Primary planting dates for watermelons in Florida range from December 15 to April 15. Planting in south Florida may extend from December 15 to March 1, in central Florida from January 15 to March 15, and in north Florida from February 15 to April 15.
How long does it take watermelon to grow in Florida?
80 to 100 days
Watermelons take 80 to 100 days to mature depending on the variety. It can be difficult to know when your watermelon is ready to harvest. Look for the bottom of the melon to be cream-colored or bright yellow; a white or pale green spot means the melon is not yet ripe.
What month is best 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.
How long does it take for watermelons to bear fruit?
between 70 and 100 days
About Watermelons
Depending on the variety of watermelon, it can take between 70 and 100 days to go from planting to harvest.
What grows well with watermelons?
Watermelon Companions
Cultivate flowering plants — including members of the aster family, like sunflowers, cosmos, coneflowers, and coreopsis, and herbs in the mint family, such as mint, oregano, thyme, and rosemary — to attract sweat bees and other pollinators.
How many watermelon seeds are in a hole?
If sowing watermelon seeds directly, place four to six seeds in a one-inch hole at the top of a mound—once the seeds begin to sprout, they can be thinned back to the strongest two to three seedlings.
What to put under watermelons while growing?
In order to grow great watermelons, you’ll need to put a barrier between the watermelons and the ground. This is to reduce the risk of rot and disease. Good ground barriers are straw, or even cardboard.
What’s the best fertilizer for watermelon?
Choosing the best fertilizer for watermelon is the key to a quality harvest.
- BEST OVERALL: Dr.
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Espoma Garden Tone 3-4-4 Plant Food.
- PREMIUM PICK: Organic Plant Magic Super Premium Plant Food.
- BEST ORGANIC: Jobe’s Organics Granular Fertilizer.
- BEST LIQUID: Neptune’s Harvest Hydrolyzed Fish Fertilizer.
How do you grow a giant watermelon?
To maximize the size of the melons, water the plants at the base in regular, deep-watering sessions that keep the soil moist. Side dress the watermelon plants with fertilizer designed for edible crops or compost tea to feed the plants. The fertilizer encourages growth to get larger melons.
Do watermelon plants come back every year?
Do watermelon plants come back every year? Watermelon plants do not come back every year as they are tender annuals. This means they complete their entire lifecycle in one season and are then killed off by the first frosts.
How long do watermelon plants live?
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.
Can you water watermelons too much?
A watermelon plant (Citrullus lanatus) needs enough moisture to ensure proper growth and fruit development. Too much water can be detrimental when growing watermelons, reducing the quality of the fruit or causing it to burst.
Should I cover watermelon?
Frost Sensitivity
If you haven’t managed to ripen your melons yet and frost is threatening, covering them with a layer of clear plastic sheeting or floating row covers may provide just enough frost protection to help them out.
Would six seeds in a watermelon be enough?
If you want to plant watermelon in hills rather than rows, put 6-8 seeds in one hill and leave 2-3 plants when you thin out the seedlings.
What should not be planted with watermelon?
For companion plants, you’re going to want to plant it with things like radishes, lettuces & then avoid things like cucumber, zucchini, and basically anything in the melon family. Basically they make it difficult for the plants to grow and mature and can attract diseases.
How do you speed up the growth of a watermelon?
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.
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.
Can watermelon grow on grass?
Watermelons in the lawn
Water well and plant 6 to 8 seeds and later thin to three plants. The vines will ramble all over the lawn, and you will have to mow around them. But, the watermelon foliage will shade most of the grass underneath it and slow growth.
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 do watermelons grow for beginners?
Watermelons require a large vegetative-free space located in full sun and with well-drained soil that’s reached a minimum of 65 degrees Fahrenheit for proper germination and growth, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Because they are heavy feeders, amend the site with compost or well-rotted manure before planting.
Do watermelons need a mound?
Watermelons grow best in mounds, so plant six to eight seeds per mound with mounds space 4 feet apart.