How to Grow and Harvest Watermelons
How to tell if a watermelon is ripe when it's on the vine:
Look at its belly: Watermelons have an underside, or belly, which is in contact with the ground throughout its growth, called a 'field spot'. This spot on a ripe watermelon will be yellowish (sometimes referred to as "buttery"), and not white, which indicates an unripe melon.
How to grow Watermelons:
- Watermelons prefer a soil pH between 6 and 6.8. Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun's heat longer. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill. If you're growing in rows, space 6 feet by 6 feet apart.
- Most varieties are best suited for southern growing regions, but there are varieties that grow well in northern regions. Watermelons require a long-growing season with a hot summer, humid atmosphere and a lot space. These melons are easy to grow when planting in fertile, well-drained soil with full sun.
- Watch the calendar and break out the measuring tape: You did remember to save your watermelon seed package and write down the date you planted them, didn't you? WELL NO DID YOU -
- When we make our garden we will keep all seed packets and information about our plants
Many of the standard commercial varieties of watermelons grown in home gardens will be true to their descriptions on the seed package, assuming all other things are equal (good soil, adequate watering, lack of pest issues), so it's good practice to keep track of when those melons 'should' be ripe before trying to harvest one. And a ripe watermelon from these varieties should be approximately the size indicated on the seed package, although that can vary quite a bit depending on the conditions in your garden.
Check the field spot: As mentioned above, gently turn the watermelon over and look at its belly to see if it's more on the yellow spectrum (ripe) or if it's still white (unripe).
- Good opportunity to check for and remove slugs or sowbugs or other bugs
- If the whole vine and leaves are getting brown, the watermelons probably won't get any riper, and it might be best to harvest them before they go bad.
Knock it off: . A ripe watermelon has a distinctive tone to it, and if all other indicators point to ripeness, the thump test is a good one.
Ripe watermelons go “plunk” and unripe ones go “plink.”
Look at the connection: Watermelons don't slip right off the vine, as some other melons do, but the end of the vine near the melon may start to appear cracked or brownish as it ripens. .
Checked this morning it was ready
So I had it for breakfast Super Sweet I gave thanks to Mother Earth
More to come am going to be drying
The watermelon seeds to plan next years crop Peace- E
The watermelon was so sweet;
spit the seeds into a bowl or bucket and then wash them in cool water with a tiny drop of dish soap; rinse them thoroughly. Allow to dry on screens for several weeks, until they are dry enough to snap in half by hand. Alternately, spread them in an even layer on dehydrator screens set to the lowest possible heat and dry them until they are brittle. Store dried seeds in an envelope or jar for up to four years.
One more thing: make sure you are saving seeds from an heirloom variety and not a hybrid variety.
supermarket varieties are hybrids
heirloom variety is one the popular types listed here: - Black Spanish Watermelon
- Citron Watermelon
- Cuban Queen Watermelon
- Ice Cream Watermelon
- King and Queen Watermelon
- Kleckley Sweets Watermelon
- Moon and Stars Watermelon
- Mountain Sweet Watermelon
- Rattlesnake Watermelon
Comments
Post a Comment