Description

• Watermelon crimson sweet is another sweet treat for lovers of summer fruits. It’s quite popular for its sweet taste and refreshing flavour. The round fruit of watermelon crimson sweet has beautiful dark green coloured stripes on the rind with dark red fruit colour.
• Where to grow: Balcony or terrace garden Sowing season: Summer Season (March to April) Mode of sowing: Sow the seeds 1 inch deep in a Container, Grow Bags or Pots. Germination Time: 6 to 14 days from sowing Germination temperature: 21 to 35°C. Harvesting: 65 to 90 days from sowing Fruit color: light green with dark green stripes Average weight: 4-6 kgs
• Water – Mulched beds will help retain optimum moisture in planting beds. Water the planted area regularly since the soil may get dry relatively quickly due to summer heat. Avoid overhead watering. Holding back on watering when the fruits are about to become ripe help in increasing the sugar content in the watermelon.
• Soil – Fertile loamy soil (sand + clay mixture) with high fertility is suitable for sowing watermelon seeds. Watermelon plants grow well in soil with a pH of 6.0-7.5.
• Sunlight – The watermelon vine should get about 6 to 8 hours of full sunlight daily.
• Temperature – The temperature between 21°C to 40°C is suitable for the good growth of the watermelon plant.
• Pruning – Pruning is essential to promote healthy vines and increase fruit size. Using pruning shears; Remove any dead, diseased, yellowed, and dry leaves or shoots from the joint where they were attached to the main stems. Also, remove any vines that are not blooming or look damaged.
• Common pests – Aphids, beetles, and spider mites affect plant’s growth and the watermelon plant is infected by some diseases such as powdery mildew, anthracnose, and fusarium wilt. Spray neem oil on watermelon vine or fruit to avoid pests or diseases on the plant.