without more details, it'd be difficult to really know for sure why your
plants aren't growing well. let's start with a few questions. are you
growing the watermelon in the same ground that has grown cucumbers/squash
related plants for a # of years? they are in the same genetic line and share
many diseases, as well as drawing many of the same nutrients from the soil.
so planting the same types of plants in the same area year after year works
against u 2 ways - diseases become resident in the soil and the soil slowly
loses the nutrients those plants most need. a combination of crop rotation
and nutrient replacement (hopefully thru organic means) helps with this
problem.

you mentioned that your squash/cucumbers are doing better. it's been my
experience that they are less fussy than melons (especially squash).

u're down to a single plant that had to overcome "wilting" during the time
it was probably trying to get established. many plants never fully recover
from such trama. secondly, it's hard to say melons won't do well in your
garden based on a single plant. if u had 10 plants in place the other 9
could be doing very well. i plant around 20 melons every year, it seems
there's always a hero and a runt in every batch.

lastly, why are u growing a "southern" melon that far north? nurseries all
across the north should be selling watermelons more suited to our shorter
growing seasons. for 5 years i attempted to grow crimson sweets. each year
i'd get gigantic melons (sometimes 30 lbs or more) that would rarely ripen
before our first frost (zone 5 here - 1st hard frost around oct 1st). one
year i found a nusery that carried a variety called "yellow doll" (also
known as "yellow baby") so i gave them a shot. even in our coolest summers i
get boatloads of ripe melons from this variety. don't let the yellow flesh
bother ya, they are awesome tasting (ppl prefer them in blind taste tests).
my kids are so used to them that they think the reds are the unusual ones.




wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I am trying to grow crimson sweet watermelon this year and the plant is
growing really slowly. Compared to the pumpkin and cucumber we planted
it is really lagging in its growth. We started with only 2 plants and
one died and the one that is still hanging in there had some problems
with wilting but it pulled through and now its growing ok but really
slowly and the stem is still fairly thin.

I am in Northern New Jersey and I started thes plants around the end of
may and transplanted them in early june.

I'd appreciate any tips and info on growing watermelons.

Thanks,
Steve