Watermelon production requires a long and warm growing season. Watermelons are not hard to grow as long as they get enough sun light and warm temperatures above 70 degrees f. Rake a 1inch layer of mulch around the watermelon plants. Sow seeds 14 deep in flats or small pots, sowing 3 seeds per pot. Care watermelons need a warm, sunny, welldrained growing area.
Watermelon farming, cultivation information guide agri. Oct 11, 2017 other ways to make a watermelon sweeter. Offflavor or oddshaped fruit is generally caused by growing conditions and not crosspollination. Fill a container or tray with the moistened germination mix and plant seeds. A watermelon takes between 70 and 85 days to grow from seed to maturity, depending on the variety. If you have heavy clay soil, definitely raise the bed. In this video, i share 3 tips so you can successfully grow watermelon in containe. Watermelons are easy to grow from seed and require only basic care to thrive and bear fruit. Enjoy fresh, juicy, sweet fruit from the garden by growing watermelons citrullus lanatus. Transplant or direct seed watermelon only when the average soil and daytime air temperatures are at least 70f 21c. Watermelon grows in all parts of the usda planting zones when.
To help you with growing watermelon, our comprehensive guide gives you all the details about planting, harvesting, companion plants and pests to look out for, so you can grow your own fond memories. Watermelons can be grown on any welldrained soil throughout georgia but are particularly well adapted to the coastal plain soils of south georgia. Not only do most watermelon plants grow large fruit, but they also need a lot of space for their vines. Although watermelon requires a long growing season, if you start this sprawling plant early enough in the year. But for some reason, there is something so neat about growing watermelons.
Watermelons grow rapidly and require plenty of water, so it is recommended that you go with a 5gallon or larger size container. Learn which watermelon varieties are the best and how to plant them. Do not grow watermelon unprotected where nighttime air temperatures fall below 60f 16c. If youre growing it on a balcony or on a roof garden where space is tight, growing watermelon vertically on a trellis is a solution. This is to avoid the watermelon growing size wrenches that will put a strain on the stem and mean that the melon will come away from the plant. Watermelons will not cross with cantaloupes, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash or cushaws. How to grow watermelons successfully home guides sf gate. A mound or ridge is free draining melons dont like wet feet. Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest watermelon with this growing guide from the old farmers almanac. The following article details about growing watermelon. Keep the mulch 4 inches away from the plants center. They are members of the cucurbit family, which also includes pumpkins, other types of melons, squash, gourds, and cucumbers. Soil should be 70 degrees f or warmer at planting time.
Watermelon is a warmseason crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. How to grow watermelon in containers gardening ideas. Aug 28, 2016 growing watermelon in the backyard duration. Watermelons will continue to be an important part of vegetable production in the state. Watermelon plants like a long, warm growing season. Increases in average yield per acre will continue as more growers adopt. Growing watermelons, a summertime treat the spruce. When growing watermelon in containers, youll need to water the plant every day and sometimes twice in a warm day. Sow 8 to 10 watermelon seeds in a hill, and push seeds 1 inch into the soil. Growing noni fruit, cultivation practices, planting.
Growing watermelon seedlings fill clean containers with a germination soil mix. Jun 27, 2019 here are some of the useful tips that will make it easy to ensure the healthy growth of watermelons in containers. Commercial watermelon production uga cooperative extension. Amend the planting area with compost and wellrotted manure. How to grow sugar baby watermelon guide to growing sugar. The soil must be moist, but water should not be left on the surface for a long time. Just before or as soon as the vines begin to run, a second application of nitrogen is advisable. Germination mixes are mostly composed of peat moss and are very dry to the touch.
Some vines can travel as far as 20 feet from a plant. Planting watermelon on hills or mounds ensures that roots stay warm and that the soil is well drained. Amend soil with organic matter such as compost or composted cow manure. Everything you need to know about growing watermelons is here. Smallvined icebox varieties can be spaced closer together, using 23 feet between hills in rows 56 feet apart. Temperatures above 35c or below 10c will slow the growth and maturation of the crop. Trellis should be minimum 4 feet tall and sturdy enough to carry the weight of melons. Plant the seeds one inch deep in three groups of three or four seeds. You need to exert proactive efforts in growing the fruit so that it will end up being sweet. Even today, in semidesert districts of africa watermelons are cultivated as an important source of water during dry periods.
How to be a profitable watermelon farmer the ultimate. Yields of 20,000 to 40,000 pounds per acre are common. Tips for growing watermelon in gardens gardening know how. Once the fruits start to swell up and mature, reduce the watering. If you stay in warmer climates, you can direct sow seeds outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70 degrees to avoid poor germination. A single watermelon vine can easily grow 8 to 10 feet, so make sure you have a wide area for them to sprawl. If the air temperature dips, protect watermelons with floating row covers.
