Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Plant Type: | Annual fruit | Maintenance: |
|---|---|---|
| Spacing: | 3-6 feet, in rows 6-18 feet apart | Avoid Planting With: |
| Planting Depth: | 1 inch | Order: |
| Height: | 15-24 inches | Family: |
| Spread: | 10 feet or more | Genus: |
How much space do you need for 1 watermelon plant?
Watermelons prefer a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5 (“slightly acidic to neutral”). Watermelons need A LOT of space—up to 20 square feet per plant. Their vines need room to sprawl, so plant them in a place where they won’t crowd out other crops.
How much do watermelons spread?
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.
Do watermelons spread?
Watermelons grow best in a planting site that has a lot of open space. Watermelon vines ramble, so your plants are going to spread out around your garden as they grow.
How many watermelons does each plant produce?
On average, each watermelon plant produces two to three harvestable fruit.
What happens if you plant watermelons too close together?
In the case of spacing watermelon plants, those set too far apart waste valuable garden space while those set too close together compete for light, air and soil nutrients, resulting in a potentially compromised crop.
How long does a watermelon plant live?
3-4 months
How many watermelons per plant? About 2 to 3 melons can be obtained per plant in its single lifespan of 3-4 months. Usually, gardeners purposely keep only one watermelon per plant to harvest big sized fruits.
Are watermelon plants invasive?
watermelon: Citrullus lanatus (Violales: Cucurbitaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. Fruit(s); Slightly raised, corky rings appearing in clusters on the surface of the fruit. No decay is associated with this unexplained disorder.
How long does it take for a watermelon to grow to full size?
80 to 90 days
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.
Do watermelon plants keep producing?
A healthy and robust watermelon vine is capable of producing two to four fruits per plant. Watermelons produce both male and female flowers. The female flowers are bulbous at the bottom and remain on the vine to produce fruits after the male flowers have fallen off.
How big does a watermelon plant get?
Plants mature to 15-24 inches tall with 6 to 8-foot vines that are resistant to both cool weather and drought. Fruits resist cracking and have good sunburn resistance. This is an early maturing variety – you’ll be harvesting watermelons in just 75 days.
What can you not plant near watermelon?
The best plants to companion with watermelons are herbs, lettuces, marigolds, nasturtiums, and radishes. Avoid planting cucumbers, squash, and potatoes near watermelons to help reduce the risk of pests.
Should I trim my watermelon vines?
Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. Look for irregular or rotting fruit to prune from the plant. Removing the less than perfect melons will enable the plant to focus energy towards growing bigger, healthier, juicier melons.
Do watermelon plants come back every year?
As annual plants, watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) must be replanted every season and will not survive the winter either as seedlings or fully grown plants. Watermelons require warm weather to grow quickly and produce their sweet, juicy fruit.
How many watermelons can you plant per person?
2-6 plants
Watermelons are a warm-season crop, very tender to frost and light freezes. Plan an average of 2-6 plants per person. Watermelons generally take up enormous space, and should not be considered for the small vegetable garden. There are compact varieties that produce tasty and prolific fruits.
How often should I water my watermelon?
Watering Watermelons
They require plentiful regular, even watering for quick growing. Give watermelons 1 to 2 inches (2.5. -5cm) of water every week (1 inch equals 16 gallons/60.5 liters.) Keep the soil moist until the fruit reaches full size then stop watering while the fruit ripens.
What is best to plant next to watermelon?
Plant buckwheat, cowpeas, or sweet clover to attract predators of watermelon pests. Interplant with radish, tansy, and nasturtium to discourage cucumber beetles from feeding on watermelons.
How deep do watermelon beds need to be?
Watermelons need 24–36 inches of soil to grow. If there is no barrier that prevents watermelons from sending roots deeper than the walls of your raised bed, you can grow watermelons in a shallow raised bed. If the raised bed has a barrier between it and the soil below, it must be 24–36 inches deep for watermelons.
Can I plant watermelon next to tomatoes?
Tomatoes. Tomatoes make poor companions for a few reasons. First, they often grow to be quite tall and can shade the vines too much, causing them to wither. They can also overcrowd watermelons.
What is the best month to plant watermelon?
Watermelons need about 100 days of warm weather to produce an edible melon. If the warm, late fall and winter weather of recent years continues, you may get a watermelon for Christmas. The best times to sow seeds for watermelons are early March and early August.
What month are watermelons harvested?
In warmer areas, watermelon season may start as early as June up to August, while in cooler areas it can start by the end of July and end early September. One thing is sure though, when summertime comes, so will the watermelons.