WATERMELON




National
Watermelon Day
AUGUST 3




WATERMELON

HOW TO PREPARE THE SOIL
FOR PLANTING WATERMELON


STAGES OF HOW THE
WATERMELON GROW


WATERMELON RELATED TOPICS

WATERMELON LINKS



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SECTION 1



WATERMELONS




Watermelons are symbolic of summertime get-togethers and the staple of
nearly everyone’s dessert trays. But how does one grow and care for
watermelons in the garden? Find out here. These articles help with
growing watermelons, harvesting them and keeping them free of pests and
disease throughout the season. You'll even learn about different types
of watermelons to suit any garden.



Watermelons
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/watermelon



Watermelons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon




Watermelons
https://www.almanac.com/plant/watermelons




Watermelon:
A Brief History
https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2020/7/watermelon-DT/




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Blackstone
watermelon variety
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Blackstone




Sugar Baby
watermelon variety
https://www.britannica.com/plant/Sugar-Baby




Watermelon
https://www.britannica.com/plant/watermelon




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SECTION 2



HOW TO
PREPARE THE SOIL
FOR PLANTING
WATERMELONS




Like all cucurbits, watermelons need rich, well-draining soil. After
all, these plants do a lot of work in a short summer season producing
long trailing vines, prolific leaves and basketball-sized fruit all in
a few months. The fruits grow more quickly in light, slightly sandy
soils than heavy, clay soils. Most watermelon varieties need around 90
days of warm, sunny weather. The tender plants also need warm soil
temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate. In cold
weather, the seeds rot or grow slowly.


1. Select a garden area with full sun and easy access to water. Avoid
low-lying sites where cold air might settle. Plan on as much as 100
square feet for each watermelon plant. If space is limited, choose
compact bush varieties.

2. Spread 2 inches of compost or manure over the garden area. Add
bone meal or superphosphate according to package directions. Till the
soil to a depth of 8 inches, mixing the amendments in well. Fertile,
deep soils encourage rapid, consistent growth so watermelons set fruit
before cold weather arrives.

3. Spread black plastic over the garden area and secure it with rocks or
landscaping pins. The black plastic serves two purposes. First, it minimizes
weeds so they don't compete with young watermelon plants for nutrients and
moisture. Black plastic also warms the soil so you can plant watermelon
earlier often by as much as two weeks. This early planting time ensures a
long growing season.

4. Rotate watermelon crops each year so the plants don't grow in the same place
for at least three years to prevent disease buildup and avoid soil depletion.
Try rotating watermelon with corn, another crop that takes up ample space.
Watermelons and corn are both heavy feeders, taking a lot of nutrients from the
soil. Add beans or peas to your crop rotation, which help rebuild the soil.



Things You Will Need

Compost

Bone meal or superphosphate

Rototiller

Black plastic

Rocks or landscaping pins



Tip

Install drip irrigation so watermelons get plenty of moisture.
Drip irrigation also reduces disease problems by keeping the
plants' leaves dry.



How to Prepare the Soil for Planting Watermelons
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/prepare-soil-planting-watermelons-45346.html



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SECTION 3



STAGES OF
HOW THE
WATERMELON
GROW




Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) is a vining, annual plant with branching
tendrils. Watermelon roots and vines spread up to 18 feet. Watermelon
grows in all parts of the USDA planting zones when temperatures range from
65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Northern gardeners select early-maturing
varieties and grow the plants in black plastic mulch early in spring.
Watermelon grows best in sandy, well-drained soils. Plant one seed in hills
spaced 6 feet apart.



Germination

The first stage of watermelon growth occurs when seeds are placed in the soil.
When soil temperatures exceed 65 degrees Fahrenheit, bury the seed a depth of
four times its width. Once planted and watered, the seed sends out a stem, or
hypocotyl, and root, or radicle. In three to twelve days, the hypocotyl pushes
the first two leaves, or embryonic leaves, above the surface of the soil.



Vining

Five to ten days after germination, the first set of true leaves emerge from the
stem. These leaves are capable of photosynthesis, which is the way plants use
sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to food. A vine of about 1 foot long
grows out and large lobed leaves begin to form. This runner will continue to grow
until it reaches about 12 feet in length. About one month after a watermelon plant
sends out its first vine, several more vines will begin to grow. Leaves form on
all the vines and begin to grow larger. At this time, top dress plants with 1/2 cup
bone meal and gently work it into the soil, being careful not to damage shallow
roots. Provide watermelon seedlings with one to two inches of water per week.



Flowering

About two weeks after a plant sends out most of its runners, watermelon produces male
and female flowers. The male flowers develop first. They provide pollen, but do not
produce fruit. The female flowers form shortly after the male flowers. Watermelon
flowers only last for one day so there must be an adequate number of bees and other
pollinators in the area when the flowers are viable.

If your garden is in an area with very few bees, hand pollination may be necessary.
Remove the petals from the male flower to leave the pollen-covered anther. Brush the
pollen from this onto the center of the female flowers to pollinate them.



