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Minnesota Gardening

Watermelong growth is stunted??

14 years ago

I've got some watermelon that's been planted as a seedling since May 15th. It grew a tad (3 inches or so), but now with plenty of watering and summer heat, nothing much is happening. It's strange because melons planted there before have grown like mad.

It wasn't root bound when I planted it. The only other thing I can think of is that it's too close to some raspberries (which are supposed to affect tomatoes but not sure if it affects melons)

Comments (9)

jonas302
14 years ago
Mine are the same way also planted on the same date it got to cold and I am pretty sure they are stunted I think its to late but I am going to put a few seeds in tomorrow just to see how they do
rubybaby43
14 years ago
Count me in among those with watermelon plants that are very slow to grow. Mine has been in since mid-May as well and I am just NOW starting to see a little new growth. I think not only the late cold spell but the early heatwave was tough on them too.

Wondering if we'll be able to make it before our first frost at this point!?

Kristy :)
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It's hard to make suggestions re what to do w/o knowing where you live. If you want to make a plant look stunted, the best way to go about it is by keeping it always in a high state of vitality so it grows a lot, and do your "stunting" manually. Keeping a plant horribly rootbound limits branch extension and forces tighter internodes (less space between leaves), but it also limits vitality and the plant's ability to defend itself against pathogens and insect herbivory. Growth is measured by an increase in the plant's dry mass. When your tree isn't growing, it's dying, so the closer you get to stagnant growth (when a plant should be growing) the unhealthier the tree becomes. Note the list of how a plant orders its use of energy. It first goes to it's strongest sink, which is respiratory maintenance (maintenance of all its living parts), followed in order by production of fine roots, followed by flower/ seed/ fruit production, the primary growth (extension of both roots and shoots), then secondary growth (thickening), and finally, the synthesis of defensive chemicals. So stress first affects a plant's ability to defend itself - not the right path to keeping a plant small. Bonsai live in small pots (relative to plant size) and are kept compact, often for centuries, yet they are some of the healthiest plants in pots. This they owe to their care givers' attention to regular root work and regular/ judicious pruning. What I'm driving at is you need to prune it; however, where you live has much to do with HOW you prune it; reason being, you want to do a hard prune in late spring to provide a framework to build on. What the tree puts on in terms of growth in summer will be desirable and something to be kept as a part of the end composition. Growth but on late fall through early spring will be long (in internodes) and lanky, so, undesirable. If you live in the N Hemisphere, you should partially prune now and prune back hard in late spring, as measured by the calendar. Overview of Good Growing Practices Growing Ficus in Containers Long Term Care of Trees in Containers Al
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kaptainkr
14 years ago
I planted 4 seedlings in the ground May 17th. They just sat there until a few weeks ago. One plant didn't make it. They're finally growing now. I also noticed the same thing with 2 Armenian cucumber plants, which are actually in the melon family. The regular cucumbers have outgrown them 3 to 1.
heleninramsey
14 years ago
I don't know anything about growing melons, but, I wonder if it is the weather because my annual flowers are just sitting in the ground looking at me and seemingly refusing to grow much to spite having been fertilized and watered properly. Another frustrating summer for weather, I am thinking I will move someplace warmer....
Helen.
srj19
Original Author
14 years ago
I'm wondering if putting a clear dome over these to give it some greenhouse effect might help. Other than that I'm just speculating.
rubybaby43
14 years ago
Well, my watermelon plant has started growing...but my tomatoes aren't producing much yet. I have two large plants and only one has maybe 6 tomatoes on it. The other has been flowering, but not much (same with tomatillo). I have plenty of flowers nearby and plenty of bees visiting the area.

Usually by this time of year the things are weighted down with tomatoes! My green beans are slow going as well. Haven't done anything different from years past....could it really still be from the wacky weather we had earlier in the season?

Anyone else's veggies still coming along very slowly?

Kristy :)
kaptainkr
14 years ago
All my tomato plants are heavy with fruit. A few may even be turning colors (could be wishful thinking). The pole beans are over 6 feet tall, but no beans yet. The pepper plants (all in containers) are producing well. Ate my first Anaheim pepper the other day. The watermelon haven't grown much, but one plant is flowering.
garystpaul
14 years ago
My experience is about the same as others. The cukes are growing like mad, the squash is picking up, and one cantaloupe and one watermelon are bringing up the rear, but finally starting to take off. I think, as others have suggested, it was the cold soil we had for so long in the spring.
srj19
Original Author
14 years ago
When do you all plant your watermelons? I read online that certain types are recommended to plant 2 weeks AFTER last frost (basically June 1) although I believe my directions were for last frost. Soil temp apparently is quite important.

Next year, I'm thinking about puting them in on May 15th again but covering with some kind of clear dome to ensure the warm conditions.

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