According to the Watermelon.org, the United States ranks fourth in production of watermelons. This medium-sized, 8-13 lb. Once they become established, water your muskmelon plants deeply and infrequently if rainfall equal to 1 inch or more per week is lacking. oval watermelon averages 2-3 fruits per plant. 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Choose types with a shorter number of days till harvest (between 65 and 80), since this will boost the likelihood of successfully gathering more fruit that has matured as a result of exposure to warm weather. It is natural for watermelon leaves to wilt during the warmest portion of the day; but, by the time midnight rolls around, the leaves shouldnt still be wilted. Use cold frames for tender, cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, and turnips. Radishes. This content printed from the website located at. Depth: to 1-inch seed depth, transplant slightly deeper. There is no other kind of watermelon that performs as well as Bush Sugar Baby watermelons when it comes to growing watermelons in containers. The temperature requirement for watermelon germination is between 26C -33C, with night temperature expected not to be lower than 25. The ideal growing conditions for melons include soils that are sandy loam, drain well, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5. Wait until about two weeks after the average last frost date for your region to plant warm-season crops. These planting dates are for Central Alabama. Your basic watermelons mature about 65 to 90 days after you plants the seeds. Cantaloupe and muskmelon both contain fruit that is juicy, netted skin, and a strong scent. Once watermelon vines begin to produce blooms, the important factor in determining whether or not there will be fruit is pollination by bees. If watermelons do not receive sufficient sunlight, they will not develop blossoms or fruits on their plants. Successful home gardening comes with carefulplanning and constant attention. Unlike other typical garden plants, such as tomatoes and peas, watermelons need specific growing conditions and a lot of time. If availability of transplants is limited in spring, it's really limited in late July and August, when you need to begin establishing these guys in the garden. The earliest that you can plant watermelon in Huntsville is April . Once the temperature is warmer, its time to get your soil ready. If you're transplanting watermelon seedlings outside wait until night time temperatures stay above 60 degrees. Knowing your first and last frost dates will help you start your vegetable seeds at the right time. Choose a patch of your garden that is in full sun. 2023Yankee Publishing, Inc., An Employee-Owned Company If availability of transplants is limited in spring, its really limited in late July and August, when you need to begin establishing these guys in the garden. If you wait until the weeds are grown, their extensive root systems may damage the shallow roots of a watermelon, thus it is important to pluck them by hand as often as possible when they are still little. If the tendril is fully dead, its ripe or overripe; its not going to get any riper, so you might as wellpick! Plant onions in early spring once the ground is workable. The seeds should germinate and plants will emerge in about 7-10 days, depending on the soil temperature and the depth they are covered when planted. All images and content are copyrighted 2021 by Urban Farmer LLC. To control weeds, use a mulch. The seeds germinate faster if the soil is 70-95 degrees F. Many varieties are available from small, round, 'personal' types to large heirlooms like ' Black Diamond'. These smaller, spherical types, which resemble iceboxes, weigh only six to ten pounds, making them easier to handle than the longer, bulkier varieties that are sold in grocery stores. After waiting up to 80 days, your watermelons will finally be ready. Planting Guide for Home Gardening in Alabama. If you're saving the seeds to plant, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until planting time. Tuscaloosa, Alabama is in USDA Hardiness Zones 8a. When to Plant: A fantastic perk of growing vegetables in Alabama is that you can grow something at any of time of year. Harvest often to get vegetables at the proper stage of maturity. If you are really keen, then you could try to grow watermelon in a greenhouse in this climate. It is common to see watermelon rows spaced 6 feet apart with plants spaced 42- to 60-inches in the row. Arbequina, says Powell, is ideally suited to Alabama because it is cold hardy through zone 7, can handle the heat in the southern part of the state and is self-fruiting, so it does not require cross pollination from another olive variety to produce fruit. Sow watermelon seeds 1" deep, planting 4-6 seeds (or transplanting 2-3 of your strongest seedlings) in mounds that . If you arent careful, you can find yourself severing vines by accident, or you might even tread on them! Best planted at soil temperatures between 21C and 35C. Fertilize again once the fruit has just emerged. Seeds are cheap, so get the best available. when to plant watermelon in alabama Plant watermelon from late spring to early summer, once soil temperatures reach 70 F or above. How Many Watermelons per Plant? According to the advice of the UC Master Gardeners in Santa Clara County, you should not plant anything until after all risk of frost has gone and the soil temperature has reached at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It is beneficial to conduct soil testing in the late summer and apply any needed lime when planting cover crops. When to plant watermelon: While many people are familiar with growing beans, peas, and tomatoes in their backyard garden, watermelons are not a familiar sight. Melons grow on sprawling vines and do not ripen effectively when grown in cramped quarters. Remember to remove the row covers when you see both male and female flowers on the vine, as pollinators will need to access theflowers. Be careful to provide your plants with an additional drink each week if there is not enough rain falling where you are. Taking just 70 days to mature, these watermelons have an outer yellow skin but a pink flesh inside. Whats in a name? If all goes according to plan, you should be eating crisp and juicy