Growing Watermelons

Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Watermelons

Watermelon

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Everyone seems to love juicy watermelon in the summertime. Native to Africa, melons need warm temperatures (up to 80°F during the day) and a long growing season.

Gardeners in colder climates can still have success in growing watermelon vines by starting seeds indoors and choosing short-season varieties. Days to maturity range from 70 to 90, depending on the variety.

Planting

  • If you live in warmer climes, you can sow seeds directly outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70°F to avoid poor germination.
  • Watermelon vines are very tender and should not be transplanted until all danger of frost has passed. (To be safe, wait at least two weeks past your last frost date.)
  • If you are in a cooler zone, start seeds indoors about a month before transplanting. 
  • Amend soil with aged manure, seaweed, and/or compost before planting. Watermelons are heavy feeders. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
  • Watermelons prefer a soil pH between 6 and 6.8.
  • Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun’s heat longer. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill. 
  • If you’re growing in rows, space 6 feet by 6 feet apart. 
  • Watermelons like loamy, well-drained soil. Handle them gently when you transplant. 
  • After you transplant, cover the plants with row covers to keep pests at bay. You’ll remove the row covers when you see both male and female flowers on the vine.
  • Find even more tips for planting watermelon in your home garden.

Care

  • Mulching with black plastic will serve multiple purposes: it will warm the soil, hinder weed growth, and keep developing fruits clean.
  • Watering is very important—from planting until fruit begins to form. While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
  • Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Water at the vine’s base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once fruit are growing. Dry weather produces the sweetest melon.
  • If you choose to fertilize (and many do), make sure it delivers more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium. However, after flowering begins, use a fertilizer with less nitrogen. We like to use liquid seaweed.
  • Pruning isn’t necessary, but vine productivity may be improved if you do not allow lateral (side) vines to grow and stick to the main vine. When the plant is young, just cut off the end buds as they form (before the side shoots become vines). You can also pinch off some blossoms to focus the energy on fewer melons (though it’s a challenge to kill off a potential fruit).
  • Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. Do not be concerned if the male flowers fall off. The female flowers (which have a swollen bulb at the base) will stay on the vine and bear fruit.
  • Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees! 
  • As fruit is ripening, prevent rotting by gently lifting it and putting cardboard or straw between the fruit and the soil.

Pests/Diseases

Harvest/Storage

Watermelons don’t sweeten after they are picked, so harvest time is important. They generally ripen over two weeks so keep your eye on them.

Dr. Bill Rhodes, professor of horticulture at Clemson University, offers the following advice on how to tell if watermelons are ripe:

  • Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, it’s ripe.
  • Look at the color on the top. The watermelon is ripe when there is little contrast between the stripes.
  • Look at the color on the bottom. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom.
  • Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it gives a little, it’s ripe. (Rhodes doesn’t like this method because it can ruin the quality of the fruit.)
  • Check the tendril. If it’s green, wait. If it’s half-dead, the watermelon is nearly ripe or ripe. If the tendril is fully dead, it’s ripe or overripe; it’s not going to get any riper, so you might as well pick!
  • Stems should be cut with a sharp knife close to the fruit.
  • Watermelons can be stored uncut for about 10 days. If cut, they can last in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Wrap tightly in plastic.

Recommended Varieties

  • ‘Sugar Baby’: 80 days to maturity. Produces 10-pound melons with bright red flesh. This variety of smaller fruit can be planted just 4 feet apart.
  • ‘Sweet Beauty’: 80 days to maturity. A 2004 All-America Selection. Bears 6-pound, oblong melons with red flesh.
  • ‘Golden Midget’: 70 days to maturity. Bears petite, yellow-skinned 3-pound melons with pink flesh. Good for Northern gardeners.

Wit & Wisdom

What’s in a name? Watermelon is 90% water.

The pumpkin vine never bears watermelons.

August 3 is National Watermelon Day (U.S.)!

Recipes

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Reader Comments

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fertilizer...

