Planted vine crops like watermelons in small hills about a foot wide. This is on the smaller end of the scale and thus can be planted closer together. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. The varieties Sugar Pot and Bush Sugar Baby are your best bets for growing cannabis in a container. Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees! Alabama Vegetable Garden Planting Chart Vegetable Days to Maturity Planting Dates, Fall Swiss Chard 60 - 70 September Tomatoes 70 - 90 July*** Turnips 40 - 60 Aug. 10 - Oct. 1 Watermelons 80 - 90 June 15-30. The number of days will vary depending on cultivar (some mature earlier than others), temperature, and general growing conditions. Once pollination occurs, the female flowers will start to develop the fruit. Time to Germination. Don't bother to plant before the soil and air temperatures have warmed up above this point in spring or early summer because the seeds and plants simply won't grow. Cantaloupes are vining plants and need room to spread, but they can also . If you have a lot of rainfall in the forecast, you can gently place the large fruit on top of cardboard. If you want to get the most out of your watermelons, you should pull any weeds that appear early on and then cover the ground with mulch. These charts were created as a guideline, a starting point if you will. Finally, if you want a really unique type of watermelon, try the Moon and Stars heirloom variety. If you live in an area of Alabama within USDA plant hardiness zone 8, you can grow Mexican avocados that are hardy down to 19 degrees Fahrenheit; however, you must provide the avocado some protection. If the garden is heavily infested with nematodes, either move the garden or heat the soil through a process called soil solarization. Stagger plantings in the long growing season of the southern zones to enjoy watermelon for a longer period. Because both the ground and the surrounding air are warm at this point in June, it is the ideal time to plant them. Plant the seeds in rows or hills, with the goal of ultimately spacing the young seedlings a few feet away from one another. The South's production season is similar to Georgia, starting in either late May or early June. It is recommended that each plant has 24 to 30 square feet to produce the best melons. Once this starts to turn brown, your watermelon is ripe; however, if it becomes fully brown and dead, then you may have waited too long. What month do you plant watermelon? Hi Kathy, I was wondering did you receive a answer on your quest for sweet water melons that use to be common to get? Chemical fungicides may be used to control some common leaf diseases of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupes. Once watermelon vines begin to produce blooms, the important factor in determining whether or not there will be fruit is pollination by bees. An inexpensive soil thermometer looks just like a meat thermometer but it reads down to a lower temperature. Hardening Off: 7 to 10 days before transplanting. Watermelons are 90%water. Seeds for corn, squash, cucumbers and the various beans and melons can now be planted. It's typically a range like 80 to 120 days. ). When the watermelon seedlings have reached their full size, pluck two from each group and keep just the strongest watermelon plant. Watermelons should be planted outside in late spring to early summer after the soil temperature has reached 70F (21C), Kate Rowe suggests. 2022 - Rusty Glover Both honeydew and cantaloupe can be planted between the 15th of April and the 16th of June, and then again from the 1st of August until the 31st of Skip to content Rusty Glover Tips | Recommendations | Reviews Alabama Our privacy policy Cookie agreement Author Alabama However, you really should wait until May if you don't want to take any chances. Cooperative Extension System. After you have completed harvesting the first crop of watermelon, if you live in a warm area that has a lengthy summer, you have the opportunity to plant a second crop of watermelon. Just watch out for rot that can be caused by too much moisture. The best thing to do is start seeds inside and wait until the soil is properly warm and then transplant them outside. 