WATERMELON PRODUCTION AND

MANAGEMENT
HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATERMELON
INTRODUCTION

Watermelon is an horticultural crop and has had a lot of success stories in increasing production and profits.
This training seeks to help guide the growers with information needed to grow and maximize profits.

Botanical Name: Citrullus Lunatus and is part of the Cucurbitaceae Family ( Watermelon, Cucumber,
Pumpkin and Butternut Squash) and is thought to have originated in Southern Africa.

The crop requires hot dry climate with warmer days and cooler nights.

Watermelon is sensitive to frost and waterlogged soils, this should be considered before production.

Flowering and fruit development are stimulated by high light intensity and high temperatures.

Watermelons is an excellent fruit and juice and makes good refreshing and cooling beverage.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER FOR WATERMELON SELECTION

There are a number of varieties that a farmer can choose from and the final selection depends
on what the market dictates

Size, shape and weight

Interior fruit colour and sweetness level (Brix).

Resistance to pests and diseases

Days to maturity and sale.

SYNGENTA VEGETABLES WATERMELON
VARIETIES
FAHARI F1
Fahari F1 is a sweet succulent jubilee (Zebra type) with medium to large fruits
and a very high brix level that makes the fruits very sweet. Brix is a measure
of sweetness , where 7.8 – 8.2 is somewhat sweet, 8.3 – 9.0 is sweet and ˃
9.0 is very sweet. A Brix refractometer is used.

Attributes: Medium to early maturity, Oblong shape fruits, Dark red flesh and
light green rind color, Average weight 8 to 12 kg , plant population of 8,000 to
9,000 plants per hectare and 3 to 4 marketable fruits plant.

Plant Characteristics : Thin but tough rind that offers very good
shelf life and good keeping quality to be transported over long
distances. Has sufficient plant cover that protects the fruits from
heat damage.

Has a short growing cycle that enables the grower to reduce or

save on production costs and reach the market on time.
BARAKA F1
Baraka F1 A crimson sweet type variety with a superior performance
in open field and Intense sweet taste.

Attributes: Medium to early maturity, Oval shaped fruits, dark red

flesh and dark green rind colour, The fruit is oval shaped and very
small seed size.
Plant population of 9,000 plants / Ha. Plants with strong vines and
prolific flowering.

Excellent globe shaped watermelon with a deep red crispy flesh

high natural sugar content.
Average yield of 2 to 5 fruits per plant with good agronomic
practices.
Average weight of 12 to 14 kg with a record of 17.3 kg done here.
CROP ROTATION
SOIL AND LAND PREPARATION

Watermelon is able to grow in different types of soils but prefers to grow in deep, well drained loamy soils that are high
in organic material. Avoid growing them in heavy clays soils more than 50 % clay according to USDA Soil Texture
Triangle ( have high water holding capacity but the water is tightly bound making if unavailable to plants.)

The optimal growth temperatures at night are 18℃ to 20℃ and during the day of between 24℃ to 30℃ and for ripening
15℃ to 25℃.

Soil pH range 5.5 to 7.0 is ideal and for pH below liming is required which can be determined from soil analysis offered
by many companies.

Land is prepared by ploughing at right moisture content with can be done with a tractor or manually. Soils must be
thoroughly and deeply cultivated for a good root system. The roots usually develop to a depth of 30 to 50 cm.
SPACING AND IRRIGATION

Growing watermelons also requires space, as the plants are vines and take up a lot of room. Seedlings or seeds
should be planted 60 – 90 cm apart and in rows 1.5 – 2.0 m apart.

Watermelons are a hot season; crop require lots of sunshine during the day and warm nights.

Adequate moisture is critical a drip irrigation system is ideal to provide enough water to produce these large fruits.
Too much rain or overhead irrigation encourages diseases.

However, too much moisture can also become an issue. Excessive moisture can lead to waterlogged fruit that
diminishes the sweet flavour and splits the rind. Stop irrigation during ripening as it advsely affect fruit quality and
leads to fruit cracking. Irrigation should be reduced or stopped 7 to 10 days prior harvest.

Watermelons prefer sandy loam soil over others especially heavy soils or soils that are prone to waterlogging.
 PLANTING TIME FOR WATERMELON

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

SOW

TRANSPLANT
SEASON AND WEATHER REQUIREMENTS
SEASON AND WEATHER REQUIREMENTS
FLOWERING IN WATERMELONS
FLOWERING IN WATERMELONS
FERTILISERS AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
HARVESTING

Generally harvesting occurs 11 to 17 weeks after

planting. One field can be harvested several times, 2 to 3
days apart.

Maintaining healthy plants and care during harvesting

may allow subsequent fruit sets to develop and these
may take several weeks longer to reach maturity.

Watermelon is harvested at full maturity and typically

does not develop in internal colour or increase in sugar
after being removed from the vines. Fresh colour should
have reached a mid-pink to deep pink-red or crimson
colour (characteristic of the cultivar) and must be firm and
crisp.
 WHEN DO I HARVEST MY WATERMELON

External fruit rind colour and buttery-yellow colour of ground spot.

Various stages of floral bract (leaf) and tendril drying out near the fruit peduncle.

Dull sound when thumped and slightly cracking sound internally , when whole fruit are pressed.

Watermelons should be harvested in early morning as hot fruit respire much more rapidly and
lead to over ripe fruit on delivery.

Harvested fruits should be kept in the shade and transported to the pack house within the
shortest possible time to prevent from temperature rise and minimize moisture losses.
WATERMELON MARKET