How to Grow Watermelon from Seed to Harvest in 8 Easy Steps

How to grow watermelon from seed to harvest? The answer is not nearly as complicated as you would imagine it to be!! Follow these 8 simple steps to ensure a healthy, productive, and tasty crop in your home garden! To successfully cultivate watermelons in a home garden, you will need plenty of sunlight, persistence, and a regular care schedule.

Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus) is an annual fruit-bearing vine that requires a relatively long, warm growing season. Although it may take 2 or 3 years before you start harvesting sweet melons from your plants, the wait will be worth it when you see how easy it is to grow one of the most popular summertime treats in your own backyard!

Table of Contents

• Choosing Watermelon Seeds
• Planting the Seeds
• Caring for the Young Plants
• Fertilizing the Plants
• Watermelon Need Lots of Water
• Pollination
• Harvesting
• Storing Your Watermelons
• Frequently Asked Questions

1) Choosing Your Watermelon Seeds

Choosing your watermelon seeds is an important first step for growing watermelons. Seeds are available at most garden supply stores, and you can also find them online or by asking a gardener friend. Choose ripe, healthy-looking seeds that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any that have soft spots or show signs of mold. When choosing your watermelon seeds, it's always best to purchase only as many as you think you will need.

If you choose too few, the others may not get enough space or light; if too many, some may go to waste because they won't grow well. In order to successfully grow watermelons from seed indoors in containers, provide plenty of light so the plant stays green and produce lots of fruit.

2) Planting the Seeds

The first step of growing watermelon is planting the seeds. There are three different types of watermelons: seedless, crunchy-seeded and seedy. If you want to grow a seedless variety, then purchase the seeds online or at your local gardening store. Next, moisten a paper towel and wrap it around the watermelon seeds before placing them into an envelope or plastic baggie so they don't dry out.

Store these packets inside of a refrigerator for three months before planting them in soil outside. If you want to grow a variety with crunchy-seeds, then plant the seeds on top of moistened potting soil that has been filled into individual pots about one inch deep and about two inches apart. Planting multiple seeds together may lead to stunted growth due to inadequate sunlight exposure and reduced airflow.

Finally, if you're going to grow watermelons with seedy flesh, prepare the area where you will be growing by clearing away any weeds and adding manure as fertilizer. When planting the seeds directly into this area, make sure not to cover up more than 2 inches of soil since they need ample sunlight exposure in order to grow.

3) Caring for the Young Plants

Watermelons are slow growers, but they may succumb to a variety of common pests and watermelons growing problems. A few creative ways to grow watermelons might be more successful for you. In the end, your patience will be rewarded with sweet juicy melons!

To start with good healthy plants - buy them from your local gardening store or order seeds online. To increase the chance of success with seed planting, consider starting indoors and then transplanting outdoors when all danger of frost is gone. Be careful not over-water seedlings while they're indoors because that can lead to mildew and root rot which might kill your plants before they even make it outside.

4) Fertilizing the Plants

Fertilizing watermelons is important because they require a lot of nutrients and the fertilizers help deliver these nutrients. The most common fertilizers are manure, compost, and blood meal. Organic fertilizers are best for those who have sensitive skin or don't want chemicals on their plants. You can apply these fertilizers by mixing it with water and spraying the mixture on your plants.

For example, you can mix 3 cups of organic fertilizer with 2 gallons of water. Pour this mixture into a sprayer and spray it over all the leaves evenly, then water again as needed. If you're using potting soil that doesn't contain any fertilizer, add 10 ounces of 10-10-10 general purpose garden fertilizer per cubic yard of potting soil. After planting the seeds, give them about an inch worth of mulch to keep them cool during hot days and dry during cold nights.

5) Watermelons Need Lots of Water

As the climate warms, more and more people are making their home gardens in small spaces such as patios, balconies, or large window sills. That's where our how-to guide on growing watermelon comes into play. It covers all you need to know about how to grow watermelons in a small space-plus it'll show you how watermelons can grow from seed too! There is no substitute for this how-to tutorial when it comes to how to grow watermelons in a small space.

In order to keep your plants healthy and vigorous, don't forget that they need lots of water. The soil should be moist but not wet. You will also have to ensure that your plants have enough sunlight so that they can produce those juicy fruit—ideally at least six hours per day if not more (in some climates).

Make sure your plant gets enough sunlight by planting it in an area that gets sun throughout the day. And finally, don't forget to fertilize regularly with manure tea or composted cow manure since these contain important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.

6) Pollination

Pollination is the process where the male pollen grain is transferred to a female flower for fertilization. Pollination is accomplished by wind, insect pollinators (bees, wasps, etc.), and other animals like birds or bats. Bees are the most common pollinators of watermelons.

This can be especially problematic for home gardeners because bee populations are declining nationwide due to factors such as pesticides and habitat loss. You may have better luck using insects like bumblebees or ladybugs instead of honeybees to help pollinate your watermelon plants. There are many creative ways you can grow watermelons without bees too, including planting them in pots indoors or making container gardens with straw bales.

7) Harvesting

Harvesting watermelons is a simple process of cutting the fruit off the vine. They can be harvested when they are at their peak ripeness, which is when they turn yellow and the skin looks slightly dull. It should also feel slightly soft and give a little when you press on it with your fingers.

The best time for harvesting varies depending on climate, but generally begins about four months after planting seeds or transplanting seedlings. Most people will choose to harvest all their watermelons at once; however, if you want to preserve some of them longer than others then harvest only as many as you want to eat fresh first and leave the rest until later.

When harvesting make sure that you do not leave any green areas on the melon. Cut right below where the stem was removed so that there are no remnants of leaves left. Watermelon plants require some TLC, so make sure not to forget watering them while they grow!

8) Storing Your Watermelons

Watermelons need to be watered regularly and fertilized with fertilizer for plants. They should also be watered with diluted vinegar, which will help prevent diseases like fruit rot. Once the watermelon is harvested, it can be stored in a cool, dark place like a garage or basement. The temperature should stay around 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity should stay between 65% and 85%.

Read : How to Grow Strawberry at Home

Frequently Asked Questions

What is watermelon growing problems?
The most common watermelon growing problems include aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, earwigs and whiteflies. You can treat these pests by spraying the plant with soapy water or insecticidal soap.

How do you grow watermelons in a small space?
The best way to grow a watermelon in a small space is by using containers or pots. If you decide to use pots, make sure they are at least 3 gallons for each plant.

What is the creative ways to grow watermelons?
For creative ways on how to grow watermelons, try putting the plants near a south-facing wall with some protection from wind and sun during winter months.

Can you grow watermelon in a pot indoors?
Yes! Growing watermelon in pots indoors is not only possible but also very easy. In order to get started, you need a container that is big enough for your seedling (3 gallon pot) and a packet of watermelon seeds. Now it’s time to add soil into your container and plant the seeds according to their directions on the packet.

Once planted, give it ample sunlight, good drainage (via holes), and keep it moist until it sprouts (1-2 weeks). Finally, once you see leaves popping out of your new seedling, transplant them into a bigger pot or outside. Remember: when planting outside wait until temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F before planting anything outside

Conclusion

For those who are new to the growing and harvesting process, be sure to keep reading for an overview of how to grow watermelon from seed. And if you have any other questions, feel free to comment below.
Growing a watermelon can seem intimidating at first as there is a lot of planning and work that goes into it. This guide has been written with beginners in mind but contains all the details on how exactly you can get started with your own plant. So what are you waiting for? - Home Garden Lot