TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL WATERMELON CROP

If you're planning to grow watermelons this year, here are a few
pointers. First, watermelons need toasty soil temperatures to
germinate--75 to 80 degrees is best. You can start the seeds indoors,
a few weeks before it gets settled and warm outside. However, be very
gentle when the time comes to transplant the seedlings--watermelon
roots are extremely fragile. Watermelons like loose, well-drained
soil, and they're heavy feeders, so be sure to incorporate a lot of
compost in the bed. Growers also recommend use of black plastic mulch,
which heats up the soil, expedites ripening, and protects the roots
from becoming waterlogged during periods of excessive rain. Another
recommendation is to use floating row covers, which help retain heat
and prevent attacks by cucumber beetles (which carry bacterial wilt).
But don't forget to remove the covers when the blossoms appear;
otherwise, bees won't be able to pollinate the plants.