Plan to fertilize with a general all-purpose produce when seedlings emerge, making sure to get it to the roots (use liquid, not solid fertilizer). Liquid seaweed fertilizer can be applied after leaves appear and once flowers emerge. Watermelons also benefit from nitrogen when vines begin to take off and when fruit appears. Use a 33-0-0, well diluted. Stop nitrogen applications when fruit has set and replace it with something high in phosphorus and potassium. Read more about these essential beneficial ingredients—and more—here: http://www.almanac.com/content/preparing-soil-planting

 

watermelon farming

Submitted by Ambrose Alufah on

Your write up is so educating, thank you. I'm interested in watermelon farming, how can I learn all I need to know about this? E.g . Best variaties of water melon, Favourable environment, Maturity period, Best farming seasons, Best fertilizers to be used, Planting methods e.t.c.
I live in Nigeria. I'll really appreciate your help in this regard. Thanks.
Ambrose Alufah

Water mellon farming

Submitted by Ekeruche Ugochukwu on

I am watermellon farmer i live in warri delta state nigeria. No variaty is bad it depends on ur kind of soil dare4 test

I would like to contact Ugochukwu

Submitted by Tega on

Good day Mr.Ugochukwu Ekeruche. Can I contact you? I'm just starting the watermelon farming near Warri.
You can contact me via 08059067489 or via WhatsApp on 08055330844.

Watermelon

Submitted by Leah Kyonka on

Go to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds' website bakercreekseeds.com and they have a huge variety and all the information you could use. Also I'd say don't transplant your watermelons, squash and melons of all kinds like to stay put.

Growing Watermelons

Many thanks for your kind words.  Unfortunately, we can only give gardening advice for North America. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is only published in the U.S. and Canada, hence our expertise. However, there is much information above about watermelon planting and growing which should apply to you, regardless of region. All the best.

Inquiries

Submitted by Nosa uyi on

I am from the southern part of Nigerian, please I am interested in this watermelon farming and I need advice and guidance as to the following
1. Best variaties of water melon
2. Favourable environment
3. Maturity period
4. Best farming seasons
5. Best fertilizers to be used
6. Planting methods
7. Any other things I need to know
Thanks ...
Nosa Uyi
Dangoteofbenin@gmail.com

watermelon

Submitted by samuel okere on

I am interested in growing watermelon, cucumber, okra, tomato and carrot so I am looking for any practical guide on organic farming resource with direct link to were the seeds can be sourced.
Thanks

Is there anything wrong if i

Submitted by Bamidele Fasoranti on

Is there anything wrong if i plant water melon in November

Watermelon in November

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

There is nothing “wrong” with planting watermelon in November if you can be certain that summer conditions will prevail for the next 100-or-so days (the number of days to maturity will appear on the seed packet). If you are entering the winter season, now is not the time to plant watermelon outdoors.

watermelon rinds

Submitted by Greg on

I grew seeded watermelons. Had about 6-7 large melons per three plant hills. They weighed 15 to 20 pounds and were juice and very sweet. no complaints. But the rinds were at least a inch and half thick. Seemed excessive. Is there something that may cause rinds to be thicker. Just curious. Thanks

Watermelons

Submitted by Greg kaser on

I grew seeded watermelons this summer. Can't remember the variety but had four to five 15 pound watermelons per hill of three plants. Turned out they were very sweet and juicy when we picked them. My concern was that the rind was at least one and a half inches thick.
Doesn't seem normal. Is there a reason for exceptionally thick rinds? We live in The Dalles, Oregon. Thanks.

Watermelon

Submitted by Rick on

I planted Sugar Baby Watermelon. It's growing very good. They are solid green but I'm not sure when to pick it. They do sound hollow now. Please advise

Hi - what is the reason that

Submitted by Kathyt07002 on

Hi - what is the reason that my watermelon is white inside? It is not sweet and the seeds are white too. Not sure what type I got, I planted a seed from a store bought watermelon. The watermelons are oblong with stripes. I cut one off because it was getting rotten at the tip. It was about 3 lbs. I would appreciate your response. Thank you.

The watermeons at the grocery

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

The watermeons at the grocery store are most likely hybrids, which are a cross between two different varieties. When you plant a seed from a (non-sterile) hybrid, the resulting fruit may not come out exactly like the original fruit (may not "come true"). They might be like one parent plant, or something totally different. There are white-fleshed watermelons; perhaps a white-fleshed watermelon was an ancestor to the watermelon that you saved the seed from?

My watermelons are as big as

Submitted by Rebecca Meaney on

My watermelons are as big as a Granny Smith Apple
How much longer till mature?

Do you know what variety it

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

Do you know what variety it is? Do you still have the seed packet? They have a wealth of information on them like how many days it takes for the fruit to mature. I'd say that unless you have grown a watermelon that is supposed to be that small, you need to wait a little longer before harvesting. See the tests for maturity listed in the watermelon article above to know when it is time to pick it.

