Watermelon Pest Control Tips On Treating Watermelon Plant Bugs

Soap solutions are an all-purpose way to get rid of numerous types of garden pests, including aphids on watermelon plants. Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid castille soap in 1 gallon of water, shake it well and spray all leaf surfaces, including the undersides of the leaves. This mixture dehydrates aphids.

How do you get rid of melon bugs?

These pesky critters not only consume melon plants but spread disease and wilt. Melon leaves can be burned by insecticidal soap and liquid copper sprays, two common, organic-approved solutions for bugs and mildew. They should only be used in the most diluted form possible.

How do you control a watermelon virus?

diffusa root extract was found most effective against natural infection of viral disease(s) as compared to seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with A. indica, seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with C. aculeatum and seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with T. arjuna.

How do you treat watermelon fungus?

The spores of the mildew travel and infect new plants through the air. If the infection takes hold in your watermelon patch, you can treat it with fungicides. Early and appropriate use of fungicides can help you save your crop for the year, or at least minimize losses.

What do you spray on watermelons?

Contact fungicides should be the backbone of most cantaloupe and watermelon spray schedules. Two contact fungicides for this purpose have the active ingredient chlorothalonil or mancozeb. They may be used all season-long.

How do you protect watermelons from bugs?

Easy Ways to Keep Melons Pest Free

Soil Preparation. Proper soil preparation is an important aspect of keeping melons free of cutworms and other pests. ...
Planting. To keep leafminers, beet armyworms, and field crickets away, avoid planting melons in weedy areas and locations near alfalfa, cotton, and sudangrass. ...
Weed Control. ...
Mulches. ...
Crop Maintenance.

Why are my melons dying?

The most common cause of wilting on melon and cucumber is the cucurbit bacterial wilt. This is a bacterial disease that's transmitted by the striped and spotted cucumber beetles. The first symptoms of wilt are droopy leaves on a single vine or entire plant. ... Squash can also become infected with bacterial wilt.

Can you eat watermelon with mosaic virus?

Yes, you can eat squash and melons that are infected with mosaic virus. These viruses are not harmful to humans and do not cause the fruit to rot. Often the discoloration is only skin deep. In cases where fruit are severely distorted, the texture of the fruit may be affected and may not be desirable for eating.

How is cucumber mosaic virus spread?

They are typically spread by aphids, but BCMV is also seed-borne, so do not save seeds from infected plants. Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) is one of the most common types of mosaic viruses and tends to be spread by aphids.

How do you treat mosaic virus?

There are no cures for viral diseases such as mosaic once a plant is infected. As a result, every effort should be made to prevent the disease from entering your garden. Fungicides will NOT treat this viral disease. Plant resistant varieties when available or purchase transplants from a reputable source.

What's the best fertilizer for watermelons?

When fertilizing watermelon plants, use nitrogen based fertilizer at the onset. Once the plant begins flowering, however, switch to feeding the watermelon a phosphorus and potassium based fertilizer. Watermelons require ample potassium and phosphorus for optimal melon production.

What is the white stuff on my watermelon?

If you are finding a thin, white fil on your sweet watermelon flesh ( the part that is normally eaten) then that is mold. Do not eat any of the watermelon because if you can see the film, the hyphae from the mold have already spread throughout the edible parts.

What causes watermelon stomach?

Watermelon stomach is often associated with a number of conditions, including portal hypertension, chronic renal failure, collagen vascular diseases and systemic sclerosis. The chronic blood loss in watermelon stomach patients causes iron-deficiency anemia, requiring iron supplements and blood transfusions.

Why do my watermelons keep dying?

There are several reasons for watermelons dying before they reach maturity. One is a fungal disease. ... Overcrowding can invite fungal diseases. Water deeply as often as necessary to keep the soil moist but not soggy wet.

How many watermelons do you get per plant?

The number of vines determines how many watermelons there are per plant as each vine can produce between two to four melons during the growing season.

Will ants hurt my watermelon plants?

Both plant vines are growing well, but the flowers are dying from the ants and the leaves as well. The plant and vines look very healthy but the flowers and leaves, not so much! And yes, these ants bite, and they hurt!

Can there be worms in watermelon?

Rindworms. The rinds of the watermelon fruit are very appealing to various types of worms. As a whole, these are referred to as rind worms. Some common rind worms include armyworms, tobacco budworms, earworms and salt-marsh caterpillars.

What ate my watermelon?

Animals such as squirrels, chipmunks, deer and woodchucks enjoy puncturing and eating melon crops. Coyotes and domesticated dogs also enjoy biting into sweet melons. Raccoons and birds make holes in the tops of melons and scoop or suck juices from the fruit's inside.

How often should watermelon plants be watered?

While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Water at the vine's base in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves and avoid overhead watering. Reduce watering once fruit are growing.

How do you treat fusarium wilt in watermelon?

The best control for Fusarium wilt of watermelons is the use of resistant varieties coupled with crop rotation. Long rotations (five years or more) may lessen the survival rate of the fungus spores in the soil and decrease the severity of symptoms.

Can you over water watermelon plants?

A watermelon plant (Citrullus lanatus) needs enough moisture to ensure proper growth and fruit development. Too much water can be detrimental when growing watermelons, reducing the quality of the fruit or causing it to burst.