Watermelon - Seeds

Watermelon - Seeds

Description
This melon is extremely easy to grow, semi-drought tolerant, and produces many melons on each vine. 
The fruits of watermelon are mature 30–50 days after pollination. At maturity the green fruit stalk turns brown. 
Citrullus lanatus originates from the western Kalahari region of Namibia and Botswana, where it can still be found in the wild in a diversity of forms together with other Citrullus species. 
This is the probable ancestor of egusi melon. The other type has fruits that are mainly used as a source of water during periods of drought or as cooking melons, and may well represent the ancestral form of the watermelon, fodder melon and cooking melon. Following first domestication of Citrullus lanatus in southern Africa in prehistoric times, its cultivation became widespread in Mediterranean Africa, the Middle East and West Asia more than 3000 years ago. 
Citrullus lanatus seeds are increasingly used for their oil in semi-arid regions and also the use of the oil in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry is increasing. There are also prospects for use of the seeds in the improvement of infant nutrition in view of their high protein and fat content. Watermelon is a rich natural source of lycopene, a carotenoid of great interest because of its antioxidant capacity and potential health benefits.

How to grow?

1. Select a site in full sun. Till a large area to a depth of about eight inches. Spread about two inches of compost over the soil and till it in until it is mixed thoroughly. Rake the prepared ground smooth. Watermelon vines can spread 12 feet or more. 

2. Make a plan allowing at least 4 feet between watermelon plants and between rows. Plan to intersperse pollinator variety watermelons at the rate of one pollinator per 10 seedless. Mark planting spots with small stakes or stick markers in the prepared soil. 

3. Set the watermelon seedlings into the prepared soil at the markers, following your plan for pollinator placement. The seedlings should be in peat pots or other transplantable pots, because watermelon vines are fragile and they do not tolerate transplant shock. The watermelon vines should be set at the same depth they were previously growing. Gently firm the soil around the transplants. 

4. Water the transplants to ensure good contact with the soil and to promote new root growth. Provide plenty of water throughout the growing season, about 2 inches per week, or more in excessively hot and dry weather. Don’t allow the plants to wilt. 

5. Mulch around the vines to keep weeds down. Hoe or till under the weeds occasionally, being careful not to disturb the watermelon vines. 

6. Avoid using pesticides. Bees are absolutely necessary to pollinate the blossoms for fruit set, and pesticides will kill bees. 

7. Fertilize the watermelon vines by spreading one inch of additional rich compost around them about three weeks after you transplant the seedlings.

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