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Varieties
Allsweet, Black Diamond, Bush Sugar Baby, Calhoun Grey, Charleston Gray, Crimson Sweet, Crimson Tide, Dixielee, Golden Crown, Jubilee, Mickylee, Minilee, Mirage, OrangeGlo, Prince Charles, Royal Jubilee, Tendersweet, Yellow Doll
Soil Preferences
Deep, well-drained, light textured soil having a pH range of 5.5 - 8.0 (optimum pH 6.5 - 7.0). Does not tolerate heavy soils.
Optimum Growing Conditions
Bright, hots days (80-95°F) and warm nights (60-70°F). Cooler temperatures and excessive rainfall slows growth and maturity. Overcast and cloudy weather conditions reduces soluble solids (fruit quality).
Establishment Methods
| Planting Method | Transplant (preferred) or direct seeded |
|---|---|
| Optimum Time | When all danger of frost has passed and/or soil seed zone temperature exceeds 70°F |
| Seeding rate | 1-3 lbs/acre |
| Approx seed/oz | 300-600 |
| Seeding depth | 0.75 - 1.0" |
| Seedling spacing | Irrigated - 3' in-row on 80" wide raised beds Dry land - 5' in-row on 8-10' wide raised beds |
Fertility/Fertilization
Rates presented as actual lbs/acre N2, P2o5, and K2o (base actual rates applied on soil test results).| Generalized rate: 80 - 80 - 80 lb/acre | |
| N* | 40-90 lbs 0-50 lbs pre-plant 0-30 lbs side-dressed 3 weeks after emergence Under high rainfall, an additional 20 lbs may be required at vining |
|---|---|
| P | 40-80 lbs applied at planting |
| K | 40-80 lbs (if needed, apply with pre-plant N) |
| Starter solution (transplants) | Approximately 8 oz of high phosphate starter solution/plant at field setting |
Water/Irrigation
10-15"/season. Steady moisture supply (1-2" every 10-14 days) required. Key stages are establishment, blooming, fruit set, and enlargement.Pest Management
Watermelon Diseases and Common Name of Fungicidal Controls
| DISEASE | FUNGICIDE* | OMRI LISTED FUNGICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Alternaria | clove, rosemary and thyme oil, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, streptomyces lydicus, | |
| Downy mildew | acibenzolar-s-methyl, azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, cyazofamid, cymoxanil, mancozeb, dimethomorph, fenamidone, fenamidone, fosetyl-Al, mandpropamid, potassium phosphite, propamocarb hydrochloride, pyraclostrobin, sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, trifloxystrobin, maneb, fluopicolide, | Bacillus pumilus, clove, rosemary and thyme oil, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, Bacillus subtilis, streptomyces lydicus, |
| Fusarium wilt | 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, fludioxonil, potassium phosphite, | Bacillus subtilis, Gliocladium virens Gl-21, streptomyces lydicus, |
| Gummy stem blight | azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, copper sulfate, kresoxim-methyl, mancozeb, maneb, paraffinic oil, polyoxin D zinc salt, potassium phosphite, pyraclostrobin, tebuconazole, thiophanate-methyl, | Bacillus subtilis, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria hydrogen dioxide, sachalinensis, |
| Nematode | 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin, metam-potassium, metam-potassium, metam-sodium, sesame oil, | azadirachtin |
| Powdery mildew | acibenzolar-s-methyl, azoxystrobin, copper sulfate, kaolin, kresoxim-methyl, myclobutanil, paraffinic oil, polyoxin D zinc salt, potassium salts of fatty acids, pyraclostrobin, quinoxyfen, sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, tebuconazole, thiophanate-methyl, trifloxystrobin, triflumizole, | Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis, clove, rosemary and thyme oil, copper hydroxide, cuprous oxide, extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis, hydrogen dioxide, neem oil, potassium bicarbonate, streptomyces lydicus, sulfur, |
| Virus | paraffinic oil, |
Watermelon Insect Pests and Common Name of Insecticidal Controls
| INSECT | INSECTICIDE* | OMRI LISTED INSECTICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Aphid | Acetamiprid, Bifenthrin, Diazinon, Dimethoate, Endosulfan, Fenpropathrin, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Malathion, Oxamyl, Oxydemeton-methyl, Permethrin, Petroleum oil, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, Soybean Oil, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, Pyrethrins |
| Armyworm | Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Flubendiamide, Lambdacyhalothrin, Spinetoram | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pyrethrins, |