Rotten tip watermelons

Submitted by Dave on

This does happen with watermelons. For whatever reason some rot like this. It would have never reached maturity. I usually cut those kind off. Wait till the melon is yellowish on the bottom side then it is ripe.

I planted some jublie

Submitted by brooks559 on

I planted some jublie watermelons about 2 year's ago and they would sound ripe when thumped cut it open and still be green. Waited till the vine started to discolor same thing still green even went as far as the vein being rotting off and still green. A old timer told me I messed up when I limed my garden area I don't know if he was correct or not but most old farmers had been there done that and hardly ever wrong. I just wanted to get everyones input. I ended up plowing them up and didn't mess with it the following year and had some volunteers start growing and ended up geting a few ripe one's.

Your old farmer friend might

The Editors's picture

Submitted by The Editors on

Your old farmer friend might be right! Watermelons like soil a little on the acidic side, a pH of 6-6.8 at the highest down to 5 at the lowest. Test your soil before you add any more amendments. The leaves produce sugars that help your watermelons to ripen. If they are dying off prematurely due to disease or insects the fruit doesn't stand of chance of ripening. Nothing is more disappointing than cutting into a melon you have been growing for months only to find that it is not ripe! Some tests, other than the thump test (which I have never perfected) are:
The tendril closest to the fruit will turn brown.
The fruit will twist off easily from the stem.
The white spot on the bottom of the fruit will turn yellow.
The rind of the melon will be dull green.
The vine nearest the end of the fruit will be cracked and brown.
The fruit should smell sweet when sniffed.
They should have a slight give when squeezed.

Hi, we planted watermelons

Submitted by lildeb18 on

Hi, we planted watermelons this year, and do have watermelons growing pretty well. the problem is I keep finding some of my melons with eaten spots out of them, thinking a rabbit! Any ideas to keep him from eating them without hurting the rabbit? Is is possible if the eaten part isn't all the way thru the fruit,am I able to save any ot those? Thank you

You can fence off the melon

You can fence off the melon patch with chicken wire. Just be sure to bury it at least 6 inches deep around the edges to discourage them from digging underneath. Deterrants such as coyote urine or bobcat urine might scare them off. Blood meal can also be used to repel them. One industrious gardener builds hardware cloth cages that he places around each melon to protect it as it grows.
If the gnawing damage doesn't extend into the flesh, it might seal over naturally and continue to grow with no problem otherwise the hole will provide an entry place for all sorts of rot and disease.

Go to a barber shop or your

Submitted by Kim knight on

Go to a barber shop or your hairdresser and get some hair and put around yor garden it smells of human will deter the animals.

You can take a rag or towel

Submitted by brooks559 on

You can take a rag or towel and put ammonia on it or bar of soap and cut up in the garden area in multiple areas I have heard of hair working also heard of people peeing aroind the garden. Probley best thing is a couple a fake owels or something motion sensored. Fence works for smaller animals . But wont stop a deer they say to keep a deer out is to get a mesh like fenceing and fix it in a way laying flat about 1 to2 feet off the ground cause the deer has good height perception but have depth or width perception which ever way you look at in. | ----

For those that have continual

Submitted by Kbinker on

For those that have continual problems with deer, we use temporary electrtic fencing. When harvest is complete, we take it down and store it til next time

How long will watermelon

Submitted by KSK1974 on

How long will watermelon continue to produce? I'm wondering when I should pull them to make room for fall garden. Will they keep producing into September?. I'm in central NC

Once the first watermelon is

Once the first watermelon is ripe, the others aren't usually far behind. Perhaps 10 days? It really depends on many factors, including the watermelon variety and the conditions. 

Can you grow a watermelon

Submitted by Alviretto on

Can you grow a watermelon using seeds from another watermelon?

Yes, you can plant the seed

Yes, you can plant the seed and it will grow. However, most grocery store watermelons are hybrids so the fruit will not be true to the parent and it's hard to say what you'll get. To grow watermelons, it's best to buy seed from a garden store or web site. Look for an open pollinated heirloom variety.

i was wondering if the

Submitted by Booker T on

i was wondering if the watermelon fruit itself needs sunlight, my watermelons are heavily covered with their own leaves and are getting hardly any sunlight. should i try and clear out the leaves around the watermelon so that the fruit will get some sunlight or can they still stay covered with their leaves and still develop a good watermelon.

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Growing Watermelons

Botanical Name Citrullus lanatus
Plant Type Fruit
Sun Exposure Full Sun
Soil Type Sandy
Soil pH
Bloom Time
Flower Color
Hardiness Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
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