Hi Dave. I would try to get some different kinds of watermelons. Here, I
like to grow Crimson Sweet, a medium sized melon (Maybe 8 to 10 K) that is
very good. Sugar babys are not my favorite (2 to 3 K) and hard for me to
tell when ready to pick. Black diamonds are large 12 to 20 K, and are very
good. They need a longer summer to develop (100 to 120 days if I remember
correctly).

If I were you, I would plant one or two packs of seeds next year if you have
the room. Plant them the proper distance apart, but next to each other.
That way they can all be pollinated by few busy bees or ants. Easier for
you to do your thing also.

Ask someone else, but I think the male are the ones that are longer and not
as big around, and the females are shorter and wider. It doesn't make much
difference because the more you do it the more pollen you pass around.

Dwayne


"Dave Turner" wrote in message ...
Dwayne top info, thanks mate

How did you get the plant? Did you start if from seed or did you get a
watermelon plant? If you started it from seed, did you start it inside
or did you plant it direct? What kind of climate are you in?
I grew them from a pack of seeds i bought at the supermarket, i just sewed
one row of about 20 seeds. 2 sprouted, i ripped the smallest one and let
the other keep growing. Im in Perth so the cooler temps are starting to
kick in now

If I remember correctly, the male blossoms develop first and then the
female.
Now ill just have to figure out which flower is which gender! Well, either
that or simply brush every flower which i guess would be almost equally as
effective

I have never heard pro or con, but I would think that ants can help with
your pollination also.
yep ants are good pollenators, but obviously have a very limited range
compared with bees and flying pollenators, but in the case of watermelon
which can pollenate itself I wouldve thought the ants wouldve done a
better job ... one melon, pfft! Anyway next summer ill get a paintbrush
and get kinky with the flowers