Cathy Isom has some tips on how to grow your very own cool, crisp, summertime treat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Grow Your Own Watermelons This Summer
Watermelons are a great treat for beating the heat. They also prefer the heat if you’re thinking about growing your own this year. Soils need to be at least 70 degrees to avoid problems with germination. You can start the seedlings indoors, or in a greenhouse, then transplant them 
when the weather is favorable. Watermelons prefer a slightly acidic soil and a lot of water and nitrogen to get themselves going. When it’s time for the garden, they require at least a couple feet of spacing between each plant. The plants will spread up to ten feet from their roots. Its also important to only water the plants roots, rather than the leaves, to prevent the possibility of fungal diseases. Watermelons take between 70 and 90 days, depending on the variety. They do not continue to ripen off the vine, so it’s important to wait for them to be ready. You can usually tell if they’re ripe by the creamy, yellowish color on their bottoms.
I’m Cathy Isom…