The most common causes of blossom end rot are low soil pH and improper watering. To treat blossom end rot, keep a consistent watering schedule, mulch around your plants, and add calcium to the soil by using a foliage spray such as calcium nitrate.
How do you treat end rot on watermelon?
What do I do about blossom end rot?
- If you have been in very dry conditions, provide consistent irrigation at a rate of 1 inch per week.
- If your ph is off, add dolomitic lime at 5 pounds per 100 sf to raise the ph one point in loam soil.
- If there isn’t enough calcium, add dolomitic lime.
Why are my watermelons getting end rot?
Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the developing fruit. This may be due to a lack of calcium uptake from the soil or to extreme fluctuations in water supply. Incidence of blossom-end rot is also increased where there is a low ratio of calcium to certain other nutrients such as potassium and nitrogen.
Can you save a watermelon with blossom end rot?
Sadly, your fruits have succumbed to watermelon blossom end rot, and although affected fruits aren’t treatable and probably aren’t palatable, you can save the rest of the crop with some fast modifications to the bed.
What do you do with rotten watermelon?
If the flesh of your watermelon is slimy, off-colored, foul-smelling, or growing something fuzzy, this means it has gone bad and should be thrown away (after being wrapped in layers of plastic bags to avoid stinking up the whole kitchen). These traits also apply to pre-cut and pre-packaged watermelon.
How do you add calcium to watermelon?
A recommended preventive measure is a solution of 2 tablespoons of calcium chloride in 1 gallon of water sprayed on the foliage and fruit of watermelons at least twice during the growing season at one-week intervals beginning when the flowers start blooming.
Why are my watermelons dying on the vine?
The most common reasons for watermelon plants dying include incorrect soil, watering issues, not enough sunlight, or planting issues. Temperature, weeds, diseases, and pests can also play a role.
How do you prevent watermelon disease?
Management: Because watermelon varieties and hybrids are all susceptible to powdery mildew, fungicide sprays are required to control this disease. Preventive spray programs with fungicides can be effective, but the fungus readily develops fungicide resistance, often within a single season.
Do watermelons rot from the inside out?
“It does not spread into the interior. But if the blotch cracks, other bacteria and fungi can go through the cracks to the interior of the fruit and begin fermentation. If you find an infected watermelon with only a small blotch on the rind, the interior should be fine.
How do you fix blossom end rot?
Treatment. If you notice some of your fruits developing blossom end rot, it is unfortunately non-reversible on the affected fruit. You will have to remove the affected fruit and fix your plant’s calcium levels so the next round of fruit will grow healthy.
How often should I water my watermelon?
Typically, watermelon plants need 1-2 inches of water per week so that the soil stays moist but not wet. If you’re not getting enough rain each week, make sure you give your plants an extra drink.
What fertilizer is good for watermelon?
When fertilizing watermelon plants, use nitrogen based fertilizer at the onset. Once the plant begins flowering, however, switch to feeding the watermelon a phosphorus and potassium based fertilizer. Watermelons require ample potassium and phosphorus for optimal melon production.
How do you tell the difference between a male and female watermelon flower?
Watermelon Flowers: Male Vs. Female
Watermelon plants either produce male or female flowers. You can tell the difference between flowers reasonably quickly by looking behind the flower. Female flowers have a bulge that looks almost like a tiny watermelon. This bulge is the ovary of the flower.
What to do with watermelon that is mushy?
If your watermelon is mealy, it’s still safe to eat. To save the situation, you’ll want to use the mealy watermelon in recipes where crisp texture isn’t a factor. And that means pulling out the blender (try this top-rated blender from Cuisinart) and giving the offending melon a fast ride to purée town.
How long does it take for a watermelon to rot?
A whole one should keep good quality for about a week in the pantry. If you need more time, you get between 10 and 14 days if you refrigerate it. Once you cut it up, the timer starts ticking. The fruit should retain freshness for about 3 to 5 days.
Is it safe to eat mushy watermelon?
Eating overripe watermelon should not have any consequences; however, if you purchase a watermelon and find it yucky on the inside return it to the store for a replacement. Have your local grocer help you select a good melon.
What is the fastest way to add calcium to soil?
Here are some of the best ways to add calcium to the soil in your garden.
- Use a Calcium Fertilizer.
- Add Lime in the Fall.
- Use Eggshells.
- Foliar Applications.
- Apply Gypsum – Calcium Sulfate.
- Use Ground Oyster Shells – Calcium Carbonate.
- Wood Ash – Calcium Carbonate.
- Bone Meal.
Which fertilizer is rich in calcium?
B Fertilizers
The most important sources of fertilizer Ca are (1) calcium carbonate (CaCO3) marketed as chalk, ground chalk, screened chalk, or ground limestone, (2) calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) sold as hydrated lime or slaked lime, and (3) calcium oxide (CaO) marketed as burnt or quick lime (Cooke, 1972).
Are coffee grounds good for watermelon plants?
Q. Are coffee grounds good for watermelon plants? Coffee grounds contain the three major nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—and they also improve soil structure. Mix them in with compost or apply as a soil amendment, adding about ½ inch of grounds directly to the soil approximately 6 inches deep.
How do you save a dying watermelon plant?
If the soil and the plant’s roots are allowed to dry out, the vines and leaves will wilt, then shrivel up and die. Add a thick layer of mulch around the plants to conserve water and slow evaporation from the soil.
Is Epsom salt good for watermelon?
For sweeter watermelons and cantaloupes when the plant starts vining and again when small 1-inch melons appear, spray with 6 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salts and 3 1/2 tablespoons borax in 5 gallons of water. For more fruit on your pepper plants, fertilize the plant by burying an open one-half pack of book matches near it.