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Should you trim watermelon vines?

Should you trim watermelon vines?

Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. Look for irregular or rotting fruit to prune from the plant. Removing the less than perfect melons will enable the plant to focus energy towards growing bigger, healthier, juicier melons.

How do I know when my sugar baby watermelon is done growing?

When they are green at the attachment point, the fruit is not yet ripe, but when they start to turn brown and dry, it is harvest time. When the tendrils have fully dried out, the fruit is on the verge of overripeness if it isn’t already and will not ripen further. Therefore, harvest the fruit immediately.

How big do Sugar Baby watermelon plants get?

‘Bush Sugar Baby’—Compact vines grow 36 to 42 inches and yield up to two fruits (six to 12 pounds). Ripens in 75 days.

How do you know when a sugar baby is ready?

Specifically, when the tendril nearest the fruit turns brown, that’s the top sign for ripeness. At the same time, the ground spot—the spot where the melon rests on the ground—should be a bright yellow. If the tendril browns and the ground spot is tan, wait.

Are you supposed to turn watermelons as they grow?

When it turns yellow, it’s a sign of ripeness. Be careful not to rotate your melon too much when you check the coloring or you may damage the vine. Just tip the fruit up enough to peek under it. On ripe melons, the green, curly tendrils near the stem start to dry out and turn brown.

How do you prune a watermelon plant?

Use sharp, clean bypass shears to prune away the excess growth. Another method of pruning a watermelon plant is thinning out the fruit when they are young. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends removing all but two to three melons from each vine if growing a cultivar known for its large fruit size, such as Jubilee (Citrullus lanatus ‘Jubilee’).

How do you plant sugar baby watermelon seeds?

Watermelons are frost-sensitive, so make sure the outdoor soil temperature is at least 70°F (21.1°C) before planting the ‘Sugar Baby’ seeds or transplants in the garden. Space multiple mounds about 2 to 3 feet apart and multiple rows about 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant the ‘Sugar Baby’ seeds 1/2 inch deep into a mound,…

What are the characteristics of sugar baby watermelon?

Sugar Baby is an early season watermelon, coming to maturity approximately 75 days after germination. The small size of the fruits, and relatively short time to harvest, make Sugar Baby on of the easier varieties to cultivate. Sugar Baby melons typically do not exceed 10 pounds, with flavor red flesh and a light green rind with dark stripes.

Can you grow sugar baby watermelon on a trellis?

The growing requirements of this heirloom are much like what’s necessary for other watermelons and its smallish size fruits mean you can even grow the melon on a trellis. Read on for all the tips on successfully growing ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons. ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons fall into the category of “icebox” due to their petite size.