Growing Watermelons

What sort of care will my watermelon require?

To develop the sweetest, most succulent flesh, watermelons require eight to 10 hours of direct sunlight daily. They prefer a soil rich in organic matter, like compost or rotted manure.

Since watermelons are 95 percent water, they also require plentiful, even regular, watering for quick growing. The soil should be kept moist until the fruit reaches full size and then watering should end until the watermelon ripens. Mulch can be used to help retain soil moisture and prevent weeds, which can steal water and nutrients from the watermelon plant and are especially harmful when the plant is still in the sprout stage.

When will I be able to harvest my watermelon?

Watermelons are ready for harvest in 80 to 90 days for baby bush varieties, and 90 to 100 days or more for the larger varieties.

Plant the seeds in hills about four feet apart. Put two to three seeds in each hill, and then mound the dirt firmly.

When the seedlings have their first true leaves, thin to the strongest plant. To avoid stressing the root system of the chosen plant, cut the seedlings to be thinned, rather than yanking them out of the ground.

Give the watermelons the most care and attention in this early stage to help them get a good start. Then you can relax, feed, and water them until harvest time.Feed watermelon early and often. Buy 5-10-10 fertilizer (or N-P-K for the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium proportions) for optimum watermelon growth.

Watermelon is a heavy feeder and needs a consistent source of water. Water at the base of the plant for at least one-half hour daily while plants are maturing. Once they set fruit, water as needed.

As the vines begin to mature and wander, train them to run the length of the garden, horizontally, in opposite directions.

If space is tight, the vines can be trained to run up a garden trellis, but they will need to tied and the fruit well-supported.

Check the leaves daily for any signs of common watermelon growing problems such as fusarium wilt or striped cucumber beetles.

 

Bush variety watermelons mature quickly in about 80 to 90 days. A popular watermelon myth is that thumping the melon is a good way to gauge ripeness.

A better way of determining this is by the color of the underside of the melon. When it turns yellow, and the green surface dulls, the melon is ripe.

Test the rind with the tip of a thumbnail; if it resists the pressure, pick it and eat.