Melon / Watermelon
Technical data
| pH range | 6.0–6.5 (typical for melons) |
|---|---|
| In-row spacing | 60–120 cm |
| Row spacing | 150–210 cm |
| Days to first harvest | 75–100 |
| Harvest frequency | Watermelon ripens ~35–45 days after flowering; whole crop ~3 months. Pick over a few weeks; best NT quality in the dry season. |
| Expected yield | Varies widely by type, variety, spacing and season; watermelon fewer/larger fruit per vine, rockmelon more/smaller. |
| Key nutrients | Nitrogen (vines), potassium (fruit filling and sugar), calcium (fruit quality); plus magnesium and boron (fruit set). |
| Common deficiencies | Boron (poor fruit set / hollow or misshapen fruit), calcium (fruit quality/blossom-end problems), potassium (poor fill, low sugar), magnesium. |
| Chemical-finder crop slug | cucumber_cucurbits |
| Data confidence | medium |
| Review status | needs review |
| Last researched | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Next review due | 5 Jan 2027 |
Nutrient targets
Build the program from soil + leaf tests. General pattern: nitrogen early for vine growth, transitioning to potassium for fruit fill and sugar; calcium for fruit quality; boron and magnesium around flowering/set. POLLINATION targets (source-backed): watermelon ~2–7.5 hives/ha (seeded ~1–2, seedless up to ~4); rockmelon/honeydew at least ~2 colonies/ha; watermelon flowers need ~6+ bee visits (seedless ~12+); spread hives in groups of 2–4. Yield/rate specifics are needs_review — confirm locally.
Growth stages
| Stage | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment | 0–2 weeks | Germination/transplant establishment on warm, well-drained beds. |
| Vine growth | 2–5 weeks | Vines run; nitrogen for growth; start scouting mildews. |
| Flowering & pollination | 5–7 weeks | Bees essential — arrange hives; separate male/female flowers. |
| Fruit set & sizing | 6–9 weeks | Boron/calcium; shift toward potassium; protect from disease. |
| Fruit fill / ripening | 9–13 weeks | Potassium for sugar; ease off water near maturity. |
| Harvest | Dry season | Pick on type-specific maturity signs; handle gently. |
Spacing and plant numbers
Plant spacing: 60–120 cm Row spacing: 150–210 cm
At 90 cm spacing that is about 111 plants per 100 m row.
Plant count calculator
Task calendar Sample — no tasks are created until you confirm a trial plan
| When | Task | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 days before planting | Bed preparation (mounds, mulch, drip) | Raised free-draining beds; plastic mulch + drip keeps leaves dry. |
| 3 days before planting | Irrigation setup | Drip lines; avoid overhead watering. |
| Planting day | Planting (direct seed or transplant) | Wider spacing for watermelon, closer for rockmelon. Use clean seed. |
| 10 days after planting | First fertigation | Nitrogen for early vine growth; base on soil test. |
| 21 days after planting | Scouting | Aphids, mites, early mildew. |
| 35 days after planting | Flowering — arrange pollination | Bring in bees/hives; melons need insect pollination. |
| 48 days after planting | Fruit set — boron/calcium | Support set and quality; confirm on label. |
| 62 days after planting | Fruit filling — potassium | Shift to potassium for size and sugar. |
| 78 days after planting | Pest & disease scouting (peak) | Mildews, gummy stem blight, fruit fly. |
| 90 days after planting | Harvest preparation | Start maturity checks (type-specific signs). |
| 100 days after planting | Harvest & quality checks | Pick on ground-spot/slip/colour; handle gently; sanitation. |
Labour notes
Harvest is judgement-heavy (each type has different maturity signs) and pollination needs organising (hives). Watermelon is bulk-packed; rockmelon and honeydew are graded, so grading labour is higher.
Chemical options (APVMA only)
Live from the APVMA PubCRIS finder — registration, WHP, rate and the source badge come from the finder API at view time, never stored here. Always confirm the current APVMA label before use. Pests/diseases without a finder filter (and biosecurity diseases) are not shown here — check the label or a permit directly.
Melon / Watermelon × Aphids
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Melon / Watermelon × Thrips
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Melon / Watermelon × Whitefly
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Melon / Watermelon × Two-spotted mites
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Melon / Watermelon × Caterpillars
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Melon / Watermelon × Cucumber / pumpkin beetles
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Melon / Watermelon × Fruit fly
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Melon / Watermelon × Nematodes
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Melon / Watermelon × Powdery mildew
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Melon / Watermelon × Downy mildew
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Melon / Watermelon × Gummy stem blight
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Melon / Watermelon × Anthracnose
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Fertiliser options by goal
Shortcuts into your Fertilizer Library. These filter by nutrient or use method — they are not prescriptions, and fertilisers are never pest/disease treatments unless APVMA-registered.
Calcium low
Products containing calcium
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Potassium low
Products containing potassium
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Magnesium low
Products containing magnesium
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Boron low
Products containing boron
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Manganese low
Products containing manganese
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Flowering
Boron + phosphorus filters — commonly used around flowering; confirm rates with your agronomist
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Fruit set
Boron + calcium filters
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Fruit quality
Potassium + calcium filters
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Stress recovery
Seaweed/amino biostimulants — check the APVMA-review badge
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Root growth
Phosphorus + humic filters
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General fertigation
Fertigation-suitable products
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Foliar feed
Foliar-suitable products
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Sources
| Topic | Source | Type | Confidence | Status | Fetched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT suitability, season, sub-crop differences | NT Government — Sweet melons (fruit crops) + NT Farmers | government | medium | needs review (blocked_fetch) | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Pollination — bees & hive rates | BeeAware / Plant Health Australia — Melons pollination | government | high | verified | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Rockmelon/honeydew growing & harvest | QLD DAF (DPI) — Rockmelon and honeydew information kit | government | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Watermelon spacing & harvest maturity | US university extension (watermelon production/harvest) | university extension | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| Diseases — mildews, gummy stem blight, fusarium, bacterial fruit blotch | US extension + Australian plant health (cucurbit diseases) | university extension | medium | needs review | 9 Jul 2026 |
| CGMMV — NT cucurbit biosecurity virus | Business QLD / Agriculture Victoria / NT research — Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus | government | high | verified | 9 Jul 2026 |