The area I chose for my melons was grassed and would have been a lot of hard work to prepare the ground to avoid weeds and grass from choking out the melons plus, melons are prone to disease and don't like their leaves/vines getting constantly wet with hosing, so l decided to grow them up on a trellis.
Another consideration was I didn't want it to cost a fortune buying large pots, etc so I used what I had to hand. I am creating a self sufficient food garden quickly and the costs mount up if you don't become innovative.
Firstly, I cut 6 x packing boxes (left over from my move) in half height wise and folded the flaps back on the inside walls to strength and leaving the bottom open. This gave me 12 containers with one melon in each and a total ground space of just over two square metres used for twelve melon plants (6 each watermelon and canteloupe). Now that is great use of space. The trellis was made from star pickets and dog wire fencing which I got for free and I used a combination of my home made compost and potting mix, fertilised with compost tea and companion planted with bush beans from the seeds of my last crop.
For aesthetics and sturdiness, I wrapped the boxes in chicken wire and stuffed straw in to deflect that they were cardboard boxes but the hay keeps slipping down so l now have the rustic look LOL. This week, I will plant marigolds, nasturtiums and some herbs (which I have grown from seed in pots) in the ground at the base of the boxes for pest deterrents and to look prettier and I will purchase cheap pantyhose (KMart 6 pairs $5) to cut up and use as slings to hold the weight of the fruit against the trellis.
Next year the cardboard will have composted away and any still left will go into my regular compost pile, the wire will be removed and I will be left with a raised bed which was created with very little effort or time.
Well, I'm astounded at the growth of the watermelons. The cantaloupe are a little slower but all are extremely healthy and in not much time at all, a lot of fruit is forming and I'm looking forward to harvest time.
Gardening doesn't have to be hard or expensive if you have a little imagination.
Thank you
Happy gardening