From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Hamilton Nj

can anyone give me a few suggestions for my 291 kent plant,i put out side 5 days ago and it just dosent sem to want to grow at all????

i sprayed a light mixture of some miracle grow tomato food around my plants to give it a boost ,its about 3-4 inches tall and looking really good but wont budge lol is this normal for a watermelon plant ??? and should i cover it up in the day to get it moveing thanks pete

5/3/2011 9:04:01 PM

Linden, Mi.,

soil temp. ????

5/3/2011 9:20:28 PM

Muddy Waters

yes pete melons are slow starters need warm temps to take off soil should be 60s or more,dont try to push with ferts you will kill it

5/3/2011 9:32:38 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Mark is correct Pete. Unless you have a source of artificial soil heating, plants won't do much with nitrogen this time of year.

5/3/2011 10:09:26 PM

Watervalley Ms

Hi pete, I use a small green house, 3or 4 mil plastic over rebar like a tent in field. If you have sunshine they will grow make sure to cut good whole to vent, when outside temps are above 82 take plastic off. you can try it and see hope this helps.

5/3/2011 11:02:22 PM

Hamilton Nj

okay thanks guys pizza

5/3/2011 11:19:30 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I can't emphasize enough the need for initial protection for the plant when it is first put in the garden. You could use wire (9 gauge) hoops with a Remay blanket over the top. I also encourage large pots for the plants when they are inside, especially pots that easily allow the removal of the plant with as little upsetting of the micro roots used by the plant to absorb moisture. If you do it right, the plant won't even hardly know that you moved it to the garden.

5/5/2011 5:20:51 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

MMM, interesting, just remay instead of a sealed plastic mini green house!!! I am starting to like this melon forum!!! Peace, Wayne

5/7/2011 2:45:50 AM

Rochester, MN

I put the watermelons into a kemps ice cream gallon bucket and cut it on the bottom and use for the top...now your bottom has a lid you can pull off and drop the plant right in..with little issues to the roots. I also put and empty and upside down ice cream bucket(holding spot for when I move real plant to the garden) into the 7 ft dia circle x 1 ft deep I fill with all the good stuff and then also put down the heating coils...then I put a cheap soil or wood green house with a window pane over it.

I can not emphasize that in northern climates...you must have the soil temp 70-85 degrees....with black plastic and heating...this can be done.

I moved mine out into the garden today...we hit a high of 38 degrees on Monday here in SE MN! However, my pumpkin plants get the same treatment and they were out there in that and did well...need the heat source.

Good luck!
Dave.

5/8/2011 1:21:16 AM