I've been trying to start cucumbers and watermelons from seeds, but I missed the boat and didn't get them planted at the end of May, mainly because I kept forgetting. I was wondering if it's a bad idea to just go ahead and buy transplants for watermelons since my 4-year-old is really excited about planting them this year. We have some sugar baby bush watermelon seeds, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. By the way, I'm located in zone 6a, near Detroit, and I recently planted some of my tomatoes and peppers in grow bags. Am I too late to make this work? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
I usually start my watermelons indoors, but I directly sow my cucumbers when the soil hits 70°F, which is around now in my area. Cucumbers can be tricky to transplant, but if they're small, you’ll likely be fine. You still have time to get those watermelon seeds in now too! Just a tip: soaking your seeds overnight helps with germination.
Honestly, I tried direct sowing cucumbers because I saw a ton of YouTubers recommending it, but I ended up with only one plant from an entire packet due to pests. I switched to buying transplants, and they did great! So if you're struggling to start your seeds, grabbing some transplants is a solid choice for next year too!
I've heard mixed things about transplanting cucumbers. I usually start them by seed, but I feel like buying starts could be easier! This year, I really wanted cucumbers and also had a tough time germinating the seeds, so I ended up getting starts. They were just a few bucks and worth it for the peace of mind! If you want to grow cucumbers and watermelons, buying starts is definitely a good idea.
Yeah, I totally get that. Gardening should be fun, not stressful! If you're worried about timing, just go for the transplants!