I'm growing watermelons in a mix of 50% sand and 50% compost during these hot days of 80-90 degrees. Once my plants are established, how frequently should I be watering them?
4 Answers
I typically aim for about an inch of water each week. Watermelons love the heat, so let the sun do its thing! After the soil warms up, don't forget to mulch to help keep the moisture in. Once your melons start setting fruit, consistent moisture is key, and I find that using a drip irrigation system, watering it 2-3 times a day, really helps because they have shallow roots.
If you haven’t tried them, give Ollas a shot! They're a fantastic tool for watering melons. Just make sure to stop watering them as you approach harvest time to really sweeten up the fruit.
To measure an inch of water, you can rely on rainfall as a guide. If it rains an inch in a week, your plants are likely good! You can check soil moisture by sticking your finger in it. Just for reference, 1 inch of water is about a gallon for a square of 15x15 inches. For watering, I use a fan nozzle averaging 5 gallons a minute, so I usually take about 5-10 seconds to water each square at least 3-4 times a week.
Watering isn't one-size-fits-all; it really depends on your conditions! Your location, soil type, sun exposure, and even wind can all affect how often you should water. Just remember to ease up on the watering a few weeks before harvest so your melons don’t end up tasting watery and bland.
That sounds great! How do you set up your drip irrigation to get that inch of water per week? What kind of flow rates do you use, and how far apart are your emitters? I'm planning to set mine up soon.