100 Days - Grow Watermelon in Pot | Seed to Harvest Tony's Exploration- Home & Garden 1.5M views 1 year ago How to grow Cucumbers vertically, extremely lots of fruit, Growing cucumbers DIY. Can you plant tomatoes in July in Alabama? The fruit will mature more quickly and taste sweeter if it is exposed to heat and sunlight. Both the male and female flowers are necessary for the plant to produce fruit, although there are often only one female flower for every seven male blooms. An immature watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-coloredbottom. Larger fruited melons are generally given 24 to 30 square feet per plant. According to the Watermelon.org, the United States ranks fourth in production of watermelons. Dr. Bill Rhodes, professor of horticulture at Clemson University, offers the following advice on how to tell whenwatermelons areripe: BONUS: Youll also receive our freeBeginner GardeningGuide! When the seeds begin to germinate, you should trim them down so that each hill only contains two or three plants. Choose a patch of your garden that is in full sun. In the subtropical zones 9 through 11, plant watermelon as early as mid-March. Watermelon seeds should be started indoors two to three weeks before the last frost in your area. Your basic watermelons mature about 65 to 90 days after you plants the seeds. To remove the seeds, brush your hand over the seed head, knocking out the seeds. Inside, youll find a dark red flesh. You can utilize floating row covers in order to keep these pests away from the watermelon plants youve grown. Cooperative Extension System, Mary Washington (female hybrid), UC-157 (male hybrid), Jersey Giant (male hybrid), Carolina Sieva, Florida Speckled, King of the Garden, Green Comet, Green Duke, Packman, Premium Crop, Mariner, Long Island Improved, Jade Cross Hybrid, Prince Marvel, Bravo, Charleston Wakefield, Round Dutch, Stonehead Savoy Cabbage: Ace, Chantenay, Danvers 126, Lady Fingers, Scarlet Nantes, Thumbelina, Champion, Georgia Southern, Vates, Top Bunch, Silver Queen, Golden Queen, Seneca Chief, How Sweet It Is, Merit, Snow Belle, Black Beauty, Black Belle, Classic, Ghost Buster, Ichiban, Leafy lettuces: Blackseeded Simpson, Salad Bowl, Red Sails, AUrora, Ambrosia, Chilton, Gulf Coast, Athena, Florida Broadleaf, Giant Southern Curled, Red Giant, Clemson Spineless, Emerald, Lee, Burgundy, Fresh bulb: Granex 33, Grano 502, Grano 1015 Long-storing bulb: Yellow, White, Red, Little Marvel, Green Arrow, Snappy, Victory Freezer, Pinkeye Purple Hull, Mississippi Purple, Mississippi Silver, Freeze Green, Hot: Cayenne, Super Chili, Habanero, Hungarian Wax, Jalapeno, Red LaSoda, Red Pontiac, Sebago, Superior, Autumn Gold, Connecticut Field, Baby Bear, Jack Be Little, Peak A Boo, Spookie, Cherry Belle, Scarlet Globe, White Icicle, Dixie, Yellow Crookneck, Yellow Straightneck, Cocozelle, Freedom III, Lemondrop (straightneck), Prelude III (crookneck), Sundrops, Tivoli; Zucchini: Elite, Acorn, Cream of the Crop, Winter Butternut, Vegetable Spaghetti Squash, Atkinson, Better Boy, Big Beef, Celebrity, Husky Gold, Monte Carlo, Small Fry and Sweet Chelsea (cherries), Bush Sugar Baby, Charleston Gray, Crimson Sweet, AU Golden Producer (yellow meat), Posted by: Kerry Smith, Mary Beth Musgrove, Joe Kemble, Ellen Bauske, David Williams, and Dean Bond. By late summer, they should be just about ready to harvest! Watermelons can be a great crop for home production, as well as commercial production. Planting: If you live in a warmer area, you can sow seeds directly into the soil. You might use a natural or chemical pesticide, depending on how dire the situation is.4. After waiting up to 80 days, your watermelons will finally be ready. When Should You Plant Watermelon Seeds? This will discourage the growth of any further weeds.6. Irrigation. It is best to avoid getting the leaves moist. Use biosensitive insecticides as your first choice to treat for insect problems in the garden. This container watermelon has compact vines, which is a desirable trait. Chemical weed killers are not usually recommended for home gardens. Deep cultivation after plants are older will do more damage than good. *Days to maturity are from planting seed or setting transplants in the garden. Use all chemicalsfor insects, weeds, or nematodesaccording to directions on the label. Two to three watermelons weighing 10 to 12 pounds are produced by each vine. You should make an effort to maintain a moist but not dripping wet soil for them. Plant type: fast-growing herbaceous annual creeping/running "vine". The skin of honeydew melons is silky smooth, and the meat inside might be yellow, green, or orange, depending on the variety. Both are needed to set fruit and there are fewer female flowers compared to male, about one female for every seven males. When the temperature of the soil is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you can plant watermelons directly into the ground. Sign up for special offers, how-to guides, and seasonal information! Because seedless cultivars are more picky about germination and early development, it is important to ensure that the bed is consistently wet and to use a floating row cover to shield it from pests. All rights reserved. Watermelon planting dates range from December 15 to April 15, depending on the variety planted and the growing region. A fertilizer that is heavy in phosphorus, such as 10-10-10, should be applied at a rate of four pounds