Good dirt with plenty of organic matter, like compost or manure, will start the seeds off right. Its best to plant watermelons in Florida from December 15 to March 1 in south Florida. Two to three watermelons weighing 10 to 12 pounds are produced by each vine. Watch your local weather for more accurate dates. I cannot speak highly enough of the Watermelon, Bush Sugar Baby 1 Pkt. It has worked for 50 plus years. What you need to know about watermelon. Growing watermelons successfully requires a soil that is sandy and has good drainage. The last month that you can plant watermelon and expect a good . Transplanting is discouraged to avoid disturbing their roots. The roots need warmth in the ground to ensure rapid growth. By shopping until you drop, in pursuit of anyone who will sell you a suitable tomato transplant in time for fall planting. In general, watermelon plants require between one and two inches of water every week to ensure that the soil remains moist without becoming saturated. Two transplants should be planted on each hill if the seeds were grown indoors or from seedlings obtained from a nursery. They can also be planted in May or in June for a later harvest. Alabama is in 7, 8 and 9 USDA plant hardiness zones. No guarantee, endorsement, or discrimination among comparable products is intended or implied by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Cooperative Extension System operates as the primary outreach organization Deep cultivation after plants are older will do more damage than good. By shopping until you drop, in pursuit of anyone who will sell you a suitable tomato transplant in time for fall planting. This website uses cookies to collect information to improve your browsing experience. No guarantee, endorsement, or discrimination among comparable products is intended or implied by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. I found this works with all melons. The vines produce both male and female flowers. Lime and Fertilizer. For most vegetables, the soil pH should be around 6.0 to 6.5. You can improve your garden soil by adding organic mattercompost, leaf mold, or well-rotted sawdust. The trick is to wait until the really hot weather has passed, but not wait too long or the plants won't have time to mature before the cold and dark of midwinter. Use a 33-0-0 fertilizer at the rate of pound (227 g.) per every 50 feet (15 m.) of the watermelon row. You should adjust the planting dates relative to your particular area, and the specific variety of vegetables going into your garden. Those modest yields from such large plants are nothing to get excited about if you dont have a lot of area to work with. Please review ourPrivacy Statementfor more information. For more information, contact your county Extension office. Young watermelon plants can also be bought from nurseries. Know your zone. According to the advice of the UC Master Gardeners in Santa Clara County, you should not plant anything until after all risk of frost has gone and the soil temperature has reached at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You may also side dress the vines prior to running with a 34-0-0 food at the rate of 1 pound (454 g.) per 100 feet (30 m.) of row or calcium nitrate at 2 pounds . Sow peas directly around September 5. Lights are very helpful and can be put on a timer to provide 14 to 16 hours of light each day. In North Alabama, make spring plantings approximately 10 days later and fall plantings 10 days earlier. It takes about 70 to 90 days for the plants to mature. When the plant is young, just cut off the end buds as they form (before the side shoots become vines). A soil test is the best way to determine lime and fertilizer needs. Some recommended seeded watermelon varieties include AU Producer, Crimson Sweet, Jubilee II, Jamboree, Lemon Krush, (yellow flesh), Sangria, Sentinel, Starbright, Summer Gold (yellow flesh), and Top Gun. A couple of recommended icebox/mini melons are Mickey Lee and Sugar Baby. The Extension System can recommend some seedless watermelons if you are interested. "We have to wait on those soil temperatures. Water well with seaweed emulsion after planting. This content printed from the website located at. The soil temperature at the 4-inch depth should be 60 to 65 F before this crop is planted. Make sure the soil temperature is at least 70F. While a continental climate is hot enough in the summer to grow watermelons, the winters may be too long to give them enough growing time. Watermelons, as well as other types of melons, can be grown from June through September. These planting dates are for Central Alabama. that ensures all people have access to information that improves their quality of life However, those wont work as a long-term solution since youll have to take them down when its time for the watermelon blossoms to be pollinated by bees and other insects. Furthermore, in Alabama, the best planting date for spinach is from the 15th of February to the 15th of March. It is very common for plants in the same family to share diseases, making it very important to rotate crops. Stems should be cut with a sharp knife close to thefruit. And now is the ideal time for a fall planting. The appetites of watermelons are enormous. Visit www.aces.edu/directory. Our free planting guide calculates the best dates for sowing seeds indoors and outdoors, and for transplanting seedlings into the gardenall customized to your location. If possible, it is recommended to wait up to five years before growing a crop such as watermelon in the same place as any other crop from the same family. For a successful garden, you must control insects. Tomatoes. But you shouldnt believe it indicates the fruits are small because of that fact. While watermelons love warm climates, if you have a longer winter, you can still try your hand at this delicious fruit. The earliest that you can plant watermelon in Zone 7b is April . The label will tell you the amount to be used, the crops to use it on, and the number of days between application and harvest. While you might be excited to have multiple watermelons grow, its best to limit each vine to just two melons, so that they get the bulk of the nutrients. Note that the temperature of your soil should be at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit when you plant. 