Top dress watermelon plants?

rrman61 · Jul 30, 2023

My watermelon and cantaloupe plants are about to start producing.should I top dress with ammonium nitrate? Opinion s ? Not an expert on this obviously

Janicholson · Jul 30, 2023

Tough to answer. SO I ask these questions:
Is the current foliage deep green and healthy?
Has soil moisture conditions held steady?
Do you water?
Has there been soil tests done?
Are you growing 2 plants or 200?
What type of soil and sub soil is present?
With answers to these we can give some info, but the saying sure, do it. is risky. How much, how applied, followed by what moisture? Jim

john in la · Jul 30, 2023

If producing means setting fruit then yes.
If producing means picking the fruit then no.

For watermelon and cantaloupe the bulk of the fertilizer should be put down before you even plant the seed. If you using organic fertilizer that should be enough especially in that river deposited soil you live on.
If you are using commercial fertilizer you can side dress when the plant is setting fruit.
I would use potassium nitrate rather than ammonium nitrate as melons need plenty K.

rrman61 · Jul 30, 2023

I used a modest amount of nitrate when the plants were 3-4 inches tall.idk if its the heat and maybe not enough moisture But the plants leaves are not as dark green as they were a couple weeks ago.i started watering yesterday.with the garden hose.I have about 50 feet of row planted

Traditional Farmer · Jul 30, 2023

Depends a whole lot on how rich your soil was to start with,if it has plenty of organic matter,minerals and nutrients you probably don't need anything but if its lacking a lot you'll need a booster.

crsutton81 · Jul 30, 2023

We use 10-10-10 at planting, using live plants, then follow with 28 S nitrogen and Calcium Nitrate before layby time. IE, before they get runners on them that it can not be plowed anymore and the fertlizer get the opportunity to be knifed in with a fertlizer boot on a Farmall.

Jim in NC · Jul 30, 2023

Not as much nitrogen is usually needed in my part of NC as compared to further east where CR is located. Most farmers used the standard tobacco fertilizer, 3-9-9, when I was young at planting and a tablespoon of 16-0-0 at layby. Now most use 10-10-10 at planting and 4-24-24 at layby. I did that plus added a speck of calcium nitrate at layby. My melons are very disappointing this year, but it was the weather, not the fertilizer.

RJKeith · Jul 31, 2023

I usually top dress my watermelons soon after they vine out with Southern States produce growers 10-10-10. Don't raise for market, just myself and friends. And the cantaloup is for the groundhogs, at least that is the way it works out.

Top dress watermelon plants?

rrman61

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Janicholson

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john in la

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rrman61

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Traditional Farmer

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crsutton81

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Jim in NC

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RJKeith

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