Harvesting Sugar Baby Watermelon

Despite some demanding growing requirements,its always a rewards when Harvesting Sugar Baby Watermelon, the superior mouth-watering taste of vine-ripened melons over supermarket offered produce is well worth the extra effort.

pack on sugar during their final days of growth. This sweetness is noticeably missing in commercial watermelons which are picked green for shipping purposes. We want to share tips on harvesting Sugar Baby watermelon.

Before picking Sugar Baby watermelon, there are pests to look out for in the garden who want to take a bite out of your melons! Whiteflies are small, winged insects that resemble tiny moths. The flying adult stage prefers the underside of leaves to breed and feed. If a plant is infested, you will notice a cloud of fleeing insects when the plant is disturbed.

Whiteflies can weaken watermelon plants, which can lead to plant destruction. The pests transmit plant viruses. Weeding, removing infested plants, and using reflective mulch such as aluminum foil repel whiteflies. Other controls include: yellow sticky card traps, introducing natural enemies such as parasitic wasps into your garden, and/or spraying a steady stream of water to wash the pests away.

Aphids are soft-bodied, slow-moving insects that suck vital fluids from plants. The pest comes in a variety of colors, ranging from brown to green. They can transmit viruses and cause stunted growth to the plants. Aphids increase quickly in numbers as each female can produce hundreds of nymphs in a month without even mating! The insects often appear as the seasons change.

Pest control includes: Keeping weeds to a minimum around Sugar Baby watermelon. Lacewings and lady bugs will feed on aphids in the garden.

Tiny sized flea beetles are blue-black, bronze, or black in color. They get their name from the way they jump and flee when disturbed. The insect populations are usually severe when weather conditions are dry and hot. The beetles' leave behind small chewed holes in foliage as evidence of infestation.

To prevent flea beetles, clean up the garden to remove spots where insects over winter. A well-watered garden will not attract an egg laying female. Handpicking and spraying with insecticide is a recommended prevention.

When to Pick Watermelons

Harvesting Sugar Baby watermelon generally begins 80 days after planting. The melons are 10 inches in diameter with dark green rinds. The pink flesh is sweet as its name implies.

Right Time to Pick a Watermelon

There has always been an age old debate about when is the right time to pick a watermelon. Unlike other fruits such as tomatoes, watermelons do not ripen after harvesting. If you have often wondered how you can tell when a watermelon is ripe, we asked the experts!

How Can You Tell When a Watermelon Is Ripe?

One of summer's greatest treats is harvesting Sugar Baby watermelon. After waiting patiently for the mouth watering melons to ripen, here are tips to tell if the produce is ready to harvest.

* The watermelon should have a dull colored rind and a dried stem.

* Thumping on the fruit does not indicate ripeness.

* Seasoned gardeners say the best advice is to keep track of the days to maturity in determining a harvest date. This number estimates the time it will take from seed to ripened fruit.

* If the curly tendrils at the stem of the watermelon where it was attached to the plant is green in color then the melon is not yet ripe.

* If the stem is brown and dry then the watermelon has a 99 percent chance of being ready for picking.

* As the expected maturity date nears, check your watermelon vines for ripe fruit every evening.

* The outer skin of the watermelon tends to feel a little rough when ripe.

* The watermelon is most likely ripe if your fingernail can not indent into the skin.

If your fruits pass the harvesting Sugar Baby watermelon tests, pick the melons by snipping them off at the stem. Enjoy!

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SBI!