Introduction

You don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy sweet, juicy watermelon. You can grow the tasty fruit yourself when you plant watermelon seeds in your own garden. There are plenty of varieties to choose from—so many that the hardest part may be deciding which one to try first! Then all you have to do is get your hands dirty and plant some watermelon seeds. When you pick a ripe melon at harvest, you’ll know it was worth it.

Growing watermelon consists of planting watermelon seeds or transplanting young plants.

You can grow watermelons in the garden, but they are better suited to a greenhouse or field. The vines grow long, so they will need a lot of space.

Watermelons grow best when planted in the spring after the last frost has passed and soil temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 C). If you live in an area that does not have freezing winters, you can plant them as early as February. In areas where winters bring frost and snow cover, wait until late March or early April before planting your seeds or young transplants.

Watermelons require lots of nutrients, especially nitrogen and potassium.

Nitrogen and potassium are both important nutrients for watermelons. Nitrogen is needed for healthy root growth, so it’s a good idea to use a fertilizer with nitrogen that releases slowly over time. It’s also important for fruit growth and development. Good sources of nitrogen include cottonseed meal, blood meal and fishmeal.

Potassium helps the plant resist disease, stress and drought; it also enhances photosynthesis (the process by which plants make food). This makes it an essential part of any garden fertilizer.

Before planting watermelon seeds, amend the soil and prepare the bed.

As with any garden flower or vegetable, you’ll want to take care before planting watermelon seeds that the soil is amended and prepared for them.

• First, add a layer of compost or manure to the top of your bed. You can use cow manure, horse manure, chicken litter or even human waste if you are so inclined (and have access). If you live in an area with alkaline soil (pH above 7), then lime should be added as well; too much lime can cause problems for some plants so make sure your readings are correct before adding it!
• Next, once your bed is set up with compost and/or manure spread evenly across its surface and all holes filled in with dirt, fertilize around each hole with a granular fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 at 100% label rate (the amount called for by the directions on the package). Use enough fertilizer to cover all sides of each hole about 1 inch deep—you may need more than one package depending on how large your garden is!

If you want to get an early start on the season and grow bigger watermelons, start seeds indoors about three weeks before the last frost.

Watermelons can be started indoors, outdoors, in a greenhouse or cold frame.

To start watermelon seeds indoors:

• Sow seeds at recommended temperature (70-75 F) 2-3 weeks before last frost date.
• Keep soil uniformly moist but not too wet. Thin to 1 foot apart when they have 2 to 4 leaves (a week after sprouting). Harden off and transplant outside when there is no longer danger of frost (late May). If you want to get an early start on the season and grow bigger watermelons, start seeds indoors about three weeks before the last frost.

When there’s no danger of frost, transplant seedlings into the garden or direct sow seeds about a week after the last frost.

Before transplanting or direct seeding, be sure there’s no danger of frost in your area. If it’s not yet spring and you live in an area with a long growing season, plant seeds indoors about six weeks before transplanting them into the garden or your plot.

Sow watermelon seeds about 2 inches deep and 8 to 10 inches apart; thin seedlings by removing weaker plants until they are 4 to 6 inches apart. Watermelons can also be planted directly into the ground when soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F at night and 70 degrees F during the day.

Watermelon is a heavy feeder that requires plenty of nutrients from both fertilizer and compost. Apply a balanced fertilizer such as 5-10-5 at least two weeks before planting; then add more every three weeks throughout growth (with moderate amounts of nitrogen). Mixing compost into the soil before planting will help maintain even moisture levels while improving nutrient availability for all crops growing nearby

Check on the soil moisture often during dry periods and provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water weekly from planting to harvest.

Watermelons need a great deal of water and the soil should be kept moist throughout their growth. Check on the soil moisture often during dry periods and provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water weekly from planting to harvest. When vines are young and growing vigorously, increase amount to 1 1/2 inches per week (3.8 cm.). Watermelons will grow where most other crops cannot survive!

The fuzzy tendrils of a watermelon vine will grow out along the ground if not supported by a trellis or fence to grow vertically on.

Watermelon vines will grow out along the ground if they are not supported by a trellis or fence to grow vertically on. The fuzzy tendrils of watermelon vines will grow out along the ground and look for something to grab onto, but if there’s nothing to hold onto, they will continue growing straight down until they find something. When this happens, it can cause problems with fruit production as the vine isn’t reaching its full potential height and growth.

When growing a watermelon plant in your backyard garden space, you want to make sure that it has plenty of room for its roots to spread out within the soil area. This way you don’t crowd them or restrict their growth potential by placing them against other plants around them or directly beneath another fruit tree whose roots may compete with those of your watermelon plant for nutrients and water from underneath (especially during times of drought).

Train vines to climb up trellises with soft cloth strips as they grow.

You can help your watermelons climb by wrapping soft cloth strips around their vines as they grow. This will help them cling to the trellis, and keep them from falling down.

Do not use wire or string as these can damage the vines, causing them to rot and die. Do not use plastic ties because they can cut into the vine and cause it to rot. Do not use wood stakes for this same reason—they can split the vine as it grows taller and thicker, which could lead to its death.

Prune excess foliage to allow air circulation, otherwise fungus can cause fruit rot before ripening.

Watermelons are susceptible to fungal diseases, so it’s important to keep your plant healthy. Prune excess foliage to allow air circulation, otherwise fungus can cause fruit rot before ripening. Remove diseased leaves immediately and dispose of them in an area with good air circulation (not in piles). Remove leaves that are touching the ground and those that are touching each other as they increase the risk of spreading disease. Also remove any leaves touching the vine or fruit as they may harbor spores and cause infection during ripening or storage.

You can grow your own great-tasting watermelons at home!

You can grow your own great-tasting watermelons at home! Watermelons are easy to grow, and they provide a great source of vitamins and nutrients. The plant itself is also delicious!

To get started, you’ll need some seeds:

• Take the watermelon seed out of its fruit skin with a knife or other sharp object. (It’s okay if some pulp remains on the seed.)
• Place your seed in the center of a small piece of paper towel or cloth that has been soaked with warm water for at least several minutes. Don’t use cold water because this will cause fungus growth on your seeds before they sprout into plants. Make sure that all sides are covered by wet paper towel or cloth—this will help prevent fungi from infecting any part of each individual seedling as it grows over time.”

Conclusion

We hope this information has inspired you to give growing watermelons a try! It may take a little bit of time and effort, but the results make it worth your while. Who knows; in just a few months, you could be enjoying the fruits of your labor on a warm summer evening. Good luck, and happy planting!