Removing Melon Fruit How To Thin Out Watermelon Plants

How do you thin out a watermelon plant?
How do you thin out cantaloupe plants?
Can you trim back watermelon plants?
How long do watermelons plants last?
How do you maintain a watermelon plant?
Should I prune watermelon plants?
What happens if watermelon plants are too close?
How many melons does a plant produce?
What can you not plant with cantaloupe?
Can cantaloupe be grown vertically?
What grows good with cantaloupe?

How do you thin out a watermelon plant?

Whether you want to rein in the size of the vine or you're trying for a blue ribbon melon, thinning watermelons is an easy procedure. Using sharp gardening shears, first remove any diseased, dead, yellowing or otherwise infested leaves and shoots at the joint, where they connect to the main stem.

How do you thin out cantaloupe plants?

Using pruning shears, cut lateral vines that grow from the primary up to the eighth leaf node. Take care not to damage the main stem when cutting back the cantaloupe plants. Leave 1-2 lateral vines untouched. Once the melons begin to form, remove all but a single fruit per vine.

Can you trim back watermelon plants?

So, to curtail the size, it is indeed possible to prune the plant. Beyond reining in the size, there are other reasons for watermelon trimming. Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. ... Also, cutting back watermelon plants can cause the plant to send out additional runners.

How long do watermelons plants last?

Storing Your Harvest

Kept in a cool place, you may be able to keep your watermelons usable for up to three weeks.

How do you maintain a watermelon plant?

While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Water at the vine's base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once fruit are growing.

Should I prune watermelon plants?

Watermelon plants don't need much pruning to grow big and juicy fruit; what they really need is space. Watermelon vines spread out in runners going in all directions from the base, often growing longer than 3 feet.

What happens if watermelon plants are too close?

In the case of spacing watermelon plants, those set too far apart waste valuable garden space while those set too close together compete for light, air and soil nutrients, resulting in a potentially compromised crop.

How many melons does a plant produce?

Don't Crowd Your Melons

Thin the fruit to three melons per vine, as this will result in more nutrients (and thus sugars) pumped into each melon.

What can you not plant with cantaloupe?

Finally, be wary of planting potatoes close to cantaloupes as they will compete for sunlight, soil, nutrients, and space in general. Worst of all, potatoes can attract various species of aphids, and in particular, melon aphids. This pest is known for feeding on cantaloupe and similar plants like watermelon and squash.

Can cantaloupe be grown vertically?

Growing cantaloupes vertically allows gardeners with even the smallest garden area to enjoy the fruits of their labor. ... It's nearly impossible but it's easy to weed beneath trellised cantaloupes. So don't let the size of a melon patch deter you. Grow trellised cantaloupes and take advantage of that vertical space.

What grows good with cantaloupe?

Cantaloupe, also known as muskmelon, thrives in the sunniest garden spot. They grow prolifically in well-enriched, sandy loam soil that is kept moist during the growing season. Companion plants for cantaloupe include corn, pumpkin, squash, collards, borage, oregano, radishes, marigolds, petunias and beans.