth your while when you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Picking a good spot for your Fruit Tree

When growing a fruit tree, choosing the right place to plant it is very important. You have to consider how close it is to a building, electric line, side walk, or any other thing that might disrupt its growth. Once you plant a fruit tree, the chances of unearthing it and changing its spot without killing it are very slim.
 
Therefore you must always be sure you know which size fruit tree you have (dwarf, semi dwarf, or standard) and how big it will end up once it's an adult. Dwarf trees need an area with an eight-foot diameter to grow. Semi-dwarf fruit trees can grow up to fifteen feet wide. Standard fruit trees can grow as wide as thirty feet. To keep the size of your fruit tree at whatever level is best for you, be sure to prune them at least once a year.
 
In addition to this, you have to consider whether or not it will be the sunlight it needs to survive. You also have to be sure it doesn't get too much sunlight. If your tree doesn't get just the right amount of sun, it will die.
 
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Be sure that you do not plant it where the sunlight will be blocked by something. Make sure that it won't be hit by the sun the whole day. Either of these can be fatal to the tree.
 
An important thing to keep in mind when choosing a spot for your tree is whether your spot will be convenient for watering, harvesting, and pruning. A place that would not be good to plant a fruit tree is close to your house or your fence. Any of these things could get in the way of you harvesting and pruning. If your tree grows over your fence the fruit could drop into your neighbor's yard, just keep that in mind since your neighbor may not like this.
 
Be sure to plant your tree where it will be easy to water; if you already have a sprinkler system in your yard you could put your tree where the sprinkler could reach it. If you do not have a sprinkler system installed, you should put the tree within reach of your hose.
 
One of the most important things of all to keep in mind when planting a fruit tree is whether or not your soil in your yard is suitable for your tree. You have to make sure that is has enough nutrients, it has enough moisture, you need proper water drainage so the tree doesn't drown. If your soil doesn't have these traits then your tree won't grow very well or produce good fruit. You can always alter your soil to be more suitable for your tree.
 
You can find out what kind of soil you have by taking a sample and taking it to a lab. It may be expensive, but they can test it for what nutrients it has the most of. You'll have the results back in a couple of days. If your soil is low in nutrients, you can go to your local nursery, or any other store with gardening supplies, and get fertilizer.
 
After you have checked on all of these things, you are finally ready to go and choose what kind of fruit tree you want. When you are choosing your tree keep in mind the spot you picked, and buy the tree that would do best in that spot. The worst thing that can possibly happen is devoting time and money to growing a tree, only to end up having to remove it because of poor planning.

Happy Gardening !

How to Grow Fruit Trees Indoors

Planting Your Fruit Tree

Purchase a dwarf fruit tree. They can be found at your local nursery or ordered online.

Place a layer of stones or broken pottery at the bottom of a 10 to 15 gallon container. This will allow the water to drain.

If you purchased a bare root tree, you may want to cutoff 1 to 2 inches of the outer rootball (known as root pruning). You will also want to remove any dead branches and any branches that are growing below the graft union (diagonal scar) on regular dwarf trees.

Plant the rootball in the container using a light, airy potting soil with perlite. Add enough soil so that the root ball is covered and that there is enough soil on the sides of the pot to allow the tree to absorb water. Do not pack down the soil.

Water and place in a bright, sunny room away from drafts.

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Caring for Your Fruit Tree

Water your tree regularly, but allow it to dry between waterings. It is time to water when the soil is dry at least 2 to 3 inches below the surface. If the leaves turn yellow, your tree is being over watered or is not draining properly.

Fertilize your tree at least once a month with a mixture of manganese, iron and zinc.

You will need to pollinate your tree (unless you have bees inside your home). This is done by brushing the stamens of open blossoms with a paint brush. Do not rinse or tap the brush between blossoms.

You can prune your indoor citrus trees at any time of the year. Remove any criss-crossing branches and branches that are growing below where branching is desired. Also remove any branches that are growing below the graft union.

You may want to occasionally root prune your tree. This is done by trimming one to two inches off the root ball and then replanting it with fresh soil.

Watch your trees carefully for pests. Citrus trees are known to get spider mites, mealy bugs and scale.

Enjoy your tree. Not only will you have a great conversation piece, you will also have fresh fruit.