Commercial Watermelon Production - University of Georgia

Commercial

Watermelon

Production

Foreword

Ten years have passed since this publication was updated; many changes have occurred in the watermelon industry during that time. The 13 chapters in this publication represent the latest information available on successful watermelon production. This publication is the compilation of information through the Georgia Vegetable Team, a cross-discipline commodity group within the University of Georgia. Thanks are extended to all the contributors and reviewers for their efforts in putting this publication together.

Commercial Watermelon Production

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ii Commercial Watermelon Production

Contents

Culture ...............................................................................................................................................................1

Cultivars ....................................................................................................................................................1 Planting and Spacing ................................................................................................................................1 Pollination .................................................................................................................................................2

Soils and Fertilizer Management .............................................................................................................3

Cover Crops and Green Manure...............................................................................................................3 Lime and Fertilizer Management .............................................................................................................3 Melon Defects...........................................................................................................................................4

Watermelon Transplant Production .......................................................................................................6

Containers .................................................................................................................................................6 Media ........................................................................................................................................................6 Sowing ......................................................................................................................................................6 Growing Conditions..................................................................................................................................6 Watering ....................................................................................................................................................7 Fertilizer ....................................................................................................................................................7 Hardening-off............................................................................................................................................7 Planting .....................................................................................................................................................7

Plastic Mulch ...................................................................................................................................................8

Advantages of Plastic Mulch....................................................................................................................8 Added Costs of Production on Plastic Mulch ..........................................................................................8 Drip Irrigation ...........................................................................................................................................8 Types of Plastic.........................................................................................................................................8 Plant Establishment and Spacing..............................................................................................................8 Fertilizer Application and Tissue Analysis ..............................................................................................9

Growing Seedless Watermelons..............................................................................................................10

Field Seeding Not Recommended ..........................................................................................................10 Pollenizer Variety....................................................................................................................................10 Frequency of Pollenizer Rows................................................................................................................10 Marketing Seedless Watermelons...........................................................................................................10

Diseases ............................................................................................................................................................11

Damping-off ............................................................................................................................................11 Root-knot Nematodes .............................................................................................................................11 Gummy Stem Blight ...............................................................................................................................11 Anthracnose ............................................................................................................................................11 Fusarium Wilt .........................................................................................................................................12 Downy Mildew .......................................................................................................................................12 Watermelon Mosaic Virus ......................................................................................................................12 Rind Necrosis..........................................................................................................................................12 Fruit Blotch .............................................................................................................................................12

Insect Management .....................................................................................................................................14

Root Maggots..........................................................................................................................................14 Wireworms and Whitefringed Beetle Larvae .........................................................................................14 Cucumber Beetles ...................................................................................................................................14

Commercial Watermelon Production iii

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