From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Garner, NC

For anybody new to growing watermelons, here are a few tips for better germination and the way I start seeds. I hope others will join in and tell how they start them, and maybe we all can help some new growers.

I bought a egg incubator from agri supply, and a digital thermometer, and a small computer fan from radio shack. The fan keeps good air flow, and a consist warmth throughout the entire incubator.

I then take potting soil, and place it in a bucket. I use hot water, and wet my soil. I then squeeze all the water I can from the soil, and place it in a small peat pot. I take 1 seed, and place in point down, and leave the top 1/3 of the seed exposed. Then use a shapie and write the melon seed on the pot. I normally plant 3 of a given seed if I have that many.

I keep the temps in the incubator at 95, and water once a day, normally only about a half of oz. They main thing you want is to keep the seed, and soil warm, and only enough water for germination. To much water will rot the seeds pretty fast. Seeds germ from 2 to 3 days.

Once they pop, they go to a grow chamber with a grow light, and get repotted to a 1 gallon pot within 3 days. In that chamber, I run a small fan to sturdy up the stem, and get them use to the wind. I water only when dry, and hit them with some fish/seaweed at half strength in about a week. Some folks start early, and grow them inside for some time before hitting dirt, but I try and set them out with 2 to 4 true leaves, but that is justbthe way I do it.

I hope this helps some new growers, and maybe other old timers can share there way of germinating. There's many ways to do this, just find a way that works best for you, and practice different methods to find what works for you. Best of luck getting started!

4/5/2012 4:55:25 PM

Fenton, MI

Great information Todd. My method is similar. I use a heating mat with a thermostat in a refitted old cooler with a wood slat rack (1 1/2" higher than heating mat). I moisten my soil the same way as Todd. The temperature is set to 95 degrees and I plant the seeds in 2" peat pots. The cooler holds a lot of moisture so I rarely water them again until after they are taken out of the cooler.

Germination takes 2-3 days and I get 98-100% germination. You have to watch them carefully and take them out as soon as they germinate or they will become very leggy. After germination I put them in my heated mini greenhouse. When they are 3 days old, I transplant them into 6" pots. The pots have been cut up the sides and bottom and put back together with duct tape to make it easier to take out when they get transplanted.

After they have 4-5 true leaves, they get transplanted to the patch and protected by hoop houses. This method works very well for me.

4/5/2012 5:56:41 PM

Marshall, MI

I use an egg incubator to start seeds.I keep the temp at 90 degrees.I put 2 or 3 seeds in a damp paper towel folded up to about the size of a wallet.I wet the towel with warm water and squeeze out all excess water.I place the paper towel in a plastic bag to keep it moist.The seed will usually have a root in 30 to 40 hrs, sometimes 24 hrs.
While I'm waiting for the seeds to sprout,I put seed starter in a bucket,wet it down and then squeeze out all excess water.I then place the seed starter in 2x2 plastic pots.I put the pots into plastic bags. The bags are put in a thermostatically controlled cabinet at 85 degrees to warm up the seed starter.
As soon as the seeds sprout, I put one seed per pot making sure the root is pointed down.The whole process takes 3 to 6 days.
Once the seeds come up they are planted in my 7x8 greenhouses.

4/5/2012 7:44:26 PM

Linden, Mi.,

I lightly sand edge, place in damp paper towel, tell seed spout (shows a root), then place into 2"x 2" pots in a cooler with heating pad,try to keep at 90 degrees, when plant shows, I put under grow lights, when I see first and second leaf, I start setting out side to get shaded sun and some light winds. With this weather I hope to get in ground May 15th with small hot house covers. After all that, what ever he gives me I will take and will be happy. Good luck to all in growing this year.

4/5/2012 8:28:05 PM

Muddy Waters

I use a seed germinator box the kind with the clear lid.I soak seeds for 30 minutes in water.I start in small peat pots.I rarely water them I spray the tops of pots twice a day with a spray bottle,to prevent soil from drying out.I keep the box real humid,also splash water on floor of box.I remove from heat as soon as the seed breaks soil.Bottom heat once germed will make them leggy.I then take them to a grow lite & place 2 inchs from tubes,I keep them in a cooler place basement,instead of a window,which I belive will make them get to leggy.I transplant them to bigger pots asap.Try to plant outside as soon as possible,Weather permitting.

4/5/2012 10:31:54 PM

Muddy Waters

Dont forget to acclimate seeds to outside I use a fan like Todd Dawson while inside .I aso set them outside in the shade at first,2 hrs a day then in the sun to acclimate so I dont fry them on a hot spring day.

4/6/2012 8:00:44 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Realizing that I am walking in the shadows of Giants, here!!!! Recurring theme seems to be to be putting, into bigger pots? Why not just start em in bigger pots? Is it lack of room in germination chamber? I have a germination chamber, that will hold a dozen or so, 44 oz. Styrophoam (sp?)cups. The foam cup peels away easily for planting! Good stuff from awl...remove from germination chamber as soon as sprouted & under lights (keep em close)...acclimate w/ fans & natural light (a little more each day) ASAP! Great start Ice Man!!! Peace, Wayne

4/7/2012 2:49:09 AM

formerly RGG

Wayne, my reason for starting in smaller pots is that I have a limited amount of space under my grow lights and since they burn 400 watts each, I don't like to operate too many of them if it isn't necessary. As the plants grow and move into each others space it becomes necessary to spread them out. Then I will repot and allow the roots to spread out as the tops continue to spread out. So it is a matter of economy for me.I always move my plants outside during the day if it isn't too cold and so they never need to be acclimatized when they go outside full time. They tolerate the wind and love full sun from the get go.

4/7/2012 10:14:42 AM

Muddy Waters

Yes wayne,When you start 20 plants,its hard to have them heated to the perfect temp.I would need a big box to hold 20 1 gallon pots.so we start small

4/7/2012 11:57:15 AM

Cleveland, Tenn

what type of seed starting medium are you guys using?

4/7/2012 7:20:48 PM

Muddy Waters

seed starter mix

4/7/2012 7:58:23 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

cap, maybe what not to use is a better question...and the answer to that is Miracle Grow Potting Mix!!! I would guess that most of the top growers, and prbly most in general use a seed starting mix...which is available at most big box stores. I think the preferred starting medium is called ProMix BX (could be wrong)...it is a sterilized starting medium w/ Myco added. Wish I could find it local, in smaller amounts!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...Handy, and TD...yer answers make sense...lack of space and economics!!!! ? tho, if you had the room & the $'s...would you start in larger containers to avoid the up-potting procedure?

4/8/2012 2:12:05 AM

formerly RGG

If money wasn't a factor Wayne, I absolutely would. I might even put my plants right into the field post germination if I had the resources to provide a climate controlled and well lit greenhouse over them.

4/8/2012 9:05:05 AM