Watermelon Farming

Before  venturing into watermelon farming, it`s important to consider the availability of the market, the type of soil in your locality, the best varieties suited for your location, availability of water and the cost of production. The crop requires long periods of sunlight. The ideal regions  for melon growing are Kajiado, Makueni, Kitui,Machakos and other warm regions. The quality of the fruit tends to be low in the highlands since it is a warm-season annual crop. There are different varieties that do well in Kenya and  they take three to four months to mature  and  one should always buy certified seeds. The plants require adequate water as excess  water makes the melon seeds rot, the fruits bursts and rot too resulting in losses.

The crop does well in well-drained loamy soils that are rich in nutrients. The soil should be slightly acidic. Warm temperature of 15-30 degrees Celsius  is ideal for the growth and development of this crop. Watermelon does well 1,500metres above sea level. The crop grows well in areas that receive an annual rainfall of 600mm, irrigation is necessary. Spacing should be 1.5x1metres on average. The land should be prepared to a fine tilth and early enough to allow the seeds to dry. Watermelon seeds are planted directly on the farm, they  can also be sowed in a nursery and transplanted later. Direct planting reduces disturbance to the soil. One should sow the seeds in seedling trays and pots as this reduces damage to the roots during transplanting.

The land should be weed free especially during the early stages of growth but weeding during flowering can result in flower abortion or mechanical damage. Fertilizer should be applied in line with the soil test analysis. However, proper nutrition at vegetative and fruiting stages ensures good yields. During planting, DAP can be applied as this ensures proper root development .CAN should be used for top-dressing. The crop should not be planted in an area that had cucurbits before, cucurbits include pumpkins, courgettes and cucumbers. These are attacked by the same diseases and pests that ravage watermelons.

One should control fruit flies, as these pests attack young fruits, affecting  their growth. Whiteflies suck the cell sap and excrete honeydew on the leaves, affecting growth. With time, the honeydew forms soot that interferes with photosynthesis. The fly transmits viral diseases. The pests can be controlled by crop rotation, maintaining  filed hygiene, use of traps and chemicals. Other pests that attack watermelon plants are leaf miners, the red spider, mites and aphids. One should  also be on the lookout for diseases such as downey mildew, damping-off and powdery mildew.

Harvesting is done three to four months after planting, depending on the variety of the watermelon. One should be careful to avoid bruises and breakages that result in low fruit quality and sometimes render the fruits unmarketable.