Growing Watermelon

Cucurbitaceae c. lanatus : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
								P	P	P

(Best months for growing Watermelon in South Africa - Summer rainfall regions)

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 21°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: 60 - 75 cm apart
Harvest in 12-17 weeks.
Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, Sunflowers
Avoid growing close to: Potatoes

Your comments and tips

28 May 14, joe (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): I would like to plant watermelons early July in the Limpopo valley can I do it , for the temp is around 19-28 ? Should I plant this directly or start by planting in seed trays ?
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05 Jan 15, Pieter (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate): Hi Joe, early Jul is a bit risky as you can still get black frost. Farmers around Lephalale push the planting date - Sometimes they're lucky.... delivering season first watermelon....
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20 Mar 14, Kerry Porter (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): my Watermelon plant has just started bearing fruit. can the fruit get eaten by bugs or stung? what can i do to prevent this
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29 Aug 14, Brendan (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate): Hi Kerry, I make fruit fly traps to catch most of them as they destroy my fruit. Cut the top of a coke bottle off and invert it back into the base section. Make a small hole in the cap so the fly enters but cannot leave. In the bottle, place a piece of banana and add "Apple Cider Vinegar" Do not cover the banana completely. Once the banana starts to ferment in the vinegar the smell attracts the flies. Good Luck....
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23 Jan 16, Andre Lotz (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): Thanks for the FF trap. I gave up on watermelons as EVERY fruit gets stung. We use a similat trap for mozzies! Andre
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02 Feb 14, Thabo (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): What causes the watermelons to crack and open up?
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19 Nov 19, anon (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): Too much water.
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02 Feb 14, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Irregular watering or lots of rain just as they ripen will make them split as they suck in a load of water after being dry for a while. Also temperature changes between cold at night and hot in the day - a straw mulch around the melons can help keep the temperatures even.
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14 Sep 13, Mmoloki Lejowa (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): What is the spacing - Between the rows and between the plants
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30 Sep 13, jeanne (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): space 1 meter around the seedling
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Hi, Have you notice any bees? If you don't then that might be you problem. regards Marylou

- marylou

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Growing Watermelon

Cucurbitaceae c. lanatus : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

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Gardenate

Keep your garden growing - see what to plant right now

Growing Watermelon

Cucurbitaceae c. lanatus : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Your comments and tips

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