Watermelon

Citrullus lanatus

Watermelon is an annual, heat-loving vine that needs plenty of space, sun and nutrients. A flower only becomes a melon if it's pollinated — indoors that means hand-pollination. Compact varieties like 'Sugar Baby' also fit a pot or Dutch bucket.

Güncellendi:
Watermelon vine with ripe fruit

Important notes

temperatures below 10 °C: Watermelon is very heat-loving and completely frost-tender. Growth stalls below 10 °C; only plant out once it's reliably warm.

indoors / no insects: The plant is monoecious (separate male and female flowers). Without insects it sets no fruit — indoors, hand-pollinate every female flower or you get no melons.

Işık

Full sun, 8+ hours daily. Indoors, a strong grow light — watermelon is a real light-hog.

Sulama

Water generously and evenly, especially during fruiting. Ease off slightly as fruit ripens to boost sweetness. Keep foliage dry (mildew).

Sıcaklık

Optimal 21–30 °C (70–86 °F). Stalls below 10 °C, frost kills it. Warm roots matter.

Nem

Medium (50–70%). Too dry invites spider mites, too humid invites fungal disease.

Yönteme ve evreye göre hedef değerler

Toprak
Evre pH EC (mS/cm) Su °C Hava °C Nem % Işık s Süre (gün)
Çimlenme 6–6.8 24–30 60–75 14 8
Vejetatif 6–6.8 21–30 55–70 14 35
Çiçeklenme 6–6.8 21–30 50–65 14 14
Meyvelenme 6–6.8 22–32 50–60 14 35
DWC
Evre pH EC (mS/cm) Su °C Hava °C Nem % Işık s Süre (gün)
Vejetatif 5.8–6.2 1.5–2.5 20–24 22–30 55–70 14 35
Çiçeklenme 5.8–6.2 2–2.5 20–24 22–30 50–65 14 14
Meyvelenme 5.8–6.2 2.5–3.5 20–24 22–32 50–60 14 35
Damla
Evre pH EC (mS/cm) Su °C Hava °C Nem % Işık s Süre (gün)
Vejetatif 5.8–6.2 1.5–2.5 20–24 22–30 55–70 14 35
Çiçeklenme 5.8–6.2 2–2.5 20–24 22–30 50–65 14 14
Meyvelenme 5.8–6.2 2.5–3.5 20–24 22–32 50–60 14 35

Sık görülen sorunlar

No fruit despite flowers (no pollination), powdery mildew, spider mites in heat, wilt from cold roots or waterlogging, fruit splitting from uneven watering.

Space & Size

Final height
30 cm
Final width
180 cm
Spacing
90 cm
Root depth
45 cm
Min. container (Toprak)
≥ 30 L
Min. container (DWC)
≥ 20 L
Min. container (Damla)
≥ 20 L

Pests & diseases

Pest / Disease Symptom Organic treatment
Aphids sticky leaves, virus spread rinse off, beneficials, neem
Spider mites fine webbing, speckled leaves (hot/dry) raise humidity, predatory mites
Cucumber beetles holes in leaves/flowers, spread wilt hand-pick, yellow traps, fleece until flowering
Powdery mildew white coating on leaves airflow, remove affected leaves
Fusarium wilt wilting vines despite moist soil resistant varieties, crop rotation
Anthracnose dark sunken spots on leaves and fruit keep foliage dry, remove affected parts

Edible parts

  • Fruit · edible from Meyvelenme — the ripe flesh
  • Seeds · edible from Meyvelenme — seeds edible when roasted

Verim teknikleri

Let 2–4 fruits ripen per compact plant and thin the rest. Hand-pollinate female flowers in the morning. Rest ripening melons on a board or fleece (rot). Raise EC during fruiting (potassium).

Propagation & pollination

Method
seed
Germination time
8 days
Germination temp
24-30 °C
Sowing depth
2 cm
Pollination
monoecious
Hand pollination needed
yes

Start warm (min. 24 °C). Roots dislike disturbance — grow in plugs/peat pots and transplant gently.

Companion planting

Not yet linked: Tropaeolum majus, Tagetes patula, Phaseolus vulgaris, Solanum tuberosum, Cucumis sativus

Flavor

very sweet, juicy, refreshing

Storage

Whole melon keeps cool and dark for several weeks; cut, cover and refrigerate for 3–4 days.

History

Watermelon originally comes from Africa and has been grown for over 4,000 years — ancient Egyptians even placed them in pharaohs' tombs. Over centuries it was bred from a rather bland, pale fruit into the sweet, bright-red melon we know today.

Nutrition

Over 90% water, supplying vitamin C and A plus the antioxidant lycopene (the red flesh). Refreshing and low in calories.

Sources

Florabase

Florabase ile pH, EC ve tüm ölçümleri kaydedebilirsiniz — sonsuza kadar ücretsiz.

Ücretsiz Başla