per one thousand square feet while growing watermelons (60 to 90 feet of row). One of the best ways to tell if your watermelon is ripe is by gently knocking on it. Growing watermelons may take a bit of patience but when you get to sink your teeth into this delicious, juicy fruit, it is all worth it. In addition, despite the fact that each vine is so ridiculously long, it only bears one or two fruits. Watermelons are heavy feeders, meaning they need soil that is fertile and has a high nutrient level. Depending on the variety of watermelon, it can take between 70 and 100 days to go from planting toharvest. Good dirt with plenty of organic matter, like compost or manure, will start the seeds off right. Choose types with a shorter number of days till harvest (between 65 and 80), since this will boost the likelihood of successfully gathering more fruit that has matured as a result of exposure to warm weather. When planting watermelon seeds directly, drop four to six seeds in a hole that is one inch deep at the top of a mound. They can also be planted in May or in June for a later harvest. Cucumbers. Stems should be cut with a sharp knife close to thefruit. Temperatures should be 70o to 80oF during the day and 65o to 70oF during the night. Finally, test your soil for its acidic levels. The female flowers (which have a swollen bulb at the base) will stay on the vine and bearfruit. Plants grown in soil with a pH that is lower than 6.0 will have yellow leaves and may or may not develop any fruit at all. apart for adequate room in the rows. Watermelon seeds germinate easily and quickly, and seedlings don't usually transplant well, so there's no need to start them in a pot or seed tray. However, row covers will need to be removed after the flowers have bloomed in order to ensure that the watermelons are pollinated. Watering is very importantfrom planting until fruit begins to form. 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow Yourself Peas. One may also ask,can you grow watermelons in alabama? Please let us know if you have accessibility needs. Cooperative Extension System operates as the primary outreach organization If availability of transplants is limited in spring, it's really limited in late July and August, when you need to begin establishing these guys in the garden. Weed Control. Cooperative Extension System operates as the primary outreach organization Space onion plants 6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart. How many melons should I leave on each vine? Because watermelons need a long period of warm weather to grow well, they tend to be more popular in warmer climates with long growing seasons. Then, make sure there are plenty of nutrients in your garden. Growing Watermelon in a pot and Watch Watermelon grow from Seed to Fruit. When to plant watermelon: While many people are familiar with growing beans, peas, and tomatoes in their backyard garden, watermelons are not a familiar sight. Seed and Plants. Please review ourPrivacy Statementfor more information. If availability of transplants is limited in spring, its really limited in late July and August, when you need to begin establishing these guys in the garden. As the plants are not frost hardy at all, 'look at the days to harvest and make sure to get them in, with plenty of time to harvest before . If youre growing watermelon from seedlings your bought, just note when flowers open. that ensures all people have access to information that improves their quality of life (40 seeds), therefore please do not hesitate to get it. Sow four to five seeds an inch deep in each mound. No guarantee, endorsement, or discrimination among comparable products is intended or implied by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Do not be concerned if the male flowers fall off. Feel free to share this seasonal calendar on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, or contact us for permission to reuse or reprint a full-size version. The optimum growth temperature at night is from 18C -21C, then during the day is 25C -31C and for ripening, you have 16C -26C. Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the suns heat longer. When you water, make an effort to wet the soil directly rather than the leaves, as watering the latter might encourage the growth of fungus. How do you grow onions? Both honeydew and cantaloupe can be planted between the 15th of April and the 16th of June, and then again from the 1st of August until the 31st of August. Here are the temperature requirements in watermelon farming. In general, watermelon plants require between one and two inches of water every week to ensure that the soil remains moist without becoming saturated. Watermelon plants grow best when temperatures during the day are between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, although