Yes, you can plant different types of melon together if you have enough space. But, you need to know how each type grows. For instance, watermelon needs full sun while cantaloupe needs partial shade. Can I plant cantaloupe and honeydew together? Watermelon takes about 60 days to mature. It needs full sun and warm temperatures to produce fruit.
Can I plant citron melon&watermelon together?
Keep different varieties of watermelon and the citron melon as separate as possible in your yard to help prevent cross-pollination. A plant that shouldn't be planted next to a watermelon vine is, well, another watermelon vine.
Can you mix different types of watermelon vines?
If you're growing more than one type of watermelon, such as seedless ones beside the typical seeded ones, be prepared for the fruit to be mixed between the two types of vines as the bees spread pollen between the plant types. Also, watermelon cross-pollinates with the citron melon, which changes the taste and texture of your watermelon.
Can you plant cantaloupe & watermelon in the same garden bed?
Flower and developing melon on the vine. The foremost concern in planting both cantaloupe and watermelons in the same garden bed is space. The vines of both melons spread far and will grow wherever they can to access sunlight. Plants too close together cause unnecessary competition for light, soil moisture and nutrients.
What are the best companion plants for watermelon?
Marigold, lavender, and borage are good companion plants for watermelons because of their continuous or intermittent blooming. Make sure that the plants have not been treated with any insecticides or pesticides. And keep in mind that the flowers of highly hybridized cultivars are generally less attractive to pollinators than heirloom varieties.
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Can you grow different watermelon varieties together?
Do you have to separate watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) from other types of melons to keep them from cross-pollinating? No, other types of melons like cantaloupes or honeydew (Cucumis melo), and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) can all be grown close together without fear of crossing.
Will different varieties of watermelon cross-pollinate?
The short answer is, no. It's fine to grow watermelons and cantaloupe side by side. Cross-pollination between melon varieties may occur, but not between watermelons (Citrullus lanatus v. lanatus) and cantaloupes (Cucumis melo ssp.
Can you plant watermelon together?
Companion planting is a great way to keep your garden healthy and free of pests, while also adding some beautiful blooms. The best plants to companion with watermelons are herbs, lettuces, marigolds, nasturtiums, and radishes.
What should you not plant next to watermelons?
Avoid planting them near other crops that will shade them. Include flowers like dill, chamomile, cosmos and pineapple sage to attract predatory insects that eat melon pests, including beetles, caterpillars and aphids.
Can watermelon cross?
Watermelon is a cross-pollinated species with monoecious or andromonoecious flowering habit. There is a popular myth that watermelon should not be grown close to other cucurbits such as cucumber, cantaloupe, or squash because of an adverse effect on horticultural traits such as flavor.
How do you tell the difference between a male and female watermelon flower?
The fruit is found in the ovaries (beneath the flower sepals) from the pistillate flowers. The female flower is easy to recognize. Its swollen base looks like a tiny watermelon. Vines usually produce 10 times more male flowers than female.
What happens if you plant watermelons too close together?
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.
What do you put under watermelon?
When you've got watermelon fruits growing, you'll want to make sure they don't touch the soil. In order to grow great watermelons, you'll need to put a barrier between the watermelons and the ground. This is to reduce the risk of rot and disease. Good ground barriers are straw, or even cardboard.
How far apart should watermelons be planted?
3 to 5 feet apartPlant watermelon from late spring to early summer, once soil temperatures reach 70° F or above. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
How do you speed up the growth of a watermelon?
To maximize the size of the melon, water the plants regularly in deep water sessions that keep the soil moist. Side dress the Watermelon plants with fertilizer prepared for edible crops or fertilizer tea to feed the plants. Fertilizer encourages growth to produce large melons.
Can I plant tomatoes next to watermelon?
Warm-season plants like tomatoes and melons thrive together with the same temperature, sun, nutrition and water needs, but they require generous spacing for growth. Plant these crops at the same time, and with the same considerations.
Where do watermelons grow best?
Their vines need room to sprawl, so plant them in a place where they won't crowd out other crops. Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun's heat longer. Plan to space the plants 2-3 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill.
Can I plant watermelon next to tomatoes?
Warm-season plants like tomatoes and melons thrive together with the same temperature, sun, nutrition and water needs, but they require generous spacing for growth. Plant these crops at the same time, and with the same considerations.
Where do watermelons grow best?
Their vines need room to sprawl, so plant them in a place where they won't crowd out other crops. Growing the vines in raised rows, known as hills, ensures good drainage and will hold the sun's heat longer. Plan to space the plants 2-3 feet apart in a 5-foot-wide hill.
How do you speed up the growth of a watermelon?
To maximize the size of the melon, water the plants regularly in deep water sessions that keep the soil moist. Side dress the Watermelon plants with fertilizer prepared for edible crops or fertilizer tea to feed the plants. Fertilizer encourages growth to produce large melons.
What can watermelon cross-pollinate with?
Watermelons and citron both belong to the same genus: Citrullus and, therefore, will cross-pollinate each other. Muskmelon, cantaloupe and Casaba melons will cross since they are both in the genus Cucumis and in the same species melo.
