I Have Watermelons!

[stella1751]

After I lost my watermelon seedlings to snow and freezing temps in mid-May, I shoved a seed down next to each dying plant. Given the closeness to summer and the watermelon's dislike of transplantation, it just didn't make sense that to start them again indoors. Well, nothing happened and nothing happened, but today, two to three weeks after shoving a seed into the soil, I see two Burpee Fordhooks pushing their way up through the soil! What a rush!

Will they make it? I pulled out the packet, and it says, "Ready to harvest about 74 days after seeding." If I planted them, say, 14 days ago, does this mean I will have watermelons by August 8? Or is "seeding" a watermelon term with which I am not familiar?

I could not be more excited. Sure, the forecast low for tomorrow night is mid-30's, but I can get them through that. I could actually have watermelons this year! Watermelons and strawberries. Life doesn't get any better than that.

Watermelon growers, please advise me on making these the happiest watermelons that ever lived. Once they are up, should I lay down black plastic around them to make the soil really hot? How much heat can they take? July has been known to rise to upper 90's; will black plastic cook their roots if the temperatures get too high? What else can I do for them to keep them happy in this anti-watermelon climate?

If only these two come up, I won't need to trellis them. They should be able to sprawl to their heart's content in 32 square feet if I guide the vines, right? The Fordhook is ostensibly a 14-pound watermelon. Both are located at one end of an 8 x 4 bed.

Oh. The two wind-blasted pumpkin seedlings that died and also had a seed shoved down next to them just came up too. What a great morning this has been! I actually, without planning it, will have succession pumpkins, some for August and some for late September. Good day for the garden here in Wyoming

[jal_ut]

"Ready to harvest about 74 days after seeding." If I planted them, say, 14 days ago, does this mean I will have watermelons by August 8?

I hate to burst your bubble, but that probably means 74 days in Georgia. 90-95 in Wyoming. At least that is how it seems here in Utah. Don't let this discourage you though, my watermelons are not up yet. They should come up today. I usually get good melons even if it takes a bit longer than the package says. I am glad that you have some melons up.

Are the first ones going to die, or will they send out new leaves? I had just a few cukes up when that snow hit and the cotyledons turned white. I thought they would die, but have since sent out a true leaf, so looks like they will live.

I do not like plastic in the garden. I would rather mulch with newspaper and grass clippings.

[Gary350]

I planted my garden June 1st because we had rain every day for 4 months.

I planted several types of mellon seeds and watered them every day and the plants were up in 3 days. We are having 99 degree weather here already that might be why the seeds came up so quick.

[stella1751]

"Ready to harvest about 74 days after seeding." If I planted them, say, 14 days ago, does this mean I will have watermelons by August 8?

I hate to burst your bubble, but that probably means 74 days in Georgia. 90-95 in Wyoming. At least that is how it seems here in Utah. Don't let this discourage you though, my watermelons are not up yet. They should come up today. I usually get good melons even if it takes a bit longer than the package says. I am glad that you have some melons up.

Are the first ones going to die, or will they send out new leaves? I had just a few cukes up when that snow hit and the cotyledons turned white. I thought they would die, but have since sent out a true leaf, so looks like they will live.

I do not like plastic in the garden. I would rather mulch with newspaper and grass clippings.

I had not thought about retarded growth because of cooler temperatures, but it does make sense. Still, doing the math and counting on our last frost date, which is sometime in mid-September, maybe September 19, I should get in just under the wire with these!

The first ones are definitely dead. Four of the six expired almost immediately after the snow; two hung on for about a week with one leaf at the very top of the plant. Every day, I have been checking this bed and becoming more and more dejected, watching the calendar shorten and knowing my chances were less with each passing day. Two failed years in a row . . .

I don't ask for much, just one, maybe two, watermelons. However, last year we had pretty much the same spring as this one, and they dropped like flies then, too. I can remember warm springs when I could have grown them but didn't try. We are in a cooler cycle these days.

I don't like the black plastic, either. I've tried it, and no matter how thoroughly you weight it, the wind eventually has its way with it, shredding it to pieces. I don't know what it is about grass clippings, but they just don't blow away like everything else.

I planted several types of mellon seeds and watered them every day and the plants were up in 3 days. We are having 99 degree weather here already that might be why the seeds came up so quick.

