Things You'll Need:
- Peat starter pots
- Seed starting potting soil
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Compost
- Starter fertilizer
- Garden spade
- Shovel
- Hoe
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Step 1
Fill the starter pots with potting soil and place two seeds in each pot. Cover the seeds lightly with soil and water the soil with a spray bottle. Keep the soil evenly moist during germination.
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Step 2
Keep the starter pots in a warm location with a constant temperature between 80 and 85 degrees. Spray the soil often to keep it moist. When the seedlings are several inches tall, thin the seedlings by removing the weakest plant so that one seedling remains in each pot.
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Step 3
Prepare the growing area outside when the soil is warm. Make sure there is no danger of frost. Watermelons thrive in well-draining soil, so add compost to a clay soil if necessary. Add starter fertilizer to the soil before planting the seedlings. Consult the fertilizer package for the recommended amount of fertilizer for the size of your growing area.
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Step 4
Dig holes between 2 and 3 feet apart that are large enough for the starter pots. Place each starter pot in the prepared holes and replace the soil carefully around the seedlings. Water generously.
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Step 5
Control weeds around the watermelon vines by hoeing carefully to loosen the weeds. Do not water the watermelon plants unless drought conditions exist.
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Step 6
Harvest watermelons when the tendrils on the stems become brown. The surface should be hard and rough. Look for a dull outer surface on the melons. The area of the watermelon that is in contact with the soil may turn slightly yellow.
