How to Grow Carolina Cross Watermelons #183

Start seeds indoors if the growing season is less than 120 days or to get an early start. Fill seed trays with a seed-starting medium and set on top of a heating mat. Moisten the soil.

Plant the watermelon seeds 1-inch deep into the trays with at least 2 inches of spacing when the seed-starting soil has reached a temperature of 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the seeds have germinated, remove any that are sickly or small, and focus your attention on the larger seedlings. Transplant the seeds in to 4-inch pots if they will be staying indoors for any significant length of time.

Harden off indoor-started seedlings by gradually introducing them to the outdoors. Expose them for two to three hours in a shady spot for the first day or two, then in a spot with some sun for about two days. Gradually move them in to full sun for the whole day.

Prepare the watermelon patch while the seedlings are hardening off. Till enough sand and manure into the soil until the texture is sandy or loamy. Allow 12 feet in each direction for each melon.

Transplant seedlings 1 inch below the prepared soil. Soak each plant with water once a week, then allow to dry. Water this way until fruit sets. Select one fruit per vine and remove the rest. Keep the soil liberally moist to ensure regular fruit growth; soaker hoses or drip irrigation is highly effective for watermelon watering.

Protect the fruit from excessive moisture by placing it upon a small hill made of mulch. Provide the fruit cover from the sun, but be careful not to block the leaves. Prevent chewing pests by building a fence around the giant watermelon. Apply liquid fertilizer according to package directions.

Measure the watermelon daily by using a dressmaker's tape or by weighing. When the watermelon stops growing (approximately 120 days from germination) and the rind color dulls slightly, the fruit is ripe.