How to Grow Watermelon at Home (Tarbooz): Seeds, Pots, Ripeness (Video)

Transcript

Can you tell when a watermelon is ripe without tapping?

Can you tell when a watermelon is ripe without tapping?

Grow Watermelon at Home

Ever wondered how to grow a juicy watermelon right on your balcony or backyard? In this quick guide I’ll walk you through sowing, watering, and the one ripeness clue that saves you from a bland fruit. Stick around, the trick comes at the very end.

When and Where to Plant

The vine loves heat, so wait until night temps stay reliably above fifteen degrees Celsius, anything colder will rot the seeds. In the plains you can start sowing from late February to March; in Karachi the window opens a bit earlier, January to March. And don’t forget eight hours of direct sun each day for a strong plant.

Sowing Seeds

Watermelon prefers to stay put, so plant the seeds right where the vine will grow, no transplanting later. Use a biodegradable cup or a small hole, drop three seeds in, and cover them about two and a half to four centimeters deep, pointed end down. Give them a good soak once, then keep the soil just damp until the sprouts peek through.

Harvest Time

From the moment the seed sprouts, you’re looking at roughly eighty to one hundred days before the fruit reaches full size, depending on the variety you chose. That timeline gives you a clear calendar to plan watering and feeding, and to watch for those ripeness signs.

Watering for Sweetness

Water is the make-or-break factor for flavor. In the ground, give the vines a deep soak every three to four days, but once the heat climbs, switch to daily watering in pots to keep the root zone moist. When the fruit swells, stay generous, then ease off about a week before you plan to harvest, that prevents watery, bland melons.

Hand Pollination Quick

If bees are scarce on your roof garden, you can become the pollinator yourself. Early in the morning, pluck a fresh male bloom, peel back its petals, and gently dab the yellow pollen onto the center of each open female flower, one male can service two or three females. Mark the date on a tag, then watch the fruit develop about a month later.

The one ripeness clue

Now for the single trick that tells you exactly when to cut the melon. Look at the ground spot where the fruit rests, it will change from white to a creamy yellow. Then check the little tendril nearest the stem; when it turns brown and dries, the watermelon is ready to pick. No tapping needed.

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Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.