Can watermelon be left growing until it frosts?

14 years ago

Can watermelon be left growing until it frosts? Or can it withstand some light frost? Mine got planted a little late and want to give them all the time they can get.

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Comments (6)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
14 years ago
The vines will be killed by the first frost. The fruit can not stand much frost either. But you can leave the fruit on the vine until the first frost. The fruit won't ripen much during cool weather. I'd get them off the vine and inside before it drops below 30F.

The Fruitnut
keepitlow
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks!
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Starting from seeds is fine but it take TIME. Time is of essence. That what all the fuss about starting early to get a head start, to beat the mother nature in its own game. 1 MY living example: I started/ sowed KUMATO , on March 26Th. Today , May 1st, after 36 days it has just 3 true leaves and it is about <3" tall. I think it needs at least 15 more days to get reach a decent plant out size: That will be 51 days from sowing. This is inline with sowing 6 to 8 weeks before plant out date. Well, of course, if you have long and warm season, you can even direct sow in the garden. I have done that while gardening in GA. I have had even plants grown from cuttings much later. OTOH: what you've got to lose, : Few seeds, some time and attention and see what you'll get. It is called EXPERIMENTATION. But be prepared to have low expectations. Sey
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jellyman
14 years ago
Keepitlow:

The best watermelons ripen in August, in the dead heat of summer. Even in September, as the days become shorter and the nights cool down, watermelons stop growing and accumulating sugars. That is why, except for the deep South, watermelon growers do everything possible to get the plants off to an early start.

After mid-September, you can leave watermelons in the field until the cows come home and they won't get any better. They are toast and material for the compost pile. Sure, you can eat them if you don't mind flavorless white flesh and thick rinds, but I don't think you will like them much.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA
Beeone
14 years ago
I agree that as the days get shorter and cool, they really slow down. My melons this year had several setbacks and the earlier ones all got trampled by sheep then eaten by deer while small, so they didn't set fruit that stuck until early/mid August. Picked one last week a couple days after the vines partially frosted, then picked the rest Monday after 6" of snow from Sunday night melted. The one picked last week was ripe and very good, but it doesn't have the super sweetness earlier ones do. They don't seem to ever ripen any further once picked, so I always leave them on the vine until frost takes the leaves or we have a hard freeze coming to get whatever sugar and ripeness they can.
HU-694407085
3 years ago
If the vines look okay after a frost, will the watermelon fruit survive
garybeaumont_gw
3 years ago
Did not say where you are but a frost will kill the vines. If vines are not dead you did not have a frost. Might have had it on other parts of the garden but not where the watermelon was located. The watermelons are not going to ripen anymore due to lack of sunlight and heat. I had cantaloupes that just would not ripen until a frost took them out. That was when I learned fall melon crops are a bad idea.

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Can watermelon be left growing until it frosts?

Comments (6)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX

keepitlow
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Can watermelon be left growing until it frosts?

Comments (6)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX

keepitlowOriginal Author

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jellyman

Beeone

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keepitlow
Original Author