How to plant melons in the ground?
When the ground is slow to warm, cover it with black plastic weighted down with rocks. Cut a small X-shaped opening in the top of the plastic to allow you to check the soil temperature.
How to grow melon from seed?
Plant your melon seeds or seedlings in the top of the hill. Plant either three seeds or one seedling in each mound. Bury the seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch deep, or set seedlings to the same level as in their growing pots. When the seedlings sprout and have two leaves, remove the weakest seedling and leave the strongest two plants to grow. You only need one plant for each variety of melon, since melons can self-pollinate. Melons may cross-pollinate with other types of melons, but this is only a problem if you save the seeds to plant the following year; it doesn’t affect the fruit the first year.
How to keep melons from splitting?
Keep the soil well-watered, starting right after you plant them and continue until the melons reach full size, then reduce the amount of water to ensure that the melons don’t split or lose their flavor as they ripen. References. Harvest to Table: Muskmelon and Hybrid Melon Varieties: Best Bets.
What to do when melons reach the size of a baseball?
When the melons reach the size of a baseball, support them in slings made of old nylon stockings or T-shirts and tied securely to the trellis. Warnings. Melon plants require bees to fertilize them. When your area is lacking in bees, plant flowers such as asters and daisies to attract them.
How long does it take for melons to grow?
Melons typically require about 100 days from planting to harvest, though some varieties have shorter growing times. You can plant several varieties in your garden, as long as you have ...
How long does it take for a sugar baby watermelon to grow?
Good prospects are Earlisweet, a fast-growing cantaloupe, the Sugar Baby watermelon, which matures at about 70 days, and Galia, a hybrid honeydew variety that is ready to harvest 65 days after planting. USDA zones 9 and 10 typically have enough warm days that melon seeds can be planted directly into the garden.
Do bees fertilize melons?
Melon plants require bees to fertilize them. When your area is lacking in bees, plant flowers such as asters and daisies to attract them. Otherwise you may find that no melons develop in your garden.
What happens when you cross two different varieties?
When a cross does happen between two varieties within the same species, the resulting fruit that year is completely normal looking and tasting. Only the resulting seed carries the crossed gene. So, if you saved the seed and planted it the following year, you might get something of a cross between the to varieties.
Can you cross pollinate watermelon?
Green Watermelon Vine. If you are growing any combination of watermelons, melons, or cucumbers to eat the resulting fruit, you do not have to worry about cross-pollination in your home garden.
Can you separate watermelon seeds from cucumbers?
So, if you wanted to save seeds from the fruit to plant next year, you would need to separate different varieties of watermelon from each other (or different varieties of melons or different varieties of cucumbers). When a cross does happen between two varieties within the same species, the resulting fruit that year is completely normal looking ...
Can cucumbers and watermelons be grown together?
Do you have to separate watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) from other types of melons to keep them from cross-pollinating? No, other types of melons like cantaloupes or honeydew (Cucumis melo), and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) can all be grown close together without fear of crossing. However, each of these items will cross within their ...
What are some good companion plants for watermelon?
Marigold, lavender, and borage are good companion plants for watermelons because of their continuous or intermittent blooming. Make sure that the plants have not been treated with any insecticides or pesticides. And keep in mind that the flowers of highly hybridized cultivars are generally less attractive to pollinators than heirloom varieties.
What are the pests that can be found in watermelons?
Best Companion Plants for Deterring Pests. The two main pests that affect watermelons are aphids and cucumber beetles. Not only do these insects feed on the plants but they can also transmit viruses from plant to plant, which is often more damaging than the insect’s feeding. There are many different aphid species.
What aphids attack watermelon?
There are many different aphid species. The one that attacks watermelon is the melon or cotton aphid ( Aphis gossypii ). The following plants can either deter the aphids or can serve as trap plants to distract the aphids from attacking the watermelon plants:
How big do watermelon vines get?
Unless you are growing a bush-type watermelon, the plants need a lot of space. Their vines reach 20 feet in length , and the spread is not connected to the size of the fruit—both small varieties such as Sugar Baby and large ones such as Crimson Sweet have a spread of six to eight feet.
Do bees pollinate watermelon?
Seedless (triploid) watermelon varieties need seeded (diploid) watermelons and the bees they attract nearby to pollinate the flowers of the seedless watermelons.
Do watermelon plants have pollen?
Best Companion Plants for Pollination. Watermelons have both male and female flowers on the same plant. The pollen is quite sticky and requires insects, mostly bees, to move it from the male to the female flowers for fertilization and fruit production. Seedless (triploid) watermelon varieties need regular (diploid) watermelons, ...
Do watermelons need sun?
Also, watermelons require full sun so they should not be planted next to any tall crops that can cast shade on them. Taking those two requirements—space and sunlight—into consideration will already narrow down the possible spots in your garden that are suitable for growing watermelons.
How close can you plant watermelon and cantaloupe together?
This results in poor growth and reduced yields. Watermelon and cantaloups should be planted at least 30 inches apart.
What grows well next to watermelon?