| Cabbage Looper | Methomyl | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis, Garlic Juice Extracts, Pyrethrins |
| Cutworm | Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Carbaryl, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Diazinon, Esfenvalerate, Flubendiamide, Lambdacyhalothrin, Permethrin, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Bacillus thuringiensis |
| Leafminer | Abamectin, Deltamethrin, Dimethoate, Dinotefuran, Lambdacyhalothrin, Paraffinic oil, Permethrin, Petroleum oil, Soybean Oil, Spinetoram, Thiamethoxam, Zeta-cypermethrin | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Spinosad, |
| Mite | Oxydemeton-methyl, Paraffinic oil, Petroleum oil, Sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, Soybean Oil | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, |
| Thrips | Diazinon, Dimethoate, Dinotefuran, Fenpropathrin, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Oxamyl, Petroleum oil, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Soybean Oil, Spinetoram, Thiamethoxam | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, Pyrethrins, Spinosad, |
| Webworm | Lambdacyhalothrin, Soybean Oil | Pyrethrins, |
| Whitefly | Beta-cyfluthrin, Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Dinotefuran, Endosulfan, Fenpyroximate, Fosetyl-Al, Imidacloprid, Lambdacyhalothrin, Paraffinic oil, Petroleum oil, Potassium salts of fatty acids, Sodium tetraborohydrate decahydrate, Soybean Oil, Spiromesifen, Thiamethoxam | Azadirachtin, Garlic Juice Extracts, Neem oil, Pyrethrins, |
Weeds and Common Name of Herbicidal Controls
| WEED | HERBICIDE* | OMRI LISTED HERBICIDE** |
|---|---|---|
| Preplant incorporated | clomazone, ethalfluralin, DCPA, bensulide, trifluralin | Corn gluten meal |
| Preemergence (prior to spear emergence) | ethalfluralin, DCPA, terbacil | |
| Postemergence | carfentrazone, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, halosulfuron, sethoxydim, glyphosate, pelargonic acid, clethodim, terbacil | d-limonene, clove oil, cinnamon and clove oil |
* The above is a partial listing of controls intended as examples. Some labels may have been revoked since the publication of this guide. Refer to product labels for specifics and use accordingly. Ensure that products with one of the listed active ingredients is registered for the crop it is to be used on. Failure to do the above may result in crop injury, death and/or citation for law violation. Humans, animals and the environment may also be adversely affected by misuse.
** As stated in §205.206 of the National Organic Standards, pest management decisions should follow a hierarchical approach, which should be defined in a farm's organic systems plan. Please ensure that you have followed the appropriate steps and any product to be used in certified organic production systems has been approved by your certifying agent.
Harvest
| Days after planting | Direct seeded - 85-95 days Transplanted - 65-75 days |
|---|---|
| Normal method | Hand |
| Containers | Bulk wagons or pallet boxes |
| Grades | Normally field graded during loading; based on diameter size and freedom from blemishes |
| Packaging/Handling | 4-5 watermelon/fiberboard carton depending upon size Shipped in pallet boxes or bulk lots Straw between melon layers suggested for bulk loads |
| Anticipated yield/acre | 5-15 tons |
Transit Conditions
50-60°F at 80-85% RH (chilling injury at 40°F); Shelf-life 3-4 weeks.Comments/Production Keys
- Can be produced under low input dry land systems
- Open pollinated varieties better suited to dry land conditions
- Transplant establishment may or may not be economically feasible with open pollinated varieties or with hybrids. If used, best suited to plastic mulch (6' width) and drip irrigation.
- Responds well to high levels of inputs and management; transplant establishment + plastic mulch + drip irrigation
- In areas with high winds, wind breaks planted every 4 - 6 beds is advisable. Windbreaks should be established in the fall in order to provide protection to spring planted crop.
- Excessive nitrogen fertilization and irrigation delays maturity and reduces fruit quality
- Requires the addition of bees to obtain maximum yield and quality (one strong hive/acre)
- Maintain good foliage coverage of fruit to avoid sunburn
- Straw layers should be placed between melon layers to reduce fruit injury during bulk shipment
- Palletizable bin boxes becoming popular for bulk shipment