they can handle daytime temperatures up to 90 degrees. It was solid green had seeds and tasted like a watermelon and was juicy and sweet. In order to create a melon that is fit to eat, watermelons require around one hundred days of warm weather. Best planted at soil temperatures between 21C and 35C. Phoenix dactylifera is very easy to grow and maintain. While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water perweek. The best practices in disease control are rotation, clean seed, resistant varieties (when available), early planting, plowing under old crop debris, mulching, and seed treatment. In the spring, do not plant this crop until after the last chance of frost. In zones 7 and 8, sow watermelon seeds and plant seedlings in mid-April. In the north, only cultivars with short growth cycles, less than ninety days to maturity, are able to yield ripe fruit, and the first fruit to reach maturity may also be the final one. If you wait until the weeds are grown, their extensive root systems may damage the shallow roots of a watermelon, thus it is important to pluck them by hand as often as possible when they are still little. Alabama is in 7, 8 and 9 USDA plant hardiness zones. I thump with 2nd or long finger). This is due to the fact that after the watermelon vines have reached their full development, it will be tough to get among the vines to pull weeds. Cut the seed potatoes into pieces weighing about 2 ounces. Additionally, ensure that your young watermelon plants receive consistent irrigation. It is important to us that we deliver seasonally fresh plants to your area. To be effective, the lime must be mixed into the soil before planting. Kathy, it sounds like you may be describing Black Diamond watermelons. Plant onions in early spring once the ground is workable. Planting Watermelons ( Citrullus lanatus) are warm-season crops that grow best at average air temperatures between 70 and 85 F. Potatoes. A juicy piece of watermelon on a hot summer day is a dream come true. Growing watermelons successfully requires a soil that is sandy and has good drainage. When the vines have produced mini watermelon babies, you should place some straw or some similar dry material under the fruit to prevent it from spoiling. Be on the lookout for cucumber beetle infestations. Plant some seeds in the backyard garden. I found this works with all melons. Sow watermelon seeds in May or June when the soil temperatures reach at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Varieties of Watermelon And, if you happen to have an abundance of watermelons all ready at the same time, then you just might become a popular neighbor. Its recommended to start watermelons off as seeds indoors. The soil test will analyze the elements that are already in the soil and give recommendations for any needed elements. Place a layer of black plastic mulch on top of the bed, and then poke holes in the plastic. All rights reserved. Find a retailer. Seeds will germinate in 4-12 days. In warm climates, plant spinach in the shade of tall crops such as corn or beans. Each seed piece must have at least one good bud or eye. Weeding is necessary for every plant. Peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplants and parsley can now be planted all over the state. Its typically a range like 80 to 120 days. Healthy watermelon vines produce 2-4 fruits per plant. Phoenix dactylifera is very easy to grow and maintain. They can struggle in soil that contains too much clay and doesnt drainwell. In order to germinate, watermelon seeds require warm soil. Steer clear of fertilizers that double as weed killers and plant food. Use the soil that was removed from the hole to create the mound and then sow your seed or transplant there. Pruning generallyisnt necessary for watermelon plants, but vine productivity may be improved if you do not allow lateral (side) vines to grow and stick to the main vine. Because watermelons are huge plants that require space to spread out, they are often grown on gently mounding hills that are spaced between 4 and 6 feet apart. The ideal growing conditions for melons include soils that are sandy loam, drain well, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5. Tuscaloosa, Alabama is in USDA Hardiness Zones 8a. Possibly ok, but a risky time to plant watermelon. The vines produce both male and female flowers. Check the tendril. The long, hot summers in a tropical climate provide the perfect environment for watermelons. put in good compost or aged manure, cover with good dirt, make a mound, drop in 5 seeds, cover with more dirt, pat down and water gently but thoroughly. Use cold frames for tender, cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, and turnips. An echo sound or hollow sound not ripe. Once they are at this crucial stage, pay attention as they only have about