Your comments and tips

08 Sep 20, Danlo Troth (Australia - temperate climate)

My grandfather was always using old n dry cow poo. Just make sure to really dig it in and mix well into the dirt.

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09 Sep 20, Anonymous (Australia - arid climate)

Old dried out cow poo has probably lost a lot of it's nutrient value, leached out with gravity and rain etc. Any manures need to be made into a compost material asap to retain as much of the nutrient as possible. Or you dig it into your soil over 6-12 weeks and with air water and turning it, it breaks down into the soil. The greatest benefit of organic material put back into the soil is it makes the soil loose and friable, which means it then drains well.

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04 Sep 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Just look for a general garden fertiliser. There is not that much difference in them

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26 Apr 20, Phillip Bellis (Australia - tropical climate)

We are having a watermelon growing comp. at a school just out of Darwin. Seedlings are just a week old in pots. When would be the best time/age of seedlings to transplant. Weather is warm at 32-35 C and dry but being watered 2x a day. Thanks

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27 Apr 20, Another gardener (Australia - tropical climate)

The leaves that come out on germination are called the cotyledons, then come the first true leaves. When you have the 3-4 set of true leaves transplant them. I grow things in 500gm margarine containers, when the seedlings have grown to the above stage (like about 100mm high and round) the soil in the container has lots of roots in it to hold the soil together when you take the plant out to transplant, try and keep that all in tact. Best to tip upside down into one hand gently. Don't over do the nitrogen - you will end up with a lot of vine.

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22 Apr 20, Lisa (Australia - temperate climate)

My daughter (7) planted her watermelons seeds several weeks ago and has been watering and tending to them ever since. Today, we noticed a little sprout- very surprising I have to say! Will this melon grow? If so, how long till we see a melon? We live in South West of western Australia

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22 Apr 20, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Wrong time of the year to plant really, try spring time later this year. Some flowers will just be a flower (male), some will have a small melon on them(female). If the female flower is pollinated then the melon will grow, if not it will die. You can pollinate by hand. Read on the internet how to do it. Melons take about 3-4 weeks to grow and then 3-4 weeks to mature.

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01 Mar 20, Kerrie (Australia - tropical climate)

A few weeks ago I harvested the last of my watermelon. I lost a few due to the rain and too much water. I live in the coastal area of Brisbane. A few plants have self seeded, is it too late for them to bare fruit ?

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02 Mar 20, Another gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My first time growing them this time of year. Mine are just starting to send runners out and I feel I maybe a bit late. The farmers around here (Bundy) planted out seedlings about a month - 6 weeks ago. You could try, depends on what the late Autumn early Winter is like, warm or cool.

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24 Feb 20, Juliet (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Can it get too hot for watermelon plant to survive Tauranga NZ, weather gowing over concrete pavers and river stones ?

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