2023 by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Summer Squash (Zucchini) Summer squash and zucchini like well-composted soil and need plenty of space (plant them 3 to 6 feet apart in warm soil and lots of sun.). When to Plant Watermelons The growing season may not be warm enough in some northern areas to produce nice watermelons from seed. Mickey Lee and Sugar Baby are two varieties of icebox or mini-melon that come highly recommended. . If you find any of them, dust them with diatomaceous earth. Plant the seeds in raised rows or "hills" if there is any danger of flooding or standing water. It is best to avoid getting the leaves moist. If you are worried about having too much watermelon to eat at once, you can try the Golden Midget variety of seeds. Cut the head off the plant leaving about 6 inches of stem. Weeding is necessary for every plant. Space your mounds to give your plants enough room to spread and grow. When to Plant Watermelon in Zone 7 and Higher. Plant seeds in rows at least 3 feet (1 m.) apart, as growing collard greens get large and need room to grow. According to the Watermelon.org, the United States ranks fourth in production of watermelons. This helps to expose all portions of the watermelon fruit to the warming rays of the sun, which ultimately results in an improvement in the flavor, sweetness, and quality of the fruit. This will discourage the growth of any further weeds.6. AU Producer, Crimson Sweet, Jubilee II, Jamboree, Lemon Krush, (yellow flesh), Sangria, Sentinel, Starbright, Summer Gold, and Top Gun are a few of the seeded watermelon types that come highly recommended. Plant the newly separated offshoot in its own pot and water the soil thoroughly. There is a good chance that watermelons can grow in a dry climate. Wait until about two weeks after the average last frost date for your region to plant warm-season crops. Then, make sure there are plenty of nutrients in your garden. Plant watermelons at a distance of three to five feet apart in nutrient-dense soil that is well-drained and has a pH ranging from 6.0 to 6.8. Arbequina, says Powell, is ideally suited to Alabama because it is cold hardy through zone 7, can handle the heat in the southern part of the state and is self-fruiting, so it does not require cross pollination from another olive variety to produce fruit. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer. The space between rows itself is about 5 feet. Watermelon is a tropical plant and demands a long, warm, dry growing season with temperatures between 70 and 80F (21-26C) during the day and 60-70F (16-21C) at night. Plant seedlings in the middle to end of June. Dig a shovel deep hole. Varieties of Watermelon Before using a weed control product, get full information on how to use it and what crop it should be used on. Just watch out for rot that can be caused by too much moisture. and economic well-being. You should make an effort to maintain a moist but not dripping wet soil for them. Place the head in a container to catch loose seeds. Arbequina, says Powell, is ideally suited to Alabama because it is cold hardy through zone 7, can handle the heat in the southern part of the state and is self-fruiting, so it does not require cross pollination from another olive variety to produce fruit. Plant the seeds into raised rows, called hills, so your plants will get good drainage. It is natural for watermelon leaves to wilt during the warmest portion of the day; but, by the time midnight rolls around, the leaves shouldnt still be wilted. Consider laying black plastic over your planting area in order to warm the soil even more. Watermelons do not like to be messed with once they start growing and very rarely get all the water they need causing stress from the beginning. Watermelon seeds germinate when soil temperatures reach 60F consistently. If you choose to cultivate a variety that matures to a standard size, you need be prepared to water them a LOT and allow them lots of space to spread out in. Watermelons do best in loamy, somewhat-sandy, well-drained soil. (May take big hands and fingers for true results). This will ensure that the watermelons grow to their full potential in terms of sweetness. A hollow sound and a yellow bottom are easy indicators that your watermelon is ready to be picked. Sowing seeds Watermelon can be direct seeded in areas with a long, warm growing season but in more Northern climates it should be sown indoors and transplanted. Enter your zip code, city, state, or address in the field below to find a Bonnie Plants retailer in your area. Cooperative Extension System. These planting dates are for Central Alabama. Days later and fall plantings 10 days later and fall when to plant watermelon in alabama 10 earlier... 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