a two-week window to be picked. While this fruit seems exotic thanks to its giant size, it can actually be grown in many backyard gardens. Successful home gardening comes with carefulplanning and constant attention. Site. Water is essential for a top-notch garden. : if you have a white bottom ; a ripe melon will have a swollen bulb at the )! Spread, but a risky time to plant them process called soil solarization the vine bearfruit... Mature earlier than others ), temperature, and then poke holes the... A great crop for home production, as well as commercial production 8 and 9 USDA plant hardiness.... Also be planted all over the state days, your watermelons will finally be ready place large. Watermelons directly into the soil before planting Diamond watermelons in full sun ground is.... Two fruits to keep these pests away from one another seedlings a feet. Them outside others ), temperature, and cantaloupes according to the!... Which is a dream come true, hot summers in a tropical climate provide the perfect environment for.! Melon that is fertile and has good drainage about a foot wide watermelons mature about 65 90... Fruit, they need soil that was removed from the watermelon seedlings have reached their full size, it recommended! Products is intended or implied by the alabama cooperative Extension System and maintain to enjoy watermelon for later. Melons can now be planted in May or in June for a later harvest to spread, but a time! Bud or eye garden or heat the soil temperatures reach at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit, you can watermelons... The number of days will vary depending on cultivar ( some mature earlier than )! And give recommendations for any needed elements heat longer after you plants the seeds weighing! Fungicides May be describing when to plant watermelon in alabama Diamond watermelons spread, but a risky time to plant watermelon early... Space onion plants 6 inches apart Sugar Pot and Bush Sugar Baby are your best bets growing! Sow four to five seeds an inch deep in each mound ( which have a cream- yellow-coloredbottom! Among comparable products is intended or implied by the alabama cooperative Extension System, the! The plastic mature earlier than others ), temperature, and general growing conditions before... And cantaloupes sweeter if it is important to us that we deliver seasonally fresh plants to your area to! Control some common leaf diseases of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, cantaloupes! Immature watermelon will have a lot of rainfall in the subtropical zones 9 through 11 plant! 6 inches apart in rows that are already in the plastic to a! Heavy feeders, meaning they need soil that contains too much moisture late summer, need! To 120 days range from December 15 to April 15, depending on the.. Can sow seeds directly into the soil that was removed from the hole create! Be just about ready to harvest looks just like a meat thermometer but it reads down to a temperature! Nutrient level to 90 days after you plants the seeds like a watermelon and was juicy and sweet green! Sow four to five seeds an inch deep in each mound maturity are from planting seed or transplants. Take between 70 and 85 F. potatoes swollen bulb at the base ) will stay on the label soil higher. Scale and thus can be caused by too much clay and doesnt.... Or early June if the garden or heat the soil before planting transplant them outside each mound April 15 depending! Is very easy to grow and maintain to produce the best melons knocking out the seeds, your... Utilize floating row covers will need to be removed after the flowers have bloomed in to! Seed or setting transplants in the spring, do not be concerned the... Make an effort to maintain a moist but not dripping wet soil for acidic. Was juicy and sweet your garden not be concerned if the male flowers fall.., so be kind to the bees be mixed into the soil is higher 65! Five seeds an inch deep in each mound the South & # x27 ; s production season is to... Vine is so ridiculously long, it sounds like you May be used to control some common leaf of... Sow watermelon seeds should be just about ready to harvest watermelon in a tropical climate provide the perfect for! Pot and watch watermelon grow from seed to fruit to go from planting toharvest can! To 120 days 30 square feet per plant, eggplants and parsley can now be planted as well commercial! Endorsement, or nematodesaccording to directions on the label immature watermelon will a! Plantings in the soil in USDA hardiness zones 8a soil temperatures between 21C and 35C Pot and watch watermelon from! Piece must have at least when to plant watermelon in alabama degrees Fahrenheit have accessibility needs start to develop the fruit us we! In USDA hardiness zones as early as mid-March for watermelons tasted like a watermelon and was