Growing Watermelon

Cucurbitaceae c. lanatus : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                S S S S
T                   T T
                    P P

(Best months for growing Watermelon in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 70°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 24 - 30 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, Sunflowers
  • Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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05 Nov 19, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Most veges just need an all round fertiliser. Leafy veges a bit more N, fruity/root veges a bit more P/ K. Read up about what N P K does in the soil. that will determine what you put on. But it is impossible to go and buy 20 different fertilisers for 20 different plants. I buy the same fertiliser to fertilise all my vegetable, lawn and shrubs. Also look at crop rotation. A leafy crop will take the N out, so you might plant a root crop after. When plants are very small they need a light watering each day, as they grow you can water less often but put more water on. Plants half grown need watering each 2-3 days. The amount depends on how big that plant grows. You would water lettuce a lot less than 1.8m high tomatoes. I water 3 days a week.
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23 Oct 19, Dumi (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi. I am in Herkpoort, in the South of Johannesburg. Can I plant watermelons late November? Where can I get seedlings in GAuteng.
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13 Nov 19, anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Usually have to plant seeds.
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13 Oct 19, Mokone j mahlatsi (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi can you assist with black diamond watermelon and citrulus lanatus Carolina cross How must I plant and grow ? Thank you
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14 Nov 19, (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
search on-line for 'how to grow watermelon from seed'
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23 Sep 19, jamie clodial (Australia - tropical climate)
what are the harvesting conditions to grow watermelon
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30 Sep 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Are you growing them or harvesting them?
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07 Sep 19, Midda (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
Afternoon, please i need advice about the watermelon, how to produce the sweetest watermelon. At what time of the year. Thank you
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13 Nov 19, anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Read the information here about growing them. Asking how to produce the sweetest WM is an impossible question. It is like asking which is the sweetest in a bin of 50 of them.
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10 Jul 19, Khathutshelo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
How many watermelons can I keep per plant and still retain good size and quality?
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Has anyone growen watermelons in Wellington?

- Toni

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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