Common Problems Growing Watermelon and How to Fix Them

Watermelon is one of the sweetest fruits of summer, but growing it comes with challenges and problems that you need to solve on time.

There are different problems growing watermelons, and the common ones are problems with pollination, environmental stress, irregular watering, and problems with harvesting. There are other different problems that need to be identified first, and only then it can be solved.

In the blog below, I listed some of the common growing watermelon problems that you will face. I also give solutions to each one of them so you can solve it yourself.

Environmental Condition Needed For Watermelons:

Watermelon is a warm-weather fruit that needs proper temperature and soil. Below, I listed some of the basic environmental factors that you have to make it according to watermelon’s needs.

Sunlight:

As discussed, watermelon is a warm-weather fruit and thrives in warm weather. Watermelon needs full sunlight exposure, about 8 hours per day. So what you have to do is to plant it somewhere in your garden so that it gets full 8 hours of sunlight a day otherwise it will effects its growth.

Temperature:

As already discussed, watermelon is a warm weather fruit, which means it likes and needed high temperatures. Watermelon normally needs about 65 to 95F (18 to 35 C) temperature. Temperature below 50F (10 C) and above 95F (35C) is bad for your plant, which not only slows down its process but also stresses your watermelon plants.

So what you have to do is to check you area temperature and should know how much it drop at night and how much it reach at mid day before growing watermelon in your garden. If its in above mentioned range then go ahead its a green flag but its exceeds or decreases then don’t and its a red flag.

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Soil:

Just like most plants, watermelon needs well drained soil with pH level of 6.0 to 6.8. So, I would advise you to check the soil pH level before planting because it can affect its growth and fruit production.

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Problems Growing Watermelon:

Growing watermelon has different phases and each of these phases has different challenges and problems. If you planning of growing watermelon in your backyard garden then you should know who to tackle these problems.

During my gardening life I grew watermelon more then I can remember, in which I face a lot of different problem but with time I overcome those problem and find solution for each one of them. Now allow me to tell you what the common problems you may face during growing watermelons, and how to tackle them one by one.

Related: Dragon Fruit Growth Stages.

Watermelon Irregular Watering Problems:

Improper watering is a common problem for every other plant that I have faced more than once in my gardening life with many plants. This is also one of the common problems with watermelon plants that you will face when growing watermelons. It has basically two main issues, which include,

• Overwatering: Watermelon normally needs about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Sometimes, you might add more than it needed, which affects its plant by turning its stem into a mushy stem or turning its leaves yellow, causing fungal growth, etc.
• Underwatering: Another common issue is underwatering, which means your watermelon doesn’t get the required amount of watering, and the plant becomes dry, and its leaves become drooping.

Solution:

You should add only required amount of water to your watermelon plant which is 1 to 2 inches of water per week, depending upon your climate and the variety you are growing.

Watermelon Problems with Nutrients:

Watermelons are heavy feeders of nutrients, which you can tell by their size. Those nutrients include potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous. During watermelon growth, it needs these nutrients, but if for some reason it doesn’t get what its needed, then it cause nutrient deficiencies. These nutrient deficiencies include,

Nitrogen Deficiency:

During the growing of watermelon, if you notice its leaves turning yellow or its plant wilted, then it is most probably because of nitrogen deficiency. So you should apply balanced fertilizer from time to time to fulfill its nitrogen needs.

Calcium and Magnesium Deficiencies:

Another common problem associated with nutrient deficiency is magnesium and calcium deficiencies. It also stunts growth of watermelon and has bad effects on its fruit. So, for a solution, you need 10-10-10 fertilizer from time to time that fulfill its nutrients needs and eliminates the risk of nutrient deficiency.

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Watermelon Pest Problems:

Just like other plants, watermelon also attracts different pests that not only damage your watermelon plant but also affect its fruits. The pest damages your watermelon plants by chewing on its leaves which then lead to bacterial infection, sucking on its sap which weakens the plant, and also feeding on its leaves which then cause them to fall prematurely.

