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mommomsgarden

Watermelon?

mommomsgarden
10 years ago

I'm a a beginner at all of this ESP to growing fruits and veggies! How should I grow and care for my melon plants?

Comments (9)

  • mommomsgarden
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here is a closer picture of my watermelon.

  • don555
    10 years ago

    You sure you are growing watermelon? Those leaves in the first pic look like eggplant leaves maybe, along with perhaps a pepper plant, but definitely not any watermelon leaves like I've ever seen. In the second pic, I see one small leaf that could be a watermelon leaf, but that's it.

  • rayrose
    10 years ago

    Watermelons should be grown as stand alone plants, and not in a concrete/brick enclosure that does nothing but draw the moisture away from the plant. These are LARGE plants that need plenty of room to sprawl, and full all day sun. With your approach, you're wasting your time.

  • fabaceae_native
    10 years ago

    If it weren't for the appearance of your little watermelon plant, I would refute what rayrose said. It's true that watermelons need lots of space and sunlight, as well as nutrients, heat, and a long growing season.

    From the looks of it, your setup may be lacking at least space and sun, and since NJ does not have a super long growing season, you would want your watermelon plant to already be a big viney thing by now, possibly even setting its first fruit.

  • don555
    10 years ago

    Ah, okay, now I think I've got it... you are growing eggplant, peppers and melons all in the same brick enclosure? If so, I agree with the last poster that your plant does seem be lacking sun or something... it should look a lot more robust I think. If the bigger plants are shading it, can you at least head the vine growing toward a sunny location where other plants won't compete? I'm attaching a photo of my small melon plants to show you what size the leaves should be for comparison (yah, I know I'm highly unlikely to get fruit here, it's just a fun-thing).
    {{gwi:115819}}

  • fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
    10 years ago

    Your watermelon plant is lacking fertilizer, mainly nitrogen. Without plenty of fertility and water you won't get enough foliage to make melons of any size or number. They take lots of space and yield only about 1 lb per sq ft. So a 25 lb melon requires an area 5ft by 5ft of foliage seen below.

    Plant as soon as the soil reaches 60F. You need an early start in addition to lots of growing room.


    {{gwi:104359}}

  • mommomsgarden
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you All for your help like I said I am a beginner at this and don't really know much about gardening can I remove the watermelon plant as it is and take it to a different spot where there is more room and more sun?
    I read in another forum that someone said and I quote each year I learn a little bit more about gardening this year is always better than last

  • ltilton
    10 years ago

    Melons don't like to be moved. And that one is already so stunted, it probably will never thrive. Write it off as a learning experience.

  • waiting_gw
    10 years ago

    If it's not going to thrive where it is you have nothing to lose by trying to move it.