Watermelons can be grown successfully in containers, flower pots and grow bags if they are provided with key elements they require. Growing watermelon in a container 3 tips for success. Watermelons grow best on sandy loam soils, with good drainage and a. To help you out, here are 6 expert tips for growing watermelon. Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet, the water must drain freely from the bottom. Watermelon is frost sensitive and are monoecious both male and female flowers are produced on the same plant. Watermelon farming in kenya is a profitable business, that can pay off in the shortest terms. Watermelons require a lot of room and are not well adapted to small backyard gardens. This makes it important for the pot to have drainage walls. Lighttextured fields warm up faster in the spring and are therefore favoured for. E995 oklahomans guide to growing fruits, nuts, and. Thisismygarden 8421 views crimson, gardening tips, growing watermelon, vegetable gardening nothing quite says summertime like biting into a crisp, ripe slice of watermelon. If youve been avoiding growing watermelons because your garden is too small, wait no longer.
Watermelon fertilizer schedule tips for watermelon feeding. Melon growing problems and solutions harvest to table. To provide a guideline on production of watermelon. How to grow watermelons complete growing guide youtube. Growing watermelon in containers how to grow watermelon in. Give plants a fabulous start to the growing season by improving native soil with several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. Sandy loam soils are preferred for growing watermelons because sandy soils generally warm faster in the spring, are easier to plant and cultivate and allow deep root penetration watermelon is one of the deepest rooted of all vegetables. Dont plant when the ground has snow because even the so called hybrid varieties wont be able to tolerate the extreme cold. Today, watermelon is cultivated all over the world on all five continents.
Support for your watermelon can come in the form of either a trellis or a teepee. Watermelon offers a tasty dose of vitamin c and antioxidants in a low calorie package. Sep 21, 2017 a watermelon takes between 70 and 85 days to grow from seed to maturity, depending on the variety. Indoor starting as they require a long growing season, watermelons are best started indoors approximately 34 weeks prior to the last frost of the season. Watermelon, citrullus lanatus, is part of the cucurbitaceae family and is thought to have originated in. The purpose of this guide is to assist farmers in growing high quality watermelons which do not contain excessive pesticide residues. Jun 27, 2015 everything you need to know about growing watermelons is here. How to grow watermelon guide to growing watermelon. In midsummer, pinch the growing ends off all shoots to help concentrate energy into the fruits. Watermelons grow best on sandy loam soils, with good. In the ground and in containers tips and tricks duration. Pull any weeds growing from the soil surrounding the watermelon plants. Watermelon was widely distributed throughout the remainder of the world by african slaves and european colonists.
Watermelon varieties readily cross with each other and with the wild citron. Commercial watermelon production university of georgia. The chapters in this publication represent the latest information available on successful watermelon production. Regular watering is one of the most important for the health of your watermelon. Often grown in widely spaced enriched hills, or in wellaged compost heaps that include some soil. Honeybees must pollinate the watermelon blossom for fruit to be produced.
With these tips you will have watermelon plants that will produce lots of delicious fruits. Growing watermelons in containers is an excellent way for a gardener with limited space to grow these refreshing fruits. There are many delicious varieties of melon that all require similar conditions for planting and growing, including watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe and muskmelon. Watermelon fertilizer schedule tips for watermelon feeding in. In this case, the assumption is that you are planting watermelon in your garden. Watermelon citrullus vulgaris is a vining, annual plant with branching tendrils. In this section, we will break down other things that you can do for a sweeter fruit.
Watermelons need five things to grow and produce fruit. It contains carbohydrates 5mg, calcium 8mg, phosphorous 9 mg, ascorbic acid 8 mg and vitamins 0. Understanding how to grow watermelon in containers successfully just requires a little bit of knowledge. If youre growing in rows, space 6 feet by 6 feet apart.
One of the better tips for growing watermelon plants in the north is that you should start early varieties in the house and plant transplants instead of planting the seed directly into the soil. The juicy, refreshing fruit is an absolute favorite at picnics, barbecues and family cookouts everywhere. Growing watermelon on trellises abundant mini gardens. Choose a variety that will have time to ripen and follow these tips to get them started properly. Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the suns heat longer. Watermelon vines need full sun to develop fruit six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day.
