Everyone seems to love juicy watermelon in the summertime. Native to Africa, melons need warm temperatures (up to 80 degrees during the day) and a long growing season. Gardeners in colder climates can still have success in growing watermelon by starting seeds indoors and choosing short-season varieties.

PLANTING:

Days to maturity range from 70 to 90, depending on the variety.
If you live in warmer climes, you can direct sow seeds outdoors, but wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 70 degrees 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.
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 apart 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’s deliver 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 some cardboard or straw between the fruit and the soil.

PEST/DISEASE

Aphids
Cucumber Beetles
Squash Vine Borer Moths
Fusarium Wilt.

HARVEST/STORAGE

Watermelons don’t sweeten after they are picked, so harvest time is important. They generally ripen over two weeks so keep you 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 AND WISDOM

What’s in a name? Watermelon is 90% water.
The pumpkin vine never bears watermelons.
August 3 is National Watermelon Day (U.S.)!

RECIPE

Watermelon Basket With Honey Lime DressingWatermelon Cucumber Salad
Watermelon Punch

www.agricinfo.com/2017/04/how-to-grow-watermelon-in-nigeria-must.html?m=1

cc: Lalasticlala and Mynd44

a typical nigerian youth would hardly open this thread. they would rather help big brother generate N1.1bn in one week than use their brains and money properly.

Mehn, we never talk of land, money and the rest

Good

Nice

If Aboki catch you ehn

You wan spoil business. For moola ni

Op, too long to read sir . Just post the step-by-step picture and we all understand it na

Please don't read online materials and start watermelon farming oh. Watermelon is more practical.

Na so I read every single material on watermelon and then embarked on it on a two plots of land, my people watermelon farming na ognanje. I am going into plantain farming instead.

Recession things.

Good info

Nice.

nice OP... keep it up bro

Now i see the reason why watermelon grow well in nothern parton naija 80 degree celsius

I love this fruit like no other. But to plant am no be here o!

DollarAngel:
You can use Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants using water and nutrient solutions, rather than soil.
Am glad I have enlightened someone today, Lala I will talk about snake farming someday

Thanks for the new information, U re welcome to d Agro blogging world sir

mantosa:
Please don't read online materials and start watermelon farming oh. Watermelon is more practical.

Na so I read every single material on watermelon and then embarked on it on a two plots of land, my people watermelon farming na ognanje. I am going into plantain farming instead.

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binsanni:
nice OP... keep it up bro

Yes Boss, Thanks

Nice one. Farming is the way

maclatunji:
Nice.

U re sighted sir

Adieza:


Thanks for the new information, U re welcome to d Agro blogging world sir

Its a Pleasure

Punctual:
Now i see the reason why watermelon grow well in nothern parton naija 80 degree celsius

Fahrenheit.No living thing can withstand 80 degrees Celsius. Death can set in at over 60

IMASTEX:
Nice one. Farming is the way

Try Aroms Farm for ur guidelines and Support, U re Welcome to Farming World

Water melon= Omi Egusi

Adieza:

Yes Boss, Thanks

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