By Clint Thompson
Watermelon plants are in the ground in North Florida. Producers need to consider various management options so plants can achieve successful growth over the next few months.
Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida, recommends that growers use a weekly Bravo or other chlorothalonil product schedule to protect against early-season diseases.
“Banding sprays over the beds only while plants are small is very economical,” said Hochmuth during the weekly issue of the UF/IFAS Suwanee Valley Watermelon Crop Update.
Growers also need to protect their bed fertilizer investment, especially given the high expenses associated with chemical products.
“Without question, the early part of the season is the most difficult to manage potential loss of fertilizer in our drip irrigated cropping system. We can lose valuable nutrients to leaching this time of season with either heavy rainfall events or over-irrigation,” Hochmuth said. “We can manage the second one with a good irrigation management program.”
He recommends growers implement soil moisture sensors and to consult with providers and UF/IFAS for regular guidance.
The warm spring-like conditions during the last two weeks in February allowed growers to begin transplanting early if the transplants were ready from the greenhouse.
“It’s not unusual to have a few high-risk takers in the past, but I think the difference here is that the amount of acreage that was planted early. It’s not that unusual to hear somebody getting started in February in a protected place along the river. But the expanse of numbers of growers that have gotten started, the amount of acreage this early is unusual,” Hochmuth said.
The early start will have a ripple effect and impact other production areas, including in South Florida where plants were impacted by the Jan. 30 freeze. And more cold is on the way for the weekend of March 12.
