REPLACEMENT-PLANTED WATERMELON HILLS
in HortSciencePrimary vine lengths of `Crimson Sweet' watermelon direct-seeded on 25 March and 24 April 1992 were 62 and 58 cm within 7 and 5 weeks, respectively. Lengths of replacement vines direct-seeded on 20 April and 14 May in the respective plantings were 6% and 5%) while transplants were 46% and 52% of these lengths. Total number of marketable fruit and total tonnage yield from late March plantings (suboptimal soil temperatures) in 1992 and 1993 were enhanced when missing hills were replanted either by direct seeding or transplanting. However, these measurements from late April plantings (optimal soil temperatures) were not influenced by missing hills or replanting methods in either year. Distribution of fruit sizes varied for the two years and there was no consistent pattern to indicate how fruit size influenced total number of marketable fruit or total marketable tonnage yield.
