WATERMELONS –AN IMPORTANT CASH CROP FOR ZAMBIA

EVERYONE seems to love juicy watermelons during summer time 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 F1 variety that will enable the vegetable farmers make the mostout 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.

Watermelon Kito F1 is a round, slightly elongated melon with a bright red color.

Yields 2-3 Marketable Melons per plant after 80-90days.

Kito F1 is suitable for open field production so that the farmer will harvest large, juicy, good flavored melons.

When should you plant your Watermelon?

Eric K Mwenda, Country Manager for SEED CO Vegetable Business Unit, recommends that farmers should consider planting their watermelons from August through to February because this is the ideal season for Watermelon. It really does not favor cool weather.

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 sustaining the business of farming

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 & PLANT POPULATION

If one chooses to grow watermelons in terms of spacing one can plant one meter (1m) by one meter (1m) to get a Plant Population of 10,000/HA

IRRGATION MANAGENT

Remember to keep your soil moist but not waterlogged 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 MANAGEMENT

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.

MAJOR PESTS OF WATERMELONS

1.Fruit Fly

CONTROL OF FRUIT FLY-Chlorantraniliprole, Lufenuron + Emamectin Benzoate

2. Leaf eating caterpillars

CONTROL USE Chlorpyriphos 480EC

However, Mr. Mwenda advices that farmersshould always take time to visit Agro dealer shops to purchase Crop ProtectionChemicals to control one of the challenges affecting PROFITABILITY INWATERMELON FARMING.

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.  

Check the Planting date against the harvest day!

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.

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To learn more about Watermelon Kito or any other new releases from SEEDCO, follow us on Facebook page! Or visit our new online shop at ‍

https://www.seedcoonlineshop.com/zm/

‍message us on https://www.facebook.com/seedcovegetables or call us now on +260 97 3117805 or +260 96 6784515.

‍Remember it starts with the right seed!

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