A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Where's My Watermelon?

Watermelon was the first thing I planted in my garden in mid-March. It has a huge area to grow and is sprouting all over the place. There are finally a bunch of yellow flowers appearing. Any ideas when I might be seeing the actual fruit?

Everything looks really good i.e. leaf color and nothing seems to be eating the leaves, etc. Don't worry, I am having a blast watching everything grow, but patience might not be my best virtue! Can't wait to make some watermelon sorbet!

Hey Mitzi,

I also in Texas and having the same problem as you. I once had 14 plants this year alone. Yeah new gardener what do you expect lol. Mine are doing the same they flower then they close then nothing. I have been trying to find something on it, but no luck what so ever. I wish you luck on it.
Hopefully someone will come in and give us some pointers.
Nicky

I am a first year gardener as well and there is not much I am not giving a try. My list is the following, but in no particular order: Strawberries (containers), Sweet Peas (Containers), Squash, Onions, Carrots, Roma Tomatoes, Yellow Tomatoes, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Bell peppers (which I inadvertantly gave Blossom End Rot through too much watering), Zucchini, Cucumber, Okra, Black Eyed Peas and Serrano peppers with an array of different kinds of flowers! I am loving it, but I don't know what I would do without this website!

I don't know what I would do without this website!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are not the only one . This watermelon thing has been driving me nutz since my best friends sister had also tried to grow them her's grow, but busted all the time. My garden this year is not as big as I wanted it, but next year hopefully mine will be the whole back yard at least the landscaping part. I hope some knows about watermelon's since how I am clueless.

Happy gardening,
Nicky

Watermelon likes hot weather, and lots of water. I have a hill planted myself and am waiting for melons.

I don't get to worried until August.

If you're looking at the flowers, check for male and female flowers. A female flower has a round bulb at the base where the flower attaches to the vine. Most cucurbits (squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons) produce a lot of male flowers before they begin production on the female flowers. If you are worried about them not being pollinated you could always do the pollination yourself.

My watermelons aren't doing much, I am so jealous that you guys have flowers already! Thankfully, my pumpkins have kicked it up and I've got a few baby pumpkins to go and oogle at all day long. Instead of just standing above my watermelons and frowning at them.

Sarah

Oz what part of KS are you from? I'm very SW. The wind and heat here have been about as bad as I've even seen it for this time. We had a hard freeze the 27th of April then by May 15th was having upper 90's and 100's. So been an unuasal year. So far my garden is doing good. Just hope it continues. Getting some sweet corn tall enough for windbreaks and partial shade. That helps. JD

I lived for 35 years in Pittsburg Kansas, moved to Oklahoma 7 years ago.

Amigatec, I am originally from Choctaw, Oklahoma and moved to the D/FW area in 1991. Here in Texas its currently 11 am and 90 degrees, so if watermelon likes lots of sun, its gonna get it. It doesn't appear to be cooling off any time soon. Cross your fingers!

We had a really hot March and a very hot 2 weeks of April, then I planted my garden and about 10 days after that we got a good freeze here and another lighter freeze the beginning of May. It's been sweltering and excessively windy ever since. I'm so glad that I didn't get any of that baseball size hail that Wichita got...twice! I think that would pretty much decimate all gardens. Thankfully, my garden is doing well. I'm in the Hutchinson area, and if you watch the radar, the rain ALWAYS go just south of us, we've only had 2 or 3 good rains since April. My sweet corn is finally getting tall enough too and my neighbor thought I was crazy for planting it. Unfortunately, I didn't have room in my garden for my watermelons, pumpkins, or cantalopes. They are in random spots in the yard so the corn isn't of particular use to them.

My sister has lived in Hutch for over 20 years, and my Parents moved there about 4 years ago.

Oz I live in the Elkhart area. I like Hutchinson and Yoder. Like to go to Amish auctions and also buy baked goods from them. Also go to Hutch to Stutzman's greenhouse. It is the best anywhere in this area. We haven't had a good rain all spring. Think we have total almost an inch and a half since the first of April. I got the freeze the end of April and was gone but didn't lose any plants. I got a hail like that 2 years ago along with 6" of rain. I replanted most but was too late for the tomatoes and about 6 came back enough to produce late tomatoes. Yes I have part of my sweet corn up tall enough too help. The other I used last years seed and it didn't germinate well so had to replant and it is only about 10" now. Just sidedressed it and mulched it this morning so should really grow fast. In fact it was at Yoder that I learned about using the sweet corn for a wind break. Then when Sept. gets here it is done and the leaves fall off and let the sun through. Going to move some round bales on the south side of the garden for wind break till it gets up. JD

I like Stutzman's greenhouse, I was there many years ago.

I like Stutzman's too--the one out on HWY 50. The new one that they have in Hutchinson, is a little lacking on knowledgable staff. And I am one of those people that needs LOTS of help and info! And I'd like to say that this must be a lucky page because not only do I have blooms on my watermelons today; but we also got a LOT of rain last night. I would guess around a half inch, although it could be more.

Sarah