First Time For Watermellons

[rigardengal]

Hi,
Last spring I received some great advice on starting my raised beds. This year, I've increased its size and am taking on watermellon. Although it's not infront of me, I believe the watermellon plant I purchased is of a smaller, rounder variety. My beds are divided into 4' X 4' foot sections and I have dedicated one of these sections for 2 seedlings I have planted today. I realize the space I have alloted is probably not enough, but I had good luck last year 'crowding'! LOL
So, what advice do you watermelon experts have for me. I've heard about trellising, but, wouldn't that be too much weight? I'd love to hear any ideas. Thanks!
Judy

[Kisal]

You can create slings to support the fruit, when you grow melon vines on trellises. I can't give you instructions, because I've never done it myself, but I've seen pictures in several of my garden books of the fruit hanging in little slings.

I can tell you that the slings are tied to the trellis, so that the vine itself doesn't have to support the weight of the fruit.

[Gary350]

I use to live where they grow watermelons. Watermelons like sandy soil for several reasons. The roots can grow fast the larger the root system the more water they can pick up and the larger the melons get. Second reason the under side of the 35 lbs melons stay dry in sandy soil and it do not rot the bottom side of the melons. Digs a hole in the yard about 2 ft diameter and 1 ft deep and fill it with sand. Mix in about 10% dirt, you don't want much dirt. Mix very well so it is very hard to see there is actually dirt mixed into the sand. Plant 6 seeds in a 12" circle then water. After the plants get large enough to blosom start watering with fertilizer water. Mix 1/2 pint of 15/15/15 fertilizer and 1/2 pint of Ammonium Nitrate in 5 gallons of water. Put about a gallon of water on the melons every day. When the melons start growing place a sheet of plastic under the melon and pour a 1" layer of sand on the plastic sheet. Set the melon on the sand. Poke a few holes in the plastic with a nail just in case it rains you don't want to plastic to hold water. Some people us a cement patio block to set the water melon on that works fine too as long as the patio block is setting on a sheet of plastic to keep the patio block dry. I think the cement patio blocks are easier to deal with than sand and you can reuse them year after year. The more water and nitrogen you feed your plants the larger the melons get. Potash makes the roots grow larger. If you work at it you can grow some super size melons. I have a friend that grows very large melons almost too heavy to pick up. My friend says if you want extra sweet melons then water the plants with sugar water. I have never tried that myself so I can't give you any advise on how much sugar is needs in 5 gallons of water.