Solution:

So what I would recommend you to check your watermelon plant for signs of pest attack, and if you find any, then use a proper pesticide according to those pest attacks. You can also introduce beneficial insects to our garden, especially your watermelon plants that will help you against these pest.

Watermelon Problems with Diseases:

A lot of pest and fungus infection cause different diseases in watermelon, and if not treated on time then it can become a big problem. Some of the most common watermelon diseases are given below.

• Anthracnose: It is one of the most common diseases in almost every other plant, including watermelon. In this diseases dark spots appear on watermelon stems, leaves, and fruit. Which most cause by wet condition.
• Downy Mildew: This is also common in watermelon that turn its leaves yellow and eventually falls prematurely. It usually spreads due too much humidity.
• Fusarium Wilt: The Fusarium wilt is usually caused by a fungus that starts wilting in the watermelon plant and turns its leaves yellow and cause falling them.

Prevention:

To prevent these watermelon diseases, you need to first water them according to their needs, not too much and not too little. Second, watering over the watermelon plants can cause fungus growth so water it base. Other than that, apply proper spray over your watermelon according to the diseases it has been affecting. You can also prevent it by using disease-resistant varieties.

Watermelon Pollination Problems:

Pollination can also cause problems during the growing process of watermelon. One of the main problem I face in watermelon pollination is lack of pollinators like bees and butterflies which then lead to bad or poor fruit development.

Solution:

I come up with a solution that works for me till this day. First, I hand-pollinate the flowers that are either inaccessible to the pollinators or hidden under the leaves. Second, I plant different flowers as companions near watermelon plants to attract different pollinators and boost the process. I suggest you do the same.

Watermelon Growth Problems:

During the plant or fruit growth of watermelon, it faces different problems like,

Temperature Fluctuation:

One of the main problems that is hard to control is temperature fluctuation. As you might already know, watermelon is sensitive to sudden temperature changes. So, when the temperature suddenly changes to either cold or warm, it affects watermelons by stunting their growth.

Spacing:

Another thing that most of gardener ignores is space and room for watermelon to spread. What most gardeners and I did in the past is to plant watermelons very close and make them overcrowded, which then affects one another by fight for recourse, and as a result, it limits its growth and reduces fruit quality and size.

Solution:

The solution is very easy: for protection against temperature fluctuation, you need to cover young watermelon plants during the night with a plastic cover from cold snaps. For space, you need to plant your watermelons about 5 to 6 feet apart to give them space to grow and spread accordingly.

Watermelon Harvesting Problems:

During the harvesting of watermelons, a lot of gardeners make mistakes that later turn into big problems, which include,

Premature Harvesting:

Premature harvesting is very common and I did it myself for a very long time. One of the main problems with premature harvesting is the lake of sweetness.

Late Harvesting:

Another possible problem with watermelon harvesting is late harvesting which also very common. A lot of people are afraid of premature harvesting, which then leaves watermelon for too long, which then not only change its texture but also its flavor.

Solution:

Now to prevent from premature or late harvesting you need to know how to tell the watermelon its ready to harvest. Well, there are a couple of signs to look for, which take me years to learn.

• First, look for yellow spots on your watermelon. Suppose it has any, then it’s ready.
• Second, check the skin of your watermelon. If it is dull, then it’s ready to harvest.
• Third is tapping on the watermelon and listen to its sound, if its creating a hollow sound then its ripen and ready to harvest.

The third one is hard and you will learn it by practice. Other than that, the first and second ones will work for you just fine.

Below is a video demonstration to show you how you can tell a watermelon is ripen or not.

Conclusion:

Growing watermelon can be very challenging and during its growing process you may face different problems. You can solve this problem once you understand it. These are different watermelon growing problems, and each one requires proper care and a proper solution.

I hope the above mentioned problems has you problem and its solution help you fix your problem. But if you still have any questions, then feel free to ask them in the comment section, or you can just directly contact me at admin@gardencrafting.com.