Harvesting hundreds of melons from styrofoam boxes and plastic pots on a rooftop

Every summer, Minh Thua, a resident of Hoa Binh ward, harvests hundreds of melons grown in styrofoam boxes and plastic pots on her 80 square meter rooftop.

After celebrating Tet 2026, Huynh Thi Minh Thua, 43, a dentist in Hoa Binh ward, began her third melon growing season on her rooftop.

She germinates seeds in a self-mixed growing medium within plastic cups, watering them twice daily. Once the seedlings develop cotyledons, she transplants them.

Styrofoam boxes are drilled with two holes at the bottom for drainage. The growing medium, consisting of soil, fertilizer, rice hulls, and coconut coir, is mixed and sealed for 10 days before planting. When pests or diseases are detected, she treats them with biological products.

The rooftop garden is divided into three main areas, including: netted melons, watermelons, cantaloupes, and muskmelons. Currently, the garden features 6 types of melons, with about 150 plants, equipped with an automatic irrigation system.

For the watermelon section, the gardener uses dozens of bamboo trays to support the ripening fruit.

The Huynh Long netted melon area has about 50 plants. Thua grows about three plants per box. From the 9th to 15th leaf stage, she prunes side shoots, selects fruits, keeping only the best ones, and then bags them to deter insects. This is a critical stage requiring consistent nutrient supplementation to nourish the fruits.

After pollination and fruit set, proper fertilization is essential for fruit development. Fertilizers must be diluted and tailored to the specific characteristics of each melon type.

These days, with TP HCM experiencing temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius, Thua mixes the water from one coconut with about 15 liters of water, thoroughly watering the plants in the evening to help them cool down.

Currently, the largest melon weighs about 2.5 kg, with others averaging 2 kg. Thua's melon garden is expected to be harvested by late May.

The garden owner noted that netted melons are the most challenging to grow due to their sensitive root system, which is prone to bacterial wilt. The plants also have weak resistance, making them primary targets for thrips and red mites that transmit harmful viruses, requiring careful monitoring and biological pest control.

When ripe, Huynh Long netted melons turn yellow, with a fine, elongated netting pattern and orange-yellow flesh. This variety is known for its delicate sweetness, crisp juiciness, aroma, and rich nutritional content, typically weighing from over 1 kg to 2 kg per fruit.