Landscaping and Garden Care

Posts Tagged ‘How to Grow Watermelons from Seed’

During hot seasons, a watermelon drink is popular. Watermelon served with shaved ice is a welcome drink to quench the thirst. Watermelons also grow fast and are popularly grown by gardeners with a longer summer season. Selecting a good watermelon to plant will involve the different factors. In places where the summers are short, the hybrid variety can be used as these types will mature in 60 to 80 days. Consulting local gardeners or nurseries for advice on the variety to plant is a good way of determining the correct type of melon that will thrive in your garden.

Watermelons can be sown directly into the ground during the summer seasons. The planting area can optionally be a hole a foot (30 centimeters) deep and 2 feet (60 centimeters) wide. When planting in holes, a 4 inch (10 centimeters) layer of compost or well dried rotten animal manure is added in the bottom before the excavated soil is returned. This will make a mount that is around 6 inches (15 centimeters) high. Make the holes 8 feet (2.5 meters) apart as the vines of the watermelons grow very long. Sow 3 to 4 seeds an inch (2.5 centimeters) deep in each mound and water them consistently. When the seedlings are around 4 inches high, thin the mounds and retain only the 2 stronger plants. Keep the soil consistently moist. Create a drain perimeter in the mounds by depressing the area surrounding the hill. The water will be trapped in this location and will be absorbed by the soil when watering. When planting in rows, the soil must be enriched by adding a 4 inch (10 centimeters) layer of compost.

For gardens that have a short summer season, watermelons can be sown indoors 6 weeks before the planned transplant date. Using a 6 inch (15 centimeters) seedling pot, sow 4 seeds and keep the soil moist. When the seedlings are about 2 inches tall, thin them and retain only the 2 stronger seedlings. The seedlings must be kept in a sunny environment. During the transplanting of the seedlings, care must be exercised so as not to damage the roots. A good technique of removing the seedlings properly from the pot is by not watering them for a day prior to the transplant.

Watermelons love to thrive in moist soil. Consistent watering is a must in order that the vine will grow well. Add mulch as this will help the soil maintain the moisture. This will also help in keeping the weeds from growing. Remove the weeds by hand. If the plants show signs of yellowing, side dressing of nitrogenous fertilizer may be applied. Premature harvesting of fruits reduces their quality. Therefore, watermelon fruits should be harvested when they are mature enough to be sweet. Generally, it takes 35 to 45 days for a watermelon fruit to mature from pollination depending on the variety. There are several methods in determining maturity of watermelon. The old method is by thumping with a finger. A dull or hallow sound is an indication of maturity. The most practical index, however, is when the color of the lower part of the fruit that rests on the ground changes from white to creamy yellow.

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