watermelons from your garden by the month of August. Dont seed too thickly. Because watermelons need a long period of warm weather to grow well, they tend to be more popular in warmer climates with long growing seasons. After a couple of weeks you can resume a regular watering schedule. Late-summer and fall offer zone 7 gardeners a second chance to plant. The fruit is often orange in color, although it can also be green. While you might be tempted to turn the sprinkler on, too much water can waterlog the leaves, leading to rot. Cut the head off the plant leaving about 6 inches of stem. Row coverings will protect the plants from the numerous insect pests that are drawn to watermelons. and economic well-being. Freeze or can the surplus if you want to enjoy your garden all year. When to Plant. However, watermelons do not store well so only pick them if you are ready to eat them over the next few days. Give cantaloupe plenty of room to grow. Varieties of Watermelon Do watermelons need full sun? When the temperature of the soil is higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you can plant watermelons directly into the ground. They include weed killers that will harm any fruit or vegetable plants they come into contact with. Plant watermelon into 12-inch-tall hills of soil that are spaced at least 6 feet apart. Thin to the strongest plant when plants have 3-4 leaves. Alabama Vegetable Garden Planting Chart Furthermore, in Alabama, the best planting date for spinach is from the 15th of February to the 15th of March. After waiting up to 80 days, your watermelons will finally be ready. In addition, they require a pH level that falls somewhere in the highly specific range of 6.0 to 6.5. So, if you are in Alabama planting zone 7a, any plant rated 1 through 7a will likely be fine growing there. If you use overhead irrigation, do so earlier in the day so plants can dry before night. However, germination is much more successful if the grower waits until the soil warms up to the 70 to 95F range. Growers in north Alabama are about a month to a month and a half behind, says Schavey. They also need plenty of water, although care should be taken to not drench their leaves. However, they can be grown in the right circumstances. Don't let the mound dry out, don't move the long vines. Light. If crop rotation is not possible, Extension professionals recommend planting watermelons with the most disease resistance possible. Black watermelon seeds in 11cm, 2009 crop. and economic well-being. All rights reserved. Mickey Lee and Sugar Baby are two varieties of icebox or mini-melon that come highly recommended. 2023 by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. After about 80 days, your watermelons should be ready to eat! Lime and Fertilizer. Space your mounds to give your plants enough room to spread and grow. Set the seeds into the soil about an inch deep. Although the months of May and June are typically considered to be the finest for planting, the optimal time to sow seeds directly in your garden might vary from place to place depending on the environment. that ensures all people have access to information that improves their quality of life "We have to wait on those soil temperatures. Wait until there is no danger of frost and the soil reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit before planting. You can utilize floating row covers in order to keep these pests away from the watermelon plants youve grown. Your county Extension office has information about soil tests. This will help to heat up the soil and speed up the growing process. Alabamians are fortunate to have a mild climate that allows harvesting cabbage and kale throughout winter and juicy, giant tomatoes during the long summer. Use a 33-0-0 fertilizer at the rate of pound (227 g.) per every 50 feet (15 m.) of the watermelon row. Alabamas climate allows us to grow carrots and many other root vegetables as both spring and fall crops. For South Alabama, make spring plantings approximately 10 days earlier and fall plantings 10 days later. Alabama ranges from USDA plant hardiness zones 7 to 8, which can be a little too cold for most kinds of avocados. Tomatoes. For more information, contact your county Extension office. Plant larger seed, such as beans, cucumbers, and peas, about 1 inch deep. If the garden is heavily infested with nematodes, either move the garden or heat the soil through a process called soil solarization. Alabama on average has approximately 185 days between the last and first frost. This creates a barrier between the soggy dirt and the delicate fruit so that it doesnt rot. If youre growing watermelon from seedlings your bought, just note when flowers open. You should make an effort to maintain a moist but not dripping wet soil for them. An immature watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-coloredbottom. Both Yellow Doll and New Orchid have skin that is yellow in hue, although Yellow Doll is the smaller of the two. Make sure the soil temperature is at least 70F. By late summer, they should be just about ready to harvest! Can you plant tomatoes in July in Alabama? Watermelons dont continue ripening after they are picked, so harvest time is important. Find a retailer. It is a warm loving plant, and is simple to direct sow outdoors. Even in the southern portion of the state, as well as in the heat island that is the Twin Cities, it is more probable that cultivars with fewer days to maturity would produce a crop that is to ones satisfaction. Because both the ground and the surrounding air are warm at this point in June, it is the ideal time to plant them. If its green, wait. If beans, okra, cucumbers, etc., are left to mature fully, the plant will stop producing. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep. This website uses cookies to collect information to improve your browsing experience. Spacing. We've created an in-season produce calendar for Alabama so you can easily see when it's the right time to find the freshest cantaloupe or watermelon, or if you've missed citrus season. Cut the seed potatoes into pieces weighing about 2 ounces. Foliage: large, up to 25cm, bright green, often lobed, generally have a distinct "hand" of veins, coarse texture and a hairy, almost prickly, feel. 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