Honestly...should I get rid of the watermelons?

10 years ago

I'm a tad hesitant, but I planted them in late-June, for Pete's sake...I even cut half of them down since they were preeeetty crowded, hand pollinated the TWO female flowers that bloomed, but there's STILL no fruit setting in.

So at this point, since it's already mid-August, my plan was to (sadly & ultimately) tear down/chop up ALL the watermelon vines, add a couple bags of topsoil & let my pumpkin vines take over that area so they'll have better growth & room because they're doin really well so far.
Is this a good plan?

Lemme know if photos are needed for better judgment/advice!

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Comments (9)

ltilton
10 years ago
I'd say so. By October, you probably wouldn't want watermelons anyway, it's pumpkin time.
fern1knits
10 years ago
I'm thinking of chopping down my watermelons (and cantaloupe) too. They're doing a whole lotta NOTHING, except for being another plant that I have to water.
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Drewski_
Original Author
10 years ago
@ ltilton: Yeah..*sigh*

@ fern1knits: How long is your growing season? Zone/state?
If it's in the same type of climate as mine in Wisconsin, good luck w/ these final hot days..I wouldn't give up too quick on em tho. They push any fruit out yet? I don't think mine are even pollinated.
fern1knits
10 years ago
I'm in Idaho, 5B. It's been record-breaking hot and dry all summer, and very smokey with all the wildfires. My garden is a pretty big disappointment this year. Melons and tomatoes have been the worst.
springtogarden
10 years ago
Hi Fern1knits, I am in Eastern Wash. near Idaho. I know what you mean. Crazy weather. Very cold June then extreme heat. Slow year in my garden too.
glib
10 years ago
That is why I gave them up long ago. Even when they do well, it turns out I desire melons and watermelons early in the summer. In September I prefer other fruits. On a year like this, they are a total loss.
seysonn
10 years ago
@ zone 5B, Mil, WI , Mid August, no fruit set ...?

Probably your first frost is in October ?
A simple math is not in your favor. It take tomatoes just about 60 days from flower to ripe fruit. I would imagine it would take watermelons much longer than that. 100 days maybe ?
Drewski_
Original Author
10 years ago
Rather than math not being in my favor, I'd say time isn't...I have a very complicated relationship w/ time.. :-/

As for the watermelons, it'd simply take forever and a half. My problem has always been startin those things indoors rather than direct sowing, which I prefer & love to do.

Anyway, I cut down all but three watermelon vines, 2 Crimson Sweet & 1 Sugar Baby. I knocked down the rows that once stood around em (bases of the vines), cultivated the soil in that entire area/patch, added a bag of Miracle-Gro Garden Soil, chopped & mixed that in, laid the watermelon & pumpkin vines freely on that spot, then watered like crazy.
This morning, I'll go pop open the 2nd bag on top of the base of the pumpkin mound.

Think I could/should mix a little Jobe's Vegetable & Tomato Organic Fert. into there? It's 2-5-3 (I kno I need Phosphorus like a mofo at this point too), but it's granular too.
Seun
5 years ago
Has anyone tried sharply pruning back watermelon vines like peppers are pruned to get fresh vines and perhaps fruits, if the weather allows it?