Watermelons and cantaloupes are very easy to grow together. Both plants prefer warm weather and full sun. Watermelons are usually planted during the summer months, while cantaloupes are planted during the fall.
How much space do watermelon plants alone need?
Watermelon plants need about 1/2 acre of land to grow properly. This includes soil, sunlight, fertilizer and water. It takes 3 years to get a mature watermelon plant. A mature plant produces 10 gallons of watermelon per day.
When do you plant watermelon and cantaloupe?
Plant watermelons in early spring after the last frost date. Plant cantaloupes in late summer after the last frost date and harvest in fall. Watermelons are self pollinating but cantaloupes need cross pollination from another type of melon.
What is the major problem in watermelon and cantaloupe gardens?
Watermelons and cantaloupes are very sensitive to soil conditions. Soil pH, moisture content, nutrients, and drainage are important factors in growing these fruits.
What is the major factor in growing watermelon and cantaloupe together?
Cantaloupes are smaller and sweeter while watermelons are bigger and have a stronger flavor. Both of these fruits are grown from seeds but cantaloupes are usually planted earlier than watermelons because they mature faster. Watermelons are usually planted after cantaloupes because they take longer to mature.
What can you not plant near watermelon?
Honeydews are grown from seed and take about 4 months to get mature fruit but they are easier to grow than cantaloupes because they don’t need full sun. Watermelons are grown from seed and need full sun. You cannot plant cantaloupes next to watermelon because they will compete for nutrients.
Why do melons grow so close together?
Plants too close together cause unnecessary competition for light, soil moisture and nutrients. Dense vegetation may also lead to humid conditions on the soil surface and increase fungal diseases.
What diseases can be caused by watermelon?
For example, if the watermelon is attacked by stem borers and not treated, the pest can quickly spread and harm nearby cantaloupe vines. Potential disease problems exist, including threats from alternaria blight, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, leaf spot and powdery and downy mildews.
Do honeybees pollinate watermelon?
Honeybees pollinate the plants' flowers, but the pollen from watermelon and cantaloupes do not create hybrid fruits. Advertisement.
Can watermelon grow in a garden bed?
Growing Tips. Watermelons and cantaloupes can grow and produce well in the same spacious garden bed. If the gardener remains conscientious about monitoring for weeds, disease and insect pests, any potential major cultural problems can be avoided or treated.
Is a watermelon a cucumber?
Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Flower and developing melon on the vine. Both watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) and cantaloupes (Cucumis melo) are members of the cucumber family, Cucurbitaceae.
Do watermelons cross pollinate?
Watermelons and cantaloupes do not cross-pollinate each other. However, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension, you should expect different varieties of cantaloupes, honeydews and muskmelons to cross-pollinate each other within close range in the garden. Depending on genetics, this may lead to fruits with variable fruit qualities ...
How long do watermelon plants take to grow?
Because they grow so large, watermelons need more time on the vine than many other food items in your garden, often 100 days. This duration, as well as the large amount of ground space required by watermelon vines, means you should take special care to plant the watermelons in just the right spot to prevent disease, pests and negative changes in the fruit from the beginning. There are a few plants that should stay in another area of your yard, away from your watermelons.
How long does it take for watermelon to grow?
Because they grow so large, watermelons need more time on the vine than many other food items in your garden, often 100 days. This duration, as well as the large amount of ground space required by watermelon vines, means you should take special care to plant the watermelons in just the right spot to prevent disease, ...
What are the bugs that eat watermelon?
Watermelons are susceptible to attack by several types of insects, including the aphids and the cucumber beetle. Aphids often like to start out their lives on plants such as mustard greens or flowering perennials such as roses, so keep those plants away from watermelon; the aphids can easily move their home over to the watermelon leaves, causing leaf curl and death. Aphids also like the greens of potatoes, beans and and beets, so plant watermelon away from those. In addition, keep cucumber, squash and zucchini in a different part of the garden. These vegetables tend to draw the cucumber beetle, which loves to migrate over to your watermelon plants.
Do watermelon pollinate with other plants?
This means they often transfer pollen from one type of plant to another. This isn't usually a big problem with watermelons, since watermelons don't cross-pollinate with many plants, including closely related ones such as cantaloupe. Different varieties of watermelon, however, will cross-pollinate with each other.
Can watermelon be pollinated?
Different varieties of watermelon, however, will cross-pollinate with each other. If you're growing more than one type of watermelon, such as seedless ones beside the typical seeded ones, be prepared for the fruit to be mixed between the two types of vines as the bees spread pollen between the plant types.
Do bees pollinate watermelon?
This means they often transfer pollen from one type of plant to another. This isn't usually a big problem with watermelons, since watermelons don' t cross-pollinate with many plants, including closely related ones such as cantaloupe. Different varieties of watermelon, however, will cross- pollinate with each other. If you're growing more than one type of watermelon, such as seedless ones beside the typical seeded ones, be prepared for the fruit to be mixed between the two types of vines as the bees spread pollen between the plant types. Also, watermelon cross-pollinates with the citron melon, which changes the taste and texture of your watermelon. Keep different varieties of watermelon and the citron melon as separate as possible in your yard to help prevent cross-pollination.