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Sage, Arkansas

My kids and I have been growing CC watermelons for 2 years--but now plan to grown both CC and AG pumpkins. Are the soil requirements much different. Below is my most recent soil test. Would I be better off to have the watermelons in totally different patch?

6.8 PH
100 Salinity-EC
12 CEC
78.6 Base Sat
3.6 K Sat
11.1 Mg Sat
.6 Na Sat
453 P
326 K
2962 Ca
310 Mg
33 Na
140 Fe
38 NO3-N
27 SO4-S
205 Mn
2.6 Cu
30.7 Zn
.4 B

1/26/2005 2:16:04 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

pH needs to be about 6.0 for watermelons. You might want to use another patch.

1/26/2005 3:18:07 PM

Taber, Alberta

Does this mean I shouldn't grow watermelons if my ph is around 8? Or does this mean that I just won't get something huge? It's the only place I can do it.
Alan

1/26/2005 3:33:21 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

Melons like lower Ph than pumpkins, lots of manure and heat.
You cannot change your climate but you can add manure and you can lower the pH with sulphur or aluminium sulphate.

1/26/2005 3:48:56 PM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

Alan

I grew a 55 and a 56 pounder 2 years ago in a PH of 8.2
The biggest problem I had was with aborts. I pollinated every single flower and ended up with fruit on 2 of 4 plants
So it is possible even with high PH. and the hotter the better.
Eddy

1/26/2005 6:27:53 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

This season we grew 160# in soil with a ph of 6.9. Thanks for the tip though Larry. I'll add quite a bit more manure to the melon patch.

Phil

1/26/2005 7:39:37 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Sorry Kutsky, but I do not agree with you. My patch is 6.8 as well, and as far as I know it produced the European Watermelon Record.
And my brother in law got last year the biggest of Spain (smaller than my 2003 one) in a field pH 7.5

1/27/2005 5:01:44 AM