watermelon have take a bright sheen on the leaves (looks like sap) and are
becoming covered in white spots/dots. Did we get them planted to late? They
always advertise that fresh grown watermelons will be in the store in time
for the 4th of July. The bigger melons that made have already have splits in
them. Any help?

THX
Nicole

Too many questions and not enough information.

1. Here in middle Ga, in a normal year I can get a watermelon ripe for the 4th
of July. This year has been cool and wet and the first melon ripened July 27.
Back in Virginia we looked for our first mellon around the middle of August. So
lateness depends on your location a nd season.

2. Watermelons have a few insect pests (striped cucumber beetle is my worst) so
do a careful search for chewing/sucking pests on the vine,
http://entm29.entm.purdue.edu/acorn/...rop=Watermelon
They are also attacked by many foliar diseases, Copper based fungicides will
control many of these.
http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/w...mdscntnts.html is a good source of
info.
3. While some varieties are more prone to spliting, the heavier than normal
rainfall this year has caused splitting in thick rind varieties, I even have
Crimson Sweets spliting, Good thing I didn't even try Tastigold or Scaley bark
this year, They split if you look at them crosseyed.