HOW TO GET GREATER 
WATERMELON PRODUCTION 
SOILS—Watermelons do best on strongly acid 
soils which are light, warm, and of the sandy loam 
type. High well-drained soils are best. The same soil 
should not be used for watermelons more often than 
once every 6 or 7 years for highest production. Long- 
time rotation helps control Fusarium wilt. 
LAND PREPARATION—Break land with two 
horse turnplow or tractor disk and harrow or disk 
once or twice. Lay off rows 10 to 12 feet apart and 
space hills about the same distance. One pound of 
seed is enough for three plantings on one acre. Four 
furrows with one-horse plow gives a nice bed on 
which to plant seed. Seed can be planted by hand or 
with planter, and should be covered about one inch. 
Hills should be thinned to one vigorous plant. 
FERTILIZER—For best results, use 800 to 1,000 
pounds of 4-10-6, 5-10-5, or 3-9-9 fertilizer per acre. 
Fertilizer should be mixed thoroughly in the furrow 
before bedding or ridging. Side dressing of a mixture 
of 100 pounds nitrate of soda and 50 to 75 pounds of 
muriate of potash per acre should be applied—one 
half at thinning time and the other half when plants 
bunch and show short runners. Side dressing after 
fruit has set on vines should be avoided. 
CULTIVATION—Use shallow plow, and avoid 
turning vines while plowing. If crust forms on beds, 
rake them to break crust when plants begin to sprout. 
Side and lay by with large sweeps before vines get 
too long. 
PRUNING—Remove all misshapen melons, leaving 
one to two melons on one vine at the same time. 
INSECTS AND DISEASES—Root knot and wilt 
can be controlled by long rotation or planting on new 
land. In order to avoid Anthracnose, do not work or 
pick melons while vines are wet from rain or dew. 
Anthracnose also spreads faster on hilly land, so 
choose flat areas for watermelons when possible. 
