How To: Grow watermelon

Watermelon is not only a refreshing treat but is full of nutrients and energy. Prepare for a summer you will never forget by starting a watermelon patch today. From seeding to watching your plants grow, this is a fun project for the whole family.

If you love to bury your face in a cold slice of watermelon on a hot summer day, learn to grow them in your own backyard.

You Will Need

* Watermelon seeds
* Garden plot
* Fertilizer
* Pesticide
* Shallow hoe
* Big appetite
* Peat pots (optional)
* Black plastic mulch (optional)

Step 1: Start indoors

Start your seedlings indoors, especially if you live in a cooler climate. Plant two to three seeds per pot and choose the healthiest seedling for transplantation.

For best results use peat pots that can be transplanted whole without uprooting and potentially traumatizing your seedling.

Step 2: Give space

Give your watermelons space to grow. Seed hills in a row, and space the rows 7 to 10 feet apart. If you don't have that much room, consider a smaller bush variety.

Step 3: Plant

Plant your seeds or seedlings outdoors after the last frost. Plant one to two seedlings per hill, or thin your plants to this number once they have taken root.

Step 4: Feed well

Feed your watermelon plants with fertilizers rich in nitrogen early in their growth, followed by fertilizer rich in phosphorous and potassium after flowers have formed.

Step 5: Water if necessary

Water your watermelons only when necessary, such as during a prolonged dry spell.

Step 6: Protect

Use black plastic as mulch in your watermelon rows to reduce weeds and keep your plants warm and moist.

Step 7: Harvest

Harvest your melons after 75 to 100 days. Signs of ripeness include yellowing on the underside, a dulling of the overall color, resistance to thumbnails on the rind, and browning of the stems near the fruit.