How Do You Fix Blossom End Rot On A Watermelon?

The most common causes of blossom end rot are low soil pH and improper watering. To treat blossom end rot, keep a consistent watering schedule, mulch around your plants, and add calcium to the soil by using a foliage spray such as calcium nitrate.

Can you save a watermelon with blossom end rot?

Sadly, your fruits have succumbed to watermelon blossom end rot, and although affected fruits aren’t treatable and probably aren’t palatable, you can save the rest of the crop with some fast modifications to the bed.

How do you treat blossom end rot on a watermelon?

Tip. Blossom end rot in watermelons is caused by a lack of water and access to calcium when the plant is fruiting. Treat this by ensuring the plant always has adequate water and adjusting the soil pH to optimize watermelon growth.

Can blossom end rot be fixed?

There are no “miracle fixes” for blossom end rot. The only time you should add calcium to your soil is if a soil test tells you there is a true deficiency.

How do you add calcium to watermelon?

Halve it for sand. Dolomitic lime adds calcium. You can’t have too much calcium in the soil, so don’t worry. The plant will only use what it needs even if there is “too much.” If you can gently scratch it in without disturbing the plant too much, that’s a good thing.

Can overwatering cause blossom end rot?

Blossom end rot can occur due to either overwatering or underwatering, as the real problem is irregular watering. It’s most likely that tomato plants afflicted with blossom end rot went through a dry spell when they weren’t watered enough, then in an attempt to correct the problem, were overwatered next.

How do you keep watermelons from rotting on the vine?

Use a cage, plastic mulch, stakes, straw mulch or other materials to protect the fruit from the ground. You can even use a wooden board for the fruit to rest on as it matures.

How do I add calcium to my soil?

How to Raise Calcium in Soil. Adding lime to the soil in autumn is the easiest answer to how to raise calcium in the soil. Eggshells in your compost will also add calcium to soil. Some gardeners plant eggshells along with their tomato seedlings to add calcium to soil and prevent blossom end rot.

How do you treat blossom end rot?

3 Steps for Fixing Blossom End Rot

1. Remove all Affected Tomatoes. Unfortunately, once a tomato has blossom end rot, it won’t go away.
2. Water with Powdered Milk. Those tomatoes need some calcium at the root–stat.
3. Water Every Day (Twice a Day in Extreme Heat) Tomatoes need consistent water.

Can you water watermelons too much?

Can You Over Water Watermelon Plants? Yes, watermelon can be overwatered. Generally, watermelons need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week to start growing, blooming and producing fruits. However, the amount of water that a watermelon plant needs is reduced once the watermelon sets the fruit.

Does lime help blossom end rot?

When you do plant tomatoes, add a cup of lime to the bottom of each planting hole to prevent blossom end rot. Considering that a test shows you do not need lime, perhaps the fertilizer is the wrong type. You never want to use a fertilizer with a higher first number (nitrogen) for tomatoes.

Will powdered milk add calcium to soil?

While powdered milk will add calcium to your soil, proper care must be taken to make sure the plant can absorb and use that calcium. Regular watering and mulch around the plants (to maintain even moisture) is important.

What causes blossom end rot?

Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the fruit. This lack of calcium may be due to low calcium levels in the soil. More often, there is plenty of calcium in the soil, but its availability for uptake and transport to fruits is impaired.

Is Epsom salt good for watermelon plants?

For sweeter watermelons and cantaloupes when the plant starts vining and again when small 1-inch melons appear, spray with 6 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salts and 3 1/2 tablespoons borax in 5 gallons of water. For more fruit on your pepper plants, fertilize the plant by burying an open one-half pack of book matches near it.

What’s the best fertilizer for watermelon?

For watermelons, apply a fertilizer high in phosphorous, such as 10-10-10, at a rate of 4 pounds per 1,000 square feet (60 to 90 feet of row). Make a trench on the planting bed 4 to 6 inches deep and 2 inches from the side of the row. Cover the fertilizer and plant so seeds do not touch the fertilizer.

Is Miracle Grow good for watermelons?

Grow melons faster by starting with young plants from Bonnie Plants®. Plant melons when ground temperatures are above 70 degrees F. Before planting, add nutrients to native soil by mixing in a 3-inch layer of Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil.

What is the best product for blossom end rot?

A layer of mulch (straw, compost, grass ) will help conserve soil moisture during the hot, dry days of July and August. Foliar applications of Liquid Calcium 5% (1-2 Tbsp/ gallon of water) can be used to correct or prevent deficiencies of this essential nutrient.

Does milk help blossom rot?

Milk is a great fertilizer – Milk is a source of vitamin B and protein, which promote plant health and improve crop yields. Adding milk to soil prevents blossom-end rot in squash, tomatoes, and peppers.

Can over fertilizing cause blossom end rot?

Drought stress, inconsistent soil moisture, cold or waterlogged soils, and rapid vegetative growth due to too much nitrogen fertilization can all lead to blossom end rot. High concentrations of ammonium, potassium, and magnesium in the soil, often due to over-fertilization, can also cause issues with calcium uptake.

How often should you water watermelon?

Watering Watermelons
They require plentiful regular, even watering for quick growing. Give watermelons 1 to 2 inches (2.5. -5cm) of water every week (1 inch equals 16 gallons/60.5 liters.) Keep the soil moist until the fruit reaches full size then stop watering while the fruit ripens.

Is it OK to trim watermelon vines?

Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. Look for irregular or rotting fruit to prune from the plant. Removing the less than perfect melons will enable the plant to focus energy towards growing bigger, healthier, juicier melons.