GROWING WATERMELONS

By Eric Mwenda

EVERYONE seems to love juicy watermelons during summertime and apart from being a good source of water for the human body this crop is also highly nutritious.

SEED CO is excited about this new hybrid Watermelon Kito variety that will enable the vegetable farmers make the most out of their investment.

Most farmers are unaware that this cash crop (Watermelon)is not only gaining a high level of economic importance both also for the generation of income and provision of nutrients packed with carbohydrates, minerals as well as vitamins.

VARIETIES

There so many watermelon varieties but if you are going to venture into watermelon production then Seedco has the right variety for you. It’s the hybrid Watermelon Kito variety that has a red colored flesh and is very tasty. Remember it always Starts With The Right SEED.

WATERMELON KITO

Watermelon Kito assures you of getting two to three marketable Watermelon fruits at the minimum. It only takes 80 to 90 days to mature, this benefits the grower by giving them an opportunity to go to the market early and cash in good money.

RECOMENDABLE PLANTING SEASON

And Eric K Mwenda, Country Manager for SEED CO Vegetable Business, recommends that farmers should consider planting their watermelons from August through to February because this is the ideal season for Watermelon production.

It is during this same season that the crop is highly favored by the hot and dry weather conditions which enables it to produce the sweetest melons.

Generally, watermelons are easy to grow and not labor intensive, hence they require little management entailing that a famer cannot spend too much on inputs thereby attaining a good profit.

SOWING OF WATERMELON SEEDS                                                                                  

It only requires one (farmer) to place seeds in the soil and in terms of caring for the crop one can just mulch with a black plastic which serves multiple purposes such as warming the soil, hinder weed growth and keep developing fruits off the soil so they do not rot.  

SPACING

If one chooses to grow watermelons in terms of spacing one can plant one meter (1m) by one meter (1m) or 1m by 50cm.

WATERING

Remember to keep your soil moist but not water logged and try to avoid wetting the leaves using overhead watering, however, reduce watering once fruits are growing. Its however, important to ensure that the WATERMELONS are watered up to 1 to 2 inches of water (25.4 to50.8mm) per week to allow fruit formation. Sometimes having enough moisture in the ground can help a great deal as Watermelons will thrive well in moist soil.

FERTILIZER APPLICATION

In order to get a better yield of melons make sure you deliver more nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium as this encourages leaf vine growth but after commencement of flowering use a fertilizer with lesser levels of nitrogen to encourage flowers and fruit. For more technical support on fertilizer application kindly consult your nearest fertilizer company.

DISEASES AND PESTS

Like all other crops, Watermelons are prone to diseases and pests but one pest to look out for is the fruit fly which is a common problem in Watermelon production.

However, Mr. Mwenda advices that farmers should always take time to visit Agro dealer shops to purchase chemicals to get rid of pests linked to Watermelon production.

HARVESTING (what to look for…)

Professional watermelon producers always knowhow and when to harvest their Watermelons once ready, but as a first timer in Watermelon production you can use the following tip; thump your Watermelons and if they produce a hollow sound they are ripe.

Check the color at the bottom an immature Watermelon will have a white bottom a ripe one will have a cream or yellow colored bottom. Remember to check the tendril, if its green do not harvest until it is halfdead or fully dead because this is an indication that your melons are ripe or over ripe and cannot get any riper.  

So, if you are looking to grow watermelons this summer then try SeedCo’s hybrid watermelon Kito.

SeedCo agronomists are centered all over the country and continue to provide farmers with the required technical support.

To learn more about Watermelon Kito or any other new releases from SEEDCO, follow our Facebook page! Or if you are ready to purchase your own Watermelon Kito seeds visit our new online shop at www.seedcoonlineshop.com/zm,message us on Facebook or call us now on +260 97 7509544 or +260 966784515. Remember it starts with the right seed!