Watermelon farming, cultivation information guide agri farming. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5footwide hill. You want to be sure to keep the area free from weeds. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Watermelons grow best on a deep sandy loam soil high in organic matter, well drained and slightly acidic. Fertilizing is determined by the current soil condition and, thereafter, by the stage at which the watermelon plant is growing. You need to choose a pot that will be large enough for your container watermelon to thrive. I have grown watermelons for the last 10 years or so in my little backyard garden. These are just some of the things you need to address if you want to grow healthy fruits.
When planted in very heavy soils, the plants develop slowly and fruit size and quality are usually inferior fine sands produce the highest quality melons. Optimum growth temperatures at night are 1820c, and day 2430c, and for ripening 15. Where you plan to sow seed or set transplants, dig a hole 1 foot 30 cm deep and 1. When trying to choose which fruit to keep on a plant and in the end, there should be only one, select for the longest unpollinated fruit with the nicest shape. Growing watermelon in containers 3 tips growing large. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrientrich, welldrained soil with a ph of 6. Muskmelons, cantaloupes, winter melons, and watermelons. In this episode we discuss planting watermelon, temperatures, nutrient requirements, fertilizing, trellis or not to trellis watermelon, and watering. Standard watermelons require about 50 square feet per plant or hill23 plants together. History and background watermelon, citrullus lanatus, is part of the cucurbitaceae family and is thought to have originated in southern arica. Stages of how the watermelon grows home guides sf gate. Melons grow best in warm weather, with plenty of sunshine and.
Without some kind of support, even watermelons growing in containers can take up an enormous amount of space. Commercial watermelon production 1 watermelon is a warmseason crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. To combat dryness, slowly add water to the media and mix by hand until a uniform moisture level is reached. Make sure that the container you will be growing watermelons in has enough drainage holes. When growing season arrives, melons are a favorite fruit to grow and eat. Mounds are also good if the soil is as poor as mine. Commercial watermelon production i foreword ten years have passed since this publication was updated. Additionally, watermelon seeds will show better germination rates with heat. Soil requirements site and soil watermelons grow best on nonsaline sandy loam or silt loam soils.
Watermelon conjures fond memories of hot summer days, chins dripping with juice and happy kids running around. Seeds can be planted when the temperature is at mid 70s to 80s. Growing watermelons also requires space, as the plants are vines and take up a lot of room. Add a balanced fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. For more planting information, please visit our farming tips homepage. These warmseason plants require plenty of sunlight, nutrients and moisture to produce large, watery fruit. Watermelons grow best on sandy loam soils, with good drainage and a slightly acid ph. Watermelon is frost sensitive and are monoecious both male and female flowers are produced on the. Watermelon grows in all parts of the usda planting zones when temperatures range from 65 to 85 degrees fahrenheit. Watermelon vines are very tender and should not be transplanted until all danger of frost has passed.
To grow watermelons it helps to raise the soil make mounds or ridges. Watermelon watermelon is a native crop of africa that grows well in the warm dry days of kansas summers. Most people are growing watermelons in containers because they lack space. After plants set fruit, feed twice, at two week intervals, with a water soluble. Watermelon production osu fact sheets oklahoma state. Watermelons do best in loamy, somewhatsandy, welldrained soil.
We hope you will try them, they are very rewarding, and super delicious. Growing watermelons require a great deal of space so leave at least six or seven feet between rows and six feet between mounds. How to grow watermelons in containers, flower pots and grow bags. Plant watermelon from late spring to early summer, once soil temperatures reach 70 f or above. As they require a long growing season, watermelons are best started indoors approximately 34 weeks prior to the last frost of the season. Whether you grow a large variety or one of the smaller personal. Form mounds or ridges for your seeds or transplants to ensure good drainage. Watermelon has very high water content 93ml100g edible portion. Watermelon production requires a long and warm growing. Melons thrive in very warm weather and need consistent moisture to grow to maturity. Like most gardeners, i love growing just about everything. Whether you are doing balcony gardening or are simply looking for a better way to use the limited space you have, container watermelons are possible and fun. Plan to space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5footwide hill. Northern gardeners select earlymaturing varieties and grow the plants in black.
To help you with growing watermelon, our comprehensive guide gives you all the details about planting, harvesting, companion plants and pests to look out for, so you can grow. A single watermelon plant, given good growing conditions, can almost fill a 15footwide circle on the ground. While the plants can be started indoors and then put outside, dont start them too early because large growing watermelon seedlings dont do well when transplanted. Misshapen melons gourdnecked or bottlenecked are commonly. Growing watermelons takes skill and patience and may not be the best crop for the novice gardener. Growing watermelon in containers how to grow watermelon. Pdf on jan 1, 20, raman ramesh and others published watermelon production guidelines. Changing farmers mindset from grow and sell to grow to sell.
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