We just had a freak June hot spell: two days with highs in the upper 80's. That must have done the trick. Those days were Sunday and Monday. These seeds were probably laying dormant, waiting for a hot magic wand to wave across them. I feel doubly thankful now

[stella1751]

Grrrr. We are in the process of tying our record low for this day. I keep checking the weather and checking the weather. We're now officially at 37. The record low is 36. After a nasty thunderstorm rolled through last night, I ran out and threw pots over everyone but the Super Chilies out front. I just didn't have enough pots, and I secretly didn't believe it would get this low. The last time it got this low at the airport, I froze at my place, which runs alongside a drainage ditch, which is probably running high because we are close to flood stage here, given the recent snow melt.

The Super Chilies I can replace. I still have several seedlings I have been struggling to make room for. However, if those watermelons don't survive, I will weep. It's way too late to replant now. Or is it?

[SPierce]

YAY! I know you were having a horrible time with them, and were upset over not having any watermelons. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get some before the season is over

[gardenbean]

I feel for yea Stella Being real close to your area the weather has been crazy this year for sure. Between the up/down temps and the wind I don' the how the garden's can survive.

[pickupguy07]

Watermelon growers, please advise me on making these the happiest watermelons that ever lived. Once they are up, should I lay down black plastic around them to make the soil really hot? How much heat can they take? July has been known to rise to upper 90's; will black plastic cook their roots if the temperatures get too high? :

I see this was posted a couple years ago.. so not sure if this will be of much assistance.
As far as black plastic around the watermellons, I guess it depends on where you live, and the weather conditions. In my area I think it would kill the plants.

I know here in GA this year we are also having a drought,.. what I have done with my watermellons, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers is put down newspaper, then put straw on top if that when the vines start to run. I always water it in well when I initially put down the paper / straw so it is less likely to blow away.
It helps keep the temps down, and also helps keep in moisture. So far everything is doing marvelous.

[stella1751]

Pickupguy07, it's never too late to give me advice on watermelon growing. However, I think you looked at my join date instead of the post date

One day, I will sit down to a watermelon from my garden. It will happen. Definitely not last year. Maybe not this year. One day.

The two plants survived last night's freeze. I think it was a short-duration freeze; the Super Chilies were drooping something fierce this morning, but the last time I checked, the five to the north were starting to perk back up. The watermelons are alive!

Gardenbean, I lived in Westminster back in the day (1975). I think I lived on Pecos and 72nd, but I can't remember for certain. There was a Taco Bell there that received an obscene amount of business from this hick fresh off the farm. Who'd have thought you could get such tasty food in such a short amount of time, without doing anything more strenuous than sliding some bills across the counter?

Up and down pretty much says it all. Sunday and Monday, we were in the high 80's. Last night, we got down to mid-30's. I think we're out of the woods now. Whoops. I think I said that last week

[pickupguy07]

Pickupguy07, it's never too late to give me advice on watermelon growing. However, I think you looked at my join date instead of the post date
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Yeah I did.. I realized that after I posted... but had read so many threads when I thought about it I forgot what thread it was... lol
This is my first time.. so we'll see if I get any watermellons (or cucumbers, or canaloupe) this season.
Next season I want to try and grow some yellow meat watermellon.. they are so yummy, but hard to find... so I hope I can grow my own.

[Gary350]

Any time I want seeds to come up quick I put fish aquariums upside down over the soil where the seeds are planted. I buy fish aquariums dirt cheap at yard sales $2 to $5 each. I don't care if the glass is cracked. Fish aquariums make mini green houses and the plants come up in 2 or 3 days.

[gardenbean]

Any time I want seeds to come up quick I put fish aquariums upside down over the soil where the seeds are planted. I buy fish aquariums dirt cheap at yard sales $2 to $5 each. I don't care if the glass is cracked. Fish aquariums make mini green houses and the plants come up in 2 or 3 days.

That's a great idea! Why didn't I think of that

[stella1751]

I love this idea, Gary350! I will be looking for these now at garage sales. Right now, I've got some windows in their frames downstairs; I snagged them when a friend's roof blew off during a thunderstom, and her house had to be razed.

I bet I could put these on boards or something over the seeds that never did germinate, sort of an experiment for next year's watermelons.