My watermelons arent coming in as fast as I thought?!

[JaimeB]

Hi all. Haven't posted in a while but I'm back this year with a bigger garden. Last year I just had late pumpkins, but this year I have corn, jack-o-lantern and pie pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, and crimson sweet watermelon. I started my garden April 12-13 (I'm in zone 8b) and everything is coming along great, except my watermelons. They were planted from seed and sprouted about 12 days later. They have anywhere from 7-12 true leaves but are still very small (there are three plants), they're only about 5" in diameter. Are they naturally just smaller plants? Will they take off soon?

 

[NwMtGardener]

My doll watermelons are also very small still, I think yours will take off when the time is right! Oh and they aren't small plants, they'll get big and sprawly

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

You know, I am experiencing the same thing with my watermelon. I'm in zone 10a and I planted my seedlings that were about 3 weeks old...its taken the last 3 weeks to see them progress to about 12 leaves and 7 inches in diameter for 3 seedlings together... ugh! I'm seeing my decorative squash that I planted a week and a half ago outgrow the watermelon and I'm getting nervous that I won't be eating any melon at all!

You aren't alone.

 

[vfem]

I planted mine some time ago... at least 4 weeks, and those were transplants. I am just seeing flowers coming in, they are yet to bloom even.

Slow slow slow wait those vining watermelons are... my cantaloupe is even slower!!!!!!

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I started my watermelons in March and they are just now starting to flower with tiny watermelons. I planted the sugar baby variety after reading so many posts here about them. My vines are about 3 feet long so far.

 

[lesa]

The sugar babies have never gotten really viney for me. They sprawl a little, but the leaves are small. I had maybe 6 plants last year, and got more melons then we could eat. I only planted 2 this year-and I'll be happy if I even get a melon. Our weather has been nutty. In the 60's today- and 80's predicted tomorrow....
I am trying one melon in the green house- but without sunshine- it is no warmer in there!!

 

[hoodat]

Hi all. Haven't posted in a while but I'm back this year with a bigger garden. Last year I just had late pumpkins, but this year I have corn, jack-o-lantern and pie pumpkins, tomatoes, strawberries, and crimson sweet watermelon. I started my garden April 12-13 (I'm in zone 8b) and everything is coming along great, except my watermelons. They were planted from seed and sprouted about 12 days later. They have anywhere from 7-12 true leaves but are still very small (there are three plants), they're only about 5" in diameter. Are they naturally just smaller plants? Will they take off soon?

I don't know about Salinas but here on the coast it has been a cooler than normal Spring. We have to get through our May gray and June gloom before it really warms up. I think you'll see them take off as the weather warms up. They love heat.

 

[JaimeB]

Thanks guys. I've just been looking around my garden and my pumpkin plants are HUGE and are already starting to bloom, my tomatoes are shooting up and out faster than I can tie them lol, and they're producing fruit, which I thought because of the weather would take a little longer. I guess this is just a weird year for watermelon. :/
Again.. thanks for all your input. I hope we'll all have some nice juicy watermelon to dig into before the summer's gone. I know I expected to have at least one by July 4. Good luck

 

[vfem]

I just went out and checked my vines again. A few blooms are out, so I guess that's good from what everyone else is saying.

I am sticking with my "can always count on" favorite Crimson... but was blessed from someone wonderful who gave me some orangeglo watermelons to try. I found GREAT reviews for both... so we'll see I guess!