How To Grow Your Own Square Melons

How To Grow Your Own Square Melons FARM HOME Food It seems like every year there’s a news story about how the Japanese grow square watermelons because they take up less space in a refrigerator This year we decided to look into how they do it It turns out Japanese producers simply place growing watermelons inside tempered glass cases and sell them for up to $125 But Do-it-yourselfer’s can make their own cases with six 8-in squares of 3/8-in plexiglass four gate hinges two hinged clasps and flathead machine screws with hex nuts If you use thinner plastic beef up the corners with angle iron or aluminum angle One square needs a 1-in hole drilled in the center and a slit cut to one edge for the melon’s stem Drill pilot holes and attach the hinges and clasps on the top and bottom squares with the machine screws/hex nuts When the melon is small slip it into the box and as it grows it will take the square shape FARM SHOW readers may prefer a simpler option described in The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids Volume 2 It suggests hanging a small melon one that grows to 5 to 15 lbs into one of the holes in a rectangular cement block When the melon is ripe and snugly fills the inside of the cement block hole break the block and remove the melon

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