Fruiting

Once pollinated, female watermelon flowers begin to produce fruit. Tiny green balls
begin to swell beneath the blossoms. Top-dress watermelon plants with 5-10-10 fertilizer
when fruit sets. Once the watermelon plants begin to fruit, provide at least one inch of
water per week until harvest.

Depending on the watermelon variety, the fruit takes up to one month to fully mature. It
can be difficult to know when the melons are fully ripe, especially at the beginning of
the season. Some signs are the tendrils on the vine changing from green to brown, the
spot on the ground where the melon lay changes from white to yellow and the sound made
when you thump the watermelon changes to a hollow sound.



Stages of How the
Watermelon Grows

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/stages-watermelon-grows-37693.html



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SECTION 4



WATERMELON
RELATED
TOPICS




My Watermelons Seem to
Have Stopped Growing

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelons-seem-stopped-growing-90496.html

Do Watermelon Plants
Prefer Slightly Acidic Soil?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelon-plants-prefer-slightly-acidic-soil-54939.html

How Long Does It
Take for Flowers to Form
on Watermelon Plants?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-flowers-form-watermelon-plants-52441.html

What Is a Watermelon
Hill in Planting?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelon-hill-planting-67487.html

How Long to Wait
to Plant Watermelon
After Fertilizer?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-wait-plant-watermelon-after-fertilizer-52180.html

What Plants Can
Watermelon Be
Planted Close By?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plants-can-watermelon-planted-close-by-55239.html

What to Fertilize
Watermelon With?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilize-watermelon-65777.html

How Long Does
Watermelon Take to Grow &
What Month Do You Plant?

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-watermelon-grow-month-plant-51141.html

How to Grow Watermelons
Without Weeds

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-watermelons-weeds-36666.html

Stages of How
the Watermelon Grows

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/stages-watermelon-grows-37693.html

Watermelon Hydroponic Gardens
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/watermelon-hydroponic-gardens-62242.html

How to Grow Greenhouse
Watermelons

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-greenhouse-watermelons-24892.html



How to
Grow
Watermelon

https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/how-to-grow-watermelon




Planting, Growing and
Harvesting Watermelon

https://www.almanac.com/plant/watermelons




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SECTION 5



WATERMELON
LINKS




24 Sweet Watermelon Varieties
http://www.growingproduce.com/vegetables/cucurbits/24-sweet-watermelon-varieties-slideshow/

The 5,000-Year
Secret History
of the Watermelon

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/150821-watermelon-fruit-history-agriculture

All About Watermelons
https://www.burpee.com/gardenadvicecenter/vegetables/watermelons/all-about-watermelons/article10022.html

The Ancient, Mysterious
History of the Watermelon

https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/ancient-history-watermelon

Best Watermelon Varieties to Plant
https://www.gardeningchannel.com/best-watermelon-varieties-to-plant/

Germinating Watermelon Seeds
http://www.agrisupportonline.com/Articles/germinating_watermelone_seeds.htm

Grow Organic Watermelons
http://www.GardensAlive.com

Growing Watermelon
http://www.planetnatural.com/site/xdpy/kb/growing-watermelon.html

High Tunnel Melon and
Watermelon Production

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/m173?p=1

History of Watermelon
http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-watermelon/

How to Grow Watermelon
http://www.gardenersnet.com/vegetable/watermel.htm

Hydroponic Gardening
For Watermelons

http://urbangardeningdigest.com/5912/hydroponic-gardening-for-watermelons/

Planting & growing
garden Watermelon

http://www.essentialgardenguide.com/garden-fruits/20/Watermelon/



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Researchers Uncover
the Watermelon’s Origins

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-uncover-watermelons-origins-180977872/

Tips for growing watermelon
http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/tipsgrowingwat_spey.htm

Types of Watermelon Seeds
https://www.gardenguides.com/115779-types-watermelon-seeds.html

Watermelon
http://extension.illinois.edu/veggies/watermelon.cfm

Watermelon
http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/Watermelon.html

Watermelon
https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/watermelon/

Watermelon
https://www.planetnatural.com/growing-watermelon/

Watermelons for Home Garden
https://harvesttotable.com/watermelon_for_home_garden_top/

Watermelon Growing Guide
https://hosstools.com/watermelon-growing-guide/

Watermelon Plant Varieties
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/watermelon/types-of-watermelon.htm

Watermelons:
Top 12 Varieties
for Your Garden

https://harvesttotable.com/watermelon_for_home_garden_top/

When is a
Watermelon Ripe?

https://www.burpee.com/gardenadvicecenter/standard-articles-and-videos/gardening-how-to-articles/when-is-watermelon-ripe%3F/article10020.html



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National Watermelon
Promotion Board

http://www.watermelon.org/




Fruits
&
Veggies Resources

State Programs and Resources
https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/state-programs-and-resources




Make
soil
loose

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-soil-loose-23694.html




World
Crops
Database

https://world-crops.com/home/




CROP
INDEX

https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/Indices/index_ab.html




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List of
Fruits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fruits




Plants Database
National Gardening Association
http://garden.org/plants/




The Plant
Encyclopedia

http://theplantencyclopedia.org/wiki/Main_Page




The Big
Bug Hunt

https://bigbughunt.com/




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