How To Grow Watermelon At Home: A Complete Guide

Watermelon is an iconic summer fruit which is sweet, juicy and flavourful. Nothing compares to this large fruit, which is even easy to grow in your home garden. You just have to grab a packet of watermelon seeds and get your hands on some easy gardening tips.

How To Grow Watermelon At Home

This summer staple comes in both seed and seedless varieties. Growing it requires routine maintenance, sunshine and patience. Let’s dive into how you can grow a watermelon in your home garden.

Pick The Site

The watermelon plant usually likes a loamy soil with a pH of 6–6.8, with lots of sun and plenty of space: Watermelon vines can spread out 18 to 20 feet depending on the type, so it’s usually best to sow seeds in soil mounds four feet apart, with about six feet between rows if you’re cultivating a whole patch.

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Prepare The Site

A couple of weeks before planting, mix in a few inches of organic matter like compost or aged manure into the soil. Just like cantaloupe, watermelons are big eaters that need soil rich in nutrients. After checking your soil (you can do this with a soil test) for any deficiencies and acidity, you can improve the soil using various organic options like compost, nutrient meals, or specific fertilizers as necessary. Begin with a nitrogen-based fertilizer on watermelon plants at the beginning of the growing season, but switch to a phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once flowers start to appear to help the melons grow strong.

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Start Seeds Indoors

Begin by planting watermelon seeds indoors six weeks before the growing season. Use peat pots near sunlight, keeping the soil moist but not overwatered. Peat pots retain moisture well for the new seeds.

Sow Seeds In The Garden

For direct sowing, place four to six seeds in a one-inch hole atop a mound. Once sprouted, thin to the best seedlings. Transfer indoor seedlings to the garden once the soil hits 70°F. Arrange in mounds for better heat absorption and drainage. When planting, handle the delicate young vines with care.

Image Courtesy: Freepik

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