Production requirements & costs for 1 ha of Water melons( 1 hectare - 2.

47 acres )
Population: Approximately 1500 per ha. Seed requirements: 2.2 - 4.5 kg per ha depending on variety and spacing.
Spacing: 2.4 - 3.0 m between the rows and 2.4 m within the row. Yields: 20 - 30 tonnes per ha is quite common.
Sowing date: Sow as early as possible, July to Aug. If possible germinate seed in sleeves in sheltered areas to avoid frost, then transplant later.
Waterwelons have a very low demand for Phosphate and very high demand for Potash. Potash helps with the sweetness and keeping qualities.
Too much Phosphate can lead to fruit split. Maturity period: Usually 12 - 14 weeks depending on variety.

Fertilizer requirements Product Rate/ha Nitrogen Phosphate Potash Sulphur Comments Rate/ha Cost/tonne Cost / ha
Base dressing Compound L 4:17:11:8.5S+0.25B 300 12 51 33 26 All at planting 0.3 $680
Muriate of Potash MOP (60% K2O) 200 120 All at planting 0.2 $880
Potassium nitrate 13:0:46 100 13 46 All at planting 0.1 $3840
Top dressing AN (34.5% N) AN 200 35 0 At fruiting, if required. 0.2 $700
Muriate of Potash MOP 200 120 3 - 4 weeks apart 0.2 $880
OR Total 60 51 319 26 Sulphur levels are rather low.
Base dressing Compound C 5:15:12 11S +0.1B 300 15 45 36 22 All at planting 0.3 $700
Muriate of Potash MOP 200 120 All at planting 0.2 $880
AN (34.5% N) AN 100 35 0 All at planting 0.1 $700
Top dressing AN (34.5% N) AN 100 35 0 At fruiting, if required. 0,1 $700
Sulpahte of Potash SOP (50% K2O) 300 150 45 3 - 4 weeks apart 0.3 $1100
Total 85 45 306 67 This second example has better sulphur levels
The examples shown above are only a guide and other combinations may be preferrable. The totals give some indication of what the crop needs.
An example: '200 kg's per ha at a population of 1500 per ha equates to 133 g per planting station, quite a lot, so be careful not to burn the plants.
Remove misshapen, diseased or late fruit when larger fruit are 75 - 100 mm long. Leave only 2 - 4 per vine, or less with larger varieties.

Herbicides, Psticides and Fungicides

Product Pack Cost per Harvest
Problem Product Mixing rate Application / Comments
for 1 ha Size Pack Interval
Grasses Agil 100EC 30 - 120ml / 15 l knapsack. Grasses ONLY, post emergent. Higher rates for perennial grasses 0.5 - 2.0 l 2 lt N/A
Fenvalerate/Lambda-
Cutworm cyhalothrin 42 ml per 100 l Apply 1 No 30 cup over plant as soon as it germinates 20 ml 0.2,0.5&1lt $7/lt N/A
Aphids Dimethoate 40EC 30ml /15l knapsack Full cover spray. Not normally a bad pest for this crop. 200 - 300 ml 0.5,1,&5lt 14 days
Malathion 25 WP 30g /15 l knapsack Full cover spray. Repeat if necessary 300 g 1, 25 kg $7/kg 7 days
Anthracnose Chloroo 500/Chlorothalonil 120ml/15l knapsack Full cover spray. Repeat if necessary at 7 - 14 days. 2.0 l 1,2,5&20lt $8/lt 3 days
& Downy Dithane M45/ Uthane M45 120g /15 l knapsack Full cover spray 2 kg 0.5,1,5,&25kg 7 days
Downy Copper Oxychloride 85WP 60 g / 15 l knapsack Full cover spray. Repeat if necessary at 10 - 14 days. 1 kg 0.2, 0.5, & 1 kg $10/kg 3 days
mildew only Polyram DF 30 g / 15 l knapsack Full cover spray. Repeat in 7 - 14 day intervals. 500 g 3 days
Powdery Mildew Bavistin/Benomyl 50WP 15g/ 15 l knapsack Full cover spray. Repeat in 7 - 14 day intervals. 750 g 0.5, 1 & 25 kg $13/kg 3 days
Fruit Fly Lebaycid 50EC 20 ml/15 l knapsack F.C.S. from start of owering and every 2 - 3 weeks. 320 ml 0.1, 0.2,0.5&1 lt $40/lt 7 days
Malathion 25 WP 300 g per ha, bait Mix with 8 kg's sugar in 100 lt water and apply as a course spray 300 g 1, 25 kg 7 days
Dipterex 95 SP 50 g per ha, bait As above 50 g 7 days
Rhizoctonia & Vitavax Plus Seed dressing 20ml Vitavax Plus + 35ml water/5kg seed 20ml N/A
soil borne diseases Thiram 80WP Seed dressing 10g/5kg seed - mix well 10g 0.5,1,20 & 25kg $6/kg N/A

NOTES: 17 x 15 lt knapsacks/ha applies +/- 250 lt/ha

Use Bladbuff 5 as your spray water buffer for effective chemical spraying.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS, READ AND UNDERSTAND THE LABELS.