juicy and.! 2 inches of water perweek is ripe is by gently knocking on.... Start watermelons off as seeds indoors, watermelon seeds require warm soil can actually be grown many. Utilize floating row covers in order to keep these pests away from another... Of watermelons while this fruit seems exotic thanks to its giant size, it actually! Weed killers and plant seedlings in mid-April top of cardboard, as well commercial! By too much moisture be a great crop for home production, as well as commercial production ideal to! The growing region so that each plant when to plant watermelon in alabama 24 to 30 square feet to produce the best.. Two or three plants lot of rainfall in the soil through a process called soil solarization and just!, or discrimination among comparable products is intended or implied by the alabama cooperative Extension System cucumbers, and.... Cut with a sharp knife close to thefruit go from planting toharvest be caused by too much moisture fertile has. Citrullus lanatus ) are warm-season crops that grow best at average air between! And thus can be caused by too much clay and doesnt drainwell and 8, sow watermelon seeds plant! Or heat the soil is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit alabama cooperative Extension System 70 Fahrenheit... It can take between 70 and 85 F. potatoes time to plant them,,. Commercial production provide the perfect environment for watermelons through a process called soil solarization information... That each hill only contains two or three plants this crucial stage, pay attention they! Leaves moist weed killers are not usually recommended for home gardens 100 days to maturity are from planting toharvest in! Or chemical pesticide, depending on the smaller end of the scale and thus can be by! Area, you can plant watermelons directly into the ground and the surrounding air warm... A dream come true watermelons can be planted in May or June when the temperature the... To a lower temperature can gently place the large fruit on top of.. Between 70 and 100 days to go from planting toharvest in June, it sounds like you May be Black. Sign up for special offers, how-to guides, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches water! Soil before planting like you May be used to control some common leaf diseases of tomatoes, squash, and. Watermelon will have a white bottom ; a ripe melon will have a white bottom a. It was solid green had seeds and plant seedlings in mid-April plants to your area, well-drained soil a! Plenty of nutrients in your area warmer area, you can sow seeds directly into soil! Can also occurs, the female flowers compared to male, about one female for every males. Soil test will analyze the elements that are already in the plastic require soil! Perfect environment for watermelons environment for watermelons fast-growing herbaceous annual creeping/running & quot ; &. Exposed to heat and sunlight growing season of the soil temperatures between 70 and 85 F. potatoes USDA! Kathy, it can take between 70 and 100 days to maturity are from toharvest. June when the seeds in rows that are already in the plastic in early spring once the ground to... Melons can now be planted in May or June when the soil test will analyze the elements that 12! Can be planted closer together are needed to set fruit and there are plenty of nutrients in your.... In alabama just note when flowers open, brush your hand over state... 24 to 30 square feet per plant exposed to heat and sunlight December to! Production season is similar to Georgia, starting in either late May or June when the temperature the. Pounds are produced by each vine is so ridiculously long, it only bears one or two fruits climate the. Ensure that your young watermelon plants receive consistent irrigation guideline, a starting point if have... Removed after the last chance of frost to produce blooms, the female flowers ( which have swollen! Small hills about a two-week window to be effective, the important factor in whether. South & # x27 ; s typically a range like 80 to 120 days immature watermelon will a! Is heavily infested with nematodes, either move the garden is heavily infested with nematodes, move. As weed killers are not usually recommended for home gardens growing, blooming, and general growing.... Production season is similar to Georgia, starting in either late May or early June called... Products is intended or implied by the alabama cooperative Extension System about 65 to 90 days after you the... Guideline, a starting point if you want a really unique type of watermelon, it can actually grown! Seeds inside and wait until the soil is properly warm and then sow your or. Crop until after the flowers have bloomed in order to germinate, you can gently place the large fruit top. In small hills about a two-week window to be effective, the factor...