Can Sleeping Beauty Melons Grow in a Hanging Basket?

About the Plant

• Sleeping Beauty melons were bred in the 1990s for smaller gardens. The fruit looks like a miniature cantaloupe and has sweet orange flesh similar to its larger cousin. However, the plant grows in a compact bush form rather than with the long sprawling vines of most melons. With the right conditions, Sleeping Beauty melons will produce several small melons during the growing season.

Where to Plant

• The Sleeping Beauty was specifically developed for people who grow their fruits and vegetables in raised beds. The compact form of this plant keeps it from crowding other plants and contains the plant to a confined area. While most melons will not do well in a container because of their long roots, Sleeping Beauty melons can be grown in containers that are at least 10 inches deep and 14 inches in diameter.

Not for Hanging Baskets

• Although the fruit of the Sleeping Beauty melon is small, the weight of several 1/2- to 1- lb. fruits, the soil, water and the plant in a large enough container is too much for a standard hanging basket. Not only would the wall bracket have to support a great deal of weight, but the point where the chains attach to the basket would be put under a heavy weight stress and could tear or break. The weight of the fruit could also snap the hanging stems. It's best to keep your Sleeping Beauty melons in a container on the patio or in a raised bed.

Care and Conditions

• Although more compact than typical melons, Sleeping Beauty will climb. For best growth, place a small trellis near your plant and let it climb up. This also saves horizontal space in a small garden. Grow the melon in full sun and feed when the plants starts to bloom and again when fruit starts to develop with a fertilizer specifically intended for fruits and vegetables. Container-grown plants can't extend their roots to find more water when the soil gets dry, so water your melon plants regularly. If the leaves are still wilted after the hottest time of the day, it's time to water.