Willowpix // Getty Images Watermelons need water, lots of water. Watermelons produce both male and female flowers that need to be pollinated by their tiny winged friends. Do make sure to sow some of each color seed, and also plant flowers alongside your garden for the pollinators. Because seedless watermelons cannot produce fruit without a pollinator, seed companies include some seeded watermelon seeds to plant alongside the seedless types. What you should know is for seedless watermelons, some of the seeds in the package are different colors. Which you choose is a personal preference. Are seeded or seedless watermelons better to grow? No pruning is needed, though you can redirect the vines if they’re on the garden path by gently lifting and moving them out of the way, says Dimitrov. Unlike many other edibles, watermelons don’t do great in pots, but you can grow them in raised beds, which help the soil heat up faster. Many of these hybrids also can be trained up a trellis, and the fruits can be suspended in nets and tied off to the structure to support them as they grow. Modern hybrids, which produce smaller “single-serve” type melons, need about 4 to 5 feet of growing space. Planting them at the edge of the garden with a fence they can climb is a good idea, says Dimitrov. Traditional varieties require an area about 10 to 20 feet wide. Use mulch or straw around the plants to keep down weeds and retain moisture. When the plants get their first three leaves, thin them out so that two to three hardy-looking seedlings remain. Keep watered until germination you’ll see sprouts in about five to seven days. Put four to five seeds per hole because birds and other critters sometimes go after them. Poke a hole in the soil, place them about ½ to 1 inch deep, lightly cover with soil and pat down. Make sure they have full sun, which is at least six hours per day-though more is better! Add a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer to the area according to package directions. In more temperate parts of the country, direct sow watermelon seeds in ground after all danger of frost is past. How do I plant watermelon seeds in my garden? When the risk of frost is past, plant the whole thing in your garden. Put two to three seeds per pot about ¼ to ½ inch deep and cover with soil and water. Choose 3- to 4-inch peat or other biodegradable pots so you can plant the whole thing and prevent transplant shock when you put them in your garden. In some climates, such as the Northeast or Pacific Northwest where it takes longer to warm up, start your watermelon seeds indoors so seedlings get about a two- to three-week head start before you put them in the ground. Priscila Zambotto // Getty Images How do I start watermelon seeds indoors?
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