When to Plant: Like squash, watermelon prefer warm soil temperatures before planting for best success. Plant after last danger of frost has passed, ideally waiting until May for best results.

Light: Full Sun

Soil: Plant in well-drained soil that has been maintained and amended regularly. Try to rotate crops annually to avoid disease issues and attracting the same pests.

If planting in a container (bush & dwarf watermelons), general purpose potting mix works well.

With melons, it is KEY to provide moisture when the top 2-4” of soil is dry. Allowing plants to dry out too regularly can lead to inconsistent fruit development. Time between watering cycles is determined by your climate and plant location.

For container plants, utilize a slow release fertilizer unless you used a potting mix with slow release pellets already incorporated.

For in ground planting, fertilize about once per month, according to the needs of your soil. A soil test in fall or winter months when the garden is not in use is ideal to determine what you should add. Check out the Kansas Garden Guide for more information on fertilizers.

Harvest melons when they reach their variety’s listed size. Like squash, it is best to harvest on the early side rather than waiting for fruit to become seedy and large.

Let’s nerd out! Watermelons (as well as other melons) are considered vegetable crops agriculturally although they are botanically and culinarily considered to be fruit. It’s one of those things where “all fruits ere technically vegetables but not all vegetables are fruit.” Haha!

Vegetable Crop = annual edible plants that are harvested for the consumption of any part of their plant including leaves, stems, roots OR fruit

Fruit Crop = perennial edible plants that are harvested for the consumption of their botanical fruit, which includes the ripened ovary, plus any associated parts, containing the seeds of the plant (unless parthenocarpic, a.k.a. seedless)

So basically... fruit crops are more specialized and are harvested from plants that aren’t cleared away every growing season such as trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Nerdy enough for you? Haha!