#31233
July 9th, 2005 at 09:58 AM
|
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
This year I planted watermelons for the first time. I planted them from seed and they were called crimson sweet watermelons. The vine is going crazy but there are no flowers and no baby fruit. At its thickest point the vine is 1/2 inch and there is no sign of fruit anywhere. Can you help me?
|
|
|
#31234
July 9th, 2005 at 10:59 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
Hello Veggie-T, Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum, We're very glad you found us.. I'm growing water melon's from seed for the first time too this year, so I don't know much about it to be able to help you..... But I just wanted you to know I was going to move your post into the FRUITS AND VEGETABLE SECTION, I know you'll get a few more responses in that section than you would here.... I could also ask you about your soil/dirt, what kind did you plant it in? *is it bagged soil of some sort or garden dirt? *have you used any fertilizer's? If so, what kind? *how much water is your plant recieving? *and how much sun does it get also...??????
|
|
|
#31235
July 10th, 2005 at 01:10 AM
|
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
Thanks for answering! I started the seed in a cup with bagged miracle grow potting mix. Then when the seed grew I transplanted it into my garden. The soil is soft and loamy. I sprinkled some garden manure onto the soil. It gets full sun and there was just a rain storm but otherwise I water it every three days. Garden-T
|
|
|
#31236
July 10th, 2005 at 02:28 AM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Feb 2005
|
I believe Watermelon has a long growing season I planted mine 2 or 3 months ago and have about 5 melons so far. The biggest one is not quite ready yet. It is about 14" long and 12" around. This is my first year as well, so I am still learning.
|
|
|
#31237
July 10th, 2005 at 05:24 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
I was going to say, that the Miracle Grow is really good for growing green growth, but not much for the flowering end of it... Find some liquid fertilizer you can mix up with a high middle number, like 10~60~10 or something, so the middle number is higher than the first and last number.... Mix it up, water..*make sure dirt/soil is already moist and plant is not dry before addding fertilizer*.... Also, you can do a foliar feed on the plants leaves.. it will be absorbed quickly.. And Fish Emulsion is a good foliar feed too...
|
|
|
#31238
July 13th, 2005 at 05:51 AM
|
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
|
|
|
#31239
July 13th, 2005 at 05:52 AM
|
Member
|
OP
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
I am already seeing baby watermelons on the vine! Peace out !!
|
|
|
#31240
July 14th, 2005 at 04:04 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
Hey, I was thinkin' of you this mornin'!!! I actually saw a tiny melon on mine too!!! Wooooooooo~Hooooooooooo!!! Can't believe it... *I planted them soooooooo late... actually just a couple of weeks ago!!! *I had started them from seed in May*(ish)* I'll get one or two for sure..
|
|
|
#31241
July 17th, 2005 at 10:12 AM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Aug 2004
|
I planted mine in march and only have 2 melons. they do have a long growing season. I have one melon almost ready I think
|
|
|
#31242
July 17th, 2005 at 12:09 PM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
I planted watermelon for the first time this year, from plantling we bought at a greenhouse, at the same time I planted a pumpkin one the pumpkin is trying to take over the whole yard, the watermelon plant has not grown at all. I am wondering what to do for next year?\
|
|
|
#31243
July 17th, 2005 at 08:49 PM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
Mine were (are) slow starters too.. but have finally taken off a bit... Mine are planted in a raised hill of composted manure and shifted topsoil.... That drains quickly, but I water accordingly to weather and temps.. Only water in the morning, and no water on the leaves.. I've not even put any fert's or anything on mine.. but might tomorrow morning *it rained really good here, and supposed to today too* one application of a 10~60~10... What are your growing conditions???
|
|
|
#31244
July 19th, 2005 at 09:26 AM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
Ok..seems your problem has been solved. But I would like to point out of couple of things about growing watermelons: that when starting your watermelon seed early in a cup which is fine and using miracle grow potting mix which is fine, transplanting is a whole other thing. The soil does need to be have organic matter worked into it, melons are heavy feeders. But the transplanting is the hardest part...when transplanted they suffer Shock, resulting in a day or two and up to 10 days after planting. All kinds of things can look like they are happening..wilting, curled leaves...or just vines growing and nothing else, But once the planting shock has gone, they will take off and grow out of control quickly. Hope this helps for the future melon plantings.
|
|
|
#31245
July 19th, 2005 at 09:43 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
We had some really good rains, and some big heat wave come thru, and I was gone for a gooooooooood part of the weekend, didn't get in my garden all weekend except once, early Saturday mornin' to water real quickly for some that desperately needed it... But when I came back and looked at everything, it was like, Holy Heavens!!! Everything JUMPED!!! My watermelon plants look huge now!!!!
|
|
|
#31246
July 19th, 2005 at 11:49 PM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
I planted watermelon from a small plant we bought at a greenhouse, it is a serious flop, I am hopeing next year will be better for it, I use used guinea pig bedding(pine and spruce shavings)the only thing I do is wet it down good when I first put it on, then make sure it is mixed into the soil too, can we say holy fertilizer!! I left the garden empty last year and just put the bedding on it, everything(with a few exceptions) is so much bigger this year, between good feeding and getting the soil broken up good(we have clay based soil). I just wondered if there was anything I did that perhaps stunted the watermelon plant from growing, or is it just one of those things?
|
|
|
#31247
July 20th, 2005 at 06:25 AM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Feb 2005
|
I harvested my first watermelon last week, It is so good!!! I have 2 or 3 more left to harvest. Here is a picture of one of my cantaloupes!!
|
|
|
#31248
July 20th, 2005 at 08:00 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
Oh my gosh.....too funny on my end here... I saw the watermelon post, then read that you'd harvested your first watermelon and I skipped down lookin' at the picture, and I'm thinkin', dude~you got a cantalope there. Or they've changed the outer coverings of watermelon's lately!!! But then I went back up to finished reading it... I'll blame it on toooooo much sun and heat!!!
|
|
|
#31249
July 20th, 2005 at 08:02 AM
|
Compost Queen!
|
Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
|
|
|
|
#31250
July 20th, 2005 at 09:02 PM
|
Official Blabber Mouth
|
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
|
Isn't there something about wood shavings taking nitregon out of the soil the first year and then putting it back the second year? Could that be part of the problem? I'm a beginner, I think my dad said something like that when I was a kid. But that was back in the dark ages.
|
|
|
#31251
July 20th, 2005 at 09:49 PM
|
Member
|
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
|
|
|
|
|
|