Animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, deer and woodchucks enjoy puncturing and eating melon crops. Coyotes and domesticated dogs also enjoy biting into sweet melons. Raccoons and birds make holes in the tops of melons and scoop or suck juices from the fruit’s inside.
Why are there holes in my watermelon?
Well, it means that your growing watermelons may not be getting properly pollinated or that seeds are dying during development.
How do you protect watermelon from pests?
Spray the watermelons with insecticidal soap. The entire plant must be covered with the substance, to the point of runoff. Reapply the product every seven to 10 days.
How do I protect melons from rodents?
Step by step: How to keep rodents off your melons with melon cages
- Get hardware cloth.
- Cut square-sized pieces of hardware cloth large enough to complete encircle your mature melons.
- Secure a cylindrical shape with metal string.
- Create your wire end folds.
- Close one end of your melon cage.
- Cage your melon.
What is eating the watermelon in my garden?
Bugs like aphids and caterpillars love to devour watermelon leaves and fruits. Birds, squirrels, rabbits, and even coyotes all love sweet melons.
What pest eats watermelon?
Pickleworm and melonworm rarely attack watermelon. The principal insect and mite pests on watermelons in Florida are aphids, rindworms (caterpillars feeding on the rind, including beet and fall armyworms, cabbage looper, tobacco budworm, corn earworm, saltmarsh caterpillar, and others), whiteflies, and thrips.
Do rats eat watermelon?
Rats, much like people, love sugary treats, and sweet fruits are no exception. Berries are especially a hit with rats. Be aware that red berries can turn a rat’s stool red, which can resemble blood. Other fruits to feed pet rats include pears, watermelon, cantaloupe, kiwi, peaches, plums and grapes.
What can you spray on watermelons?
Use Soap Solutions
Soap solutions are an all-purpose way to get rid of numerous types of garden pests, including aphids on watermelon plants. Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid castille soap in 1 gallon of water, shake it well and spray all leaf surfaces, including the undersides of the leaves.
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.
How often should water watermelon plants?
Watering 1–2 times each week works best for healthy watermelon plants. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist at all times—not too dry and not too wet. Give your young watermelon vines 2 inches (5 cm) of water every week. Decrease water to 1 inch (2.5 cm) weekly once fruit sets on the vines.
Do mice eat watermelon?
Mice can eat the flesh of a watermelon, although the seeds should be removed prior to serving. It is also advised not to offer too much watermelon (as it is primarily water) and remove the harder, external fibrous flesh before offering.
Do squirrels eat watermelon?
Squirrels also love bananas, watermelons, cantaloupe (any melon, in general), and cherries! The benefit of eating fruit for squirrels is that it gives them a major sugar-boost and provides lots of energy to keep scrambling around and foraging for more goodies.
How do I protect my watermelon farm?
Coolong stresses that the best way to protect vines is to turn them back in drive rows. Watermelon fields are set up in several groups of five or six beds that are divided by larger drive rows, which make the vines accessible by farm equipment.
What animals eat watermelon rinds?
Yes, squirrels love nuts, vegetables, and fruit.
They will eat almost any variety of fruit, and for watermelons, this includes the rind. The squirrels’ love of fruits and vegetables makes them a farmer’s nightmare.
How do you make insecticidal soap?
By mixing 2.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 2.5 tablespoons of pure liquid soap with 1 gallon of distilled water, you’ll have a whole gallon of insecticidal soap for safely spraying plants in flowerbeds or the vegetable garden.
What is a watermelon worm?
Melon worms are elongate greenish larvae with darker head that cause severe feeding damage to vines and fruit of most melons. Closely related to the pickle worm that attack cucumbers. In areas that never receive frost (southern Texas and Florida), melon worms may be a year round problem.
Is watermelon OK for dogs?
Only give your dog seedless watermelon or pieces of watermelon from which you’ve removed all of the seeds. Scoop out the fruit with a melon baller or cut it into small bites, being careful to remove any part of the rind.
Is watermelon rind good for you?
It’s rich in fiber. Another benefit of watermelon rind is that it’s a rich source of fiber. A diet high in fiber has a whole host of health benefits, including the following: Fiber helps maintain regular bowel movements and may help reduce the risk of developing diseases of the colon.
Can cats eat watermelon?
Can Cats Eat Watermelon? Yes, cats can eat a small portion of watermelon flesh on occasion. Do not give your cat the rind or seeds. The occasional thin, pale seed from a “seedless” watermelon should not cause harm if accidentally ingested.
What are the common diseases of watermelon?
Watermelon: Diseases and Symptoms
- Downy mildew.
- Powdery mildew.
- Anthracnose.
- Alternaria leaf spot.
- Fusarium wilt.
- Bud necrosis disease.
- Cucumber mosaic disease.
- IPM for Watermelon.
How do you increase watermelon fruit size?
To maximize the size of the melon, water the plants regularly in deep water sessions that keep the soil moist. Side dress the Watermelon plants with fertilizer prepared for edible crops or fertilizer tea to feed the plants. Fertilizer encourages growth to produce large melons.