North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

Have you added calcium to the soil, or tested for calcium?

Although your watering pattern is okay for tomatoes, it might be just
stressful enough for the watermelons to contribute to the problem.  It may
be, too, that watermelons want more calcium than tomatoes.  

Just some guesses.  Regardless, I'd check calcium levels or add calcium. 

Stephen 

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mark or Helen
Angermayer
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 5:10 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: [NAFEX] Watermelon end rot

Hi folks,

This is the first year I have tried to grow watermelons here and I'm having
a time with end rot.  The watermelons seem to grow OK, but before they get
big enough to pick, the blossom end starts rotting.  What has me puzzled is
that some of the symptoms don't seem to match what I read about "blossom end
rot."  To wit:

- I haven't fertilized for at least two years.
-I grow tomatoes in the same plot and haven't seen any evidence of bottom
rot.
-The end rot on the watermelon occurs in both wet weather and dry.
-The plants are watered during extended dry periods.

Here are a couple pictures of one of the rotting melons:
http://www.nafex.org/uploads/jubilee%20watermelon%20end%20rot%202.jpg  60K

http://www.nafex.org/uploads/jubilee%20watermelon%20end%20rot%201.jpg  58K

What is particularly curious is that I haven't seen bottom rot on tomatoes.
I would think, if it were blossom end rot it would affect the tomatoes too.
Or are watermelons just a lot more susceptible?

Thanks,
Mark Angermayer
Zone 5 Kansas


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