Watermelon bins for South Jersey melon growers
South Jersey melon growers use octagon watermelon bins on a 48 x 40 footprint, and the bins need to be on the farm before the first pick, not the week of it.
The bin a melon needs
Watermelons are heavy, round and slippery, and a bin full of them pushes outward on every wall. A plain four-sided box bulges. An octagon spreads that push over eight walls, which is why the watermelon bin is an octabin: an eight-sided gaylord, usually 5-wall or heavy triple wall, on a 48 x 40 footprint.
Cantaloupes and squash ride in the same bins. A common inside size is 46 x 38 x 36 inches, and one maker lists a 1,300 lb test triple-wall octagon with a listed capacity of 2,200 lb that weighs 29 lb empty. Those figures are one maker's; the bin you buy will carry its own rating.
Bins here are sold as watermelon bins, melon bins, produce bins or cantaloupe bins. They are the same family. What changes is the construction, whether the bottom is ventilated, and whether the bin ships flat or assembled.
Timing, the part growers worry about
The calendar sets the order. Bins have to reach the farm before the first pick, with enough time to set them up, line them if needed and stage them in the field or shed. A grower who orders the week of the first pick finds out how long a box takes to get anywhere.
The Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction, founded in 1931 and owned in 2010 by 160 growers from six South Jersey counties, sells up to 60 commodities from April through Thanksgiving, watermelons and squash among them. Its loading docks cover 140,000 square feet. A season that long means bins cycle again and again between field, shed, truck and auction block.
Used bins on a farm
| Grade | What you see | On the farm |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A | Used once, dry, clean | Full season of picking trips |
| Grade B | Scuffs, old print, no weak spots | Field staging and truck loads |
| Grade C | Creased, taped repair | One-way carry to a nearby shed, not stacked |
| Recycle only | Wet, torn or crushed | The baler |
A grower asked once how many trips a bin makes in a season. The honest answer is that it depends on handling and weather, which is why the ticket lets you set the number yourself and labels it an estimate.
Before the season, a checklist
- Count the loads you expect and add a spare share for damage.
- Decide on partial or full bottoms; melons usually ride on partial bottoms on a pallet.
- Choose liners if the bin will carry something that sweats.
- Plan where empties will live between picks: dry, covered, off the ground.
- Set a need-by date ahead of the first pick and tell us on the form.
Questions a grower should ask a box seller
- Is the box an octagon, and what is its listed capacity? Melons are heavy, and the strongest rating you can find is not too strong.
- Is the bottom full flap or partial, and will the box sit on a pallet or on a slip sheet?
- Is there a lid, and does it take a stack of three?
- Was the box ever wet? Damp corrugated does not recover.
- Can the seller deliver before the first picking, not during it?
Questions people ask
What bins do watermelon growers use?
Octagonal gaylords, usually 5-wall, on a 48 x 40 footprint.
How early should I order?
Before the first pick. Tell us your need-by date on the form.
Can I buy used watermelon bins?
Yes, by grade. Dry, clean Grade A bins are the best fit.
Next door
| Place | Some of its ZIPs | Industries |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County, New Jersey | 08360, 08361, 08362 | vegetable and melon farming, produce auction and packing, glass manufacturing, food processing |
| Gloucester County, New Jersey | 08085, 08066, 08027 | petroleum refining, food distribution, cold storage, logistics, farming |
Sources
- The Inquirer on the Vineland auction, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Container Exchanger: the gaylord box guide, last reviewed November 11, 2026
- Uline 46 x 38 x 36 octagon bulk bin, last reviewed November 11, 2026
Ask for boxes
Say which style and bottom you need, how many, and when. We reply by email.
Prefer email? Write to info@phillygaylords.com.