Worth, you know/have any success growing either watermelon or any type of melon in the hard clay soil with Texas heat? I have had very little success here but put very little effort in it. I have had both produce fruit but then they just stop growing and everything just wither away. I haven't actually tried a real variety here just a few volunteers that popped up. Butternut squash does great for me which may or may not be a useful point. I would love to get some smaller melons to grow here. I do have a melon stealing dog but i have fenced him off as long as the vines stay inside.
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Originally Posted by Worth1
I'll help you right here watermellons like well draine soil but they need water.
I have found that the best ans sweetest mellons go throught a little water stress from lack of water.
Sandy loam is one of the best soils.
Melons are self pollinated but they have a make and a female flower.
The males will show up first and then the females.
The male flower is just a flower in the end of a stem on the vine.
The female will have a little baby melon on it right behind the flower.
Due to the plant have two sexes of flowers you need to have a pollinator bring the pollen from the male to the female.
If you dont have any bees wasps or other insects to do this you will have to do it yourself with and artist paint brush.
Or pull a male flower and push it against the female and move it around.
No smart remarks please. 
Worth |