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Spacing Requirements. Plant watermelon into 12-inch-tall hills of soil that are spaced at least 6 feet apart. Sow 6–8 seeds per hill, later thinning to 3–4 plants per hill. Sow watermelon seeds ½-inch deep.
Can you plant watermelon seedlings deep?
How to Plant Watermelons. Sow seeds ½ to 1 inch deep outdoors or ¼ to ½ inch deep in seed-starting pots indoors. Tip: To allow for more root growth, use larger starting pots than you would for most seeds.
What is the best month to plant watermelon?
Plant watermelon from late spring to early summer, once soil temperatures reach 70° F or above. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
Should you soak watermelon seeds before planting?
Many types of plant seeds benefit from pre-planting soaking to soften the outer seed coating and hasten germination. However, watermelons are an exception to the rule. Soaking the seeds before planting increases the risks of various fungal diseases, such as anthracnose caused by the Colletotrichum lagenarium fungus.
How big should watermelon seedlings be before transplanting?
Watermelons: You will want to transplant your Watermelon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Be very careful with the roots — they resent being disturbed. Space them about 2 feet apart in rows that are 6 to 8 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills.
Can I grow watermelon in raised bed?
You can grow a watermelon plant in a small 4′ x 4′ raised garden bed – if you use a trellis. There’s no avoiding that they are large, vigorous plants. But if you select the right variety, take good care of them, and train them up a trellis, you can enjoy fresh melons from your own small garden beds.
How long does it take to grow watermelons from seeds?
Generally, watermelons reach harvest 70 to 85 days after sowing. As might be expected, smaller varieties will usually be ready before larger ones, but not always. Some early watermelons, of six to 10 pounds, ‘Golden Crown,’ ‘Sugar Baby,’ ‘Yellow Baby’ and ‘Yellow Baby,’ mature in 70 to 75 days.
Is it too late to plant watermelon in July?
The best time to plant watermelon seeds is from late spring to early summer, or when the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees or above. Watermelon seeds germinate easily and quickly, and seedlings don’t usually transplant well, so there’s no need to start them in a pot or seed tray.
How do I make my watermelon sweeter when growing?
Heat brings out melons’ sweetness, so make sure to plant them in a location that warms up early in spring and stays hot through the end of September. The south side of a fence or wall is ideal as the structure will absorb heat and light from the sun and reflect it back onto the melons.
What can you not plant near watermelon?
‘Sugar Baby’ Watermelon Avoid planting them near other crops that will shade them. Include flowers like dill, chamomile, cosmos and pineapple sage to attract predatory insects that eat melon pests, including beetles, caterpillars and aphids.
How many watermelons do you get per plant?
How Many Watermelons per Plant? Healthy watermelon vines produce 2-4 fruits per plant. The vines produce both male and female flowers. Both are needed to set fruit and there are fewer female flowers compared to male, about one female for every seven males.
Is Epsom salt good for watermelon?
For sweeter watermelons and cantaloupes when the plant starts vining and again when small 1-inch melons appear, spray with 6 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salts and 3 1/2 tablespoons borax in 5 gallons of water. For more fruit on your pepper plants, fertilize the plant by burying an open one-half pack of book matches near it.
How do watermelons grow for beginners?
Watermelons require a large vegetative-free space located in full sun and with well-drained soil that’s reached a minimum of 65 degrees Fahrenheit for proper germination and growth, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Because they are heavy feeders, amend the site with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
How much sun does a watermelon plant need?
Watermelons need a location that receives 8 to 10 hours of sunlight per day. Work plenty of compost or organic slow-release fertilizer into the top few inches of soil. Mound the soil into small hills spaced 8′ to 10′ apart, less for compact varieties.
Do watermelons need full sun?
Light. Watermelons require full sunlight in order to thrive. The plants can tolerate some partial shade, particularly in hotter climates, but plenty of sun is necessary to develop the sugars in the melons.
Can you plant melon and watermelon together?
The foremost concern in planting both cantaloupe and watermelons in the same garden bed is space. The vines of both melons spread far and will grow wherever they can to access sunlight. Plants too close together cause unnecessary competition for light, soil moisture and nutrients.
Can I transplant watermelon seedlings?
Watermelon and cantaloupe are transplanted often. Advantages of transplanting include earlier harvest, better control of plant population, and less seed cost per acre since seeds germinate under better conditions. They should be planted when the plants have three true leaves.
Does watermelon transplant well?
Its ok to transplant a watermelon to a larger space where it can grow better. Be sure not to damage the roots when you transfer this plant. The advantage of transplanting the watermelon is early harvesting.
Do melons need deep soil?
Most melons have deep roots and require quite of bit of well-drained, loose soil. Ideally, your container should be at least 16 inches deep to accommodate the roots. I now use half 55-gallon barrels for my melons. These can hold a few melon plants at a time, providing some cushion against failure.
How deep should a raised bed be for watermelon?
Soil Depth Requirements for Common Garden Vegetables Shallow Rooting 12″ – 18″ Medium Rooting 18″ – 24″ Deep Rooting 24″ – 36″+ Kohlrabi, Bok Choy Peas Watermelon Lettuce Peppers Onions, Leeks, Chives Rutabagas Potatoes Squash, summer.
How deep does a raised bed need to be for watermelons?
For example, watermelon roots will often grow to 15 inches deep, and some other melons can plunge 18 inches deep into the soil. The root systems can spread beneath the soil as prolifically as the large vine itself. So make sure that you build raised beds deep enough to accommodate growing large fruits and vegetables.
How long does it take to grow a full watermelon?
It takes the shortest amount of time to mature, about 70 to 75 days. A main-season watermelon is larger and takes longer to ripen, usually 80 to 90 days.
What is the best fertilizer for watermelons?
When fertilizing watermelon plants, use nitrogen based fertilizer at the onset. Once the plant begins flowering, however, switch to feeding the watermelon a phosphorus and potassium based fertilizer. Watermelons require ample potassium and phosphorus for optimal melon production.
How many watermelons can one acre produce?
Native to central Africa, watermelons were first cultivated by ancient Egyptians. Farmers plant 1,600 to 1,800 watermelon plants per acre. One commercially-grown plant produces one or two melons in the field.
