sss2019
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2012 1:28 pm
Location: Russia

What the problem?

Hello I have a problem with growing watermelons. One of the plants start to wither, watering regularly. The soil is still moist and the bush is still fading. In what may be the problem?

Photo: https://s44.radikal.ru/i103/1206/41/844ec6fa2016.jpg



This only happens with one of the bushes.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

So your watermelon vines are growing right next to each other and one is fine and the other is all withered as in the picture?

I suspect something got it... Look at the base of the stem, see if you find a hole with some sawdusty stuff around it. That would mean the plant was attacked by squash vine borers. As the name suggests, they prefer squash, but will sometimes attack watermelons as well. If that is the problem, all you can do at this point, once your plant is so wilted, is pull it and dispose of it, not in the compost pile.

Keep an eye out on the other plant and any other squashes/ melons in your garden. Watch out for a little brownish moth or for eggs laid near the plant. What I am trying this year to protect my squash vines is mounding dirt all over the bottom few inches of stem, see if I can keep them from getting to it. Too early in the season yet to know if it is working...



Return to “All Other Fruit”