Georgia 4-H Watermelon Growing Contest

Georgia 4-H Pumpkin Growing Contest - Sponsored by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association

4-H Watermelon Growing Contest
Final weights must be received by fax or mail by August 1st

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Giant Watermelon Growing Suggestions

Printable Growing Tips - PDF File

Geroge E. Boyhan
P.O. Box 8112, GSU
Statesboro, GA 30460-8112
912-681-5639
Email: gboyhan@uga.edu

Carolina Cross Germination Tips

Carolina Cross Germination Tips - PDF File
Carolina Cross Germination Tips - Word Document

By Ken Lewis
Southwest Distirct Program Development Coordinator - ANR
PO Box 1209
Tifton, GA 31794
Email: kenlewis@uga.edu

Affordable, championship caliber seeds - Free with shipping and handling
Contact Doug Adams in Carroll County : onedude@bellsouth.net , 10 seeds for $3

Growing a giant watermelon can be exciting and fun!
Watermelons naturally produce large fruit but growing a giant will take lots of special care. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Culture
Watermelon vines like lots of warm sunshine, space and a well-drained soil. The vine needs an area that it can grow 12 feet in all directions.

Cultivars
When growing a giant not just any seed will do, you need to find a cultivar that will produce large melons. Carolina Cross is one cultivar that can produce melons that weigh over 200 lbs. Seed can be purchased from Wilhite Seed Company, Burpee Seed at burpee.com or Gurneys seed at gurneys.com. Competition caliber seeds are available at www.giantwatermelons.com/.

Planting
It will take Carolina Cross about 90 to 95 days to mature a giant watermelon so start early. Seeds will germinate at soil temperatures of 68 to 95 degrees F. You may need to start seeds inside in pots. Plant seeds about 1 inch deep and water enough to keep the soil moist but not wet. If you start plants inside be sure to harden off transplants before they go outside. Hardening off plants is a process that gets a plant used to being outside. This is done by slightly cutting back on water and fertilizer and exposing them to slightly lower temperatures gradually.

Fertilizing
Watermelons need a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Apply lime if needed to adjust pH. Organic fertilizers like peanut hulls, animal manure, or composted cotton gin trash should be worked into the soil well in advance of planting if they are available. Then you should use 10 pounds of a 10-10-10 commercial fertilizer scattered and worked into a 5 to 6 foot area around the hill. Liquid fertilizer can be applied once a week around the base of the plant. Use a 20-10-20 or similar analysis soluble fertilizer until bloom then use a more balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 until the end of the season. The foliar fertilizer should contain micronutrients. When the melon vine begins flowering add some side dress nitrogen to the soil. Three pounds of 32% N will be good, but do not get it on the leaves of the plant or it may burn them.

Care
As the vine begins to grow it will begin to set flowers, the first six to seven flowers will be male flowers (blooms on long stems) that do not produce fruit. When a female flower (larger flower with tiny fruit attached) appears you may want to gently encourage pollination by picking a male flower and brushing it over the open female bloom. Pollination is important for fruit set. After you are sure you have a watermelon set you need to prune all other fruit from the vine. Be very careful not to damage vines. After you have chosen the melon you want to become a giant you need to protect it. Protect the belly from the ground by placing the melon on a slight hill on top of some mulch to avoid standing water. You will also need to protect the melon from animals that may want to eat it. Use a fence or screen around your melon. You will also need to protect your melon from the sun. Provide a small shelter that only shades the melon.

Weeds
Start by tilling in all the weeds, then mulch as soon as possible. The mulch should stop most weed problems. Pull escapes by hand being careful not to damage watermelon roots and vine.

Watering
Water plants thoroughly once a week then allow the soil to partially dry until the fruit is set. Then water more often to keep the soil at a more constant moisture level without being excessively wet. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are a good idea to help keep the foliage as dry as possible. Dry foliage is less susceptible to diseases.

For more information contact George Boyhan at gboyhan@uga.edu

The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. An equal opportunity/affirmative action organization committed to a diverse work force.