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We evaluated high plant population of watermelons when grown on black plastic with drip fertigation. We grew watermelons in 1.5m or 1.8 m centered rows, with one or two plants per hill, at spacing from 0.45 to 1.5 m in-row. Single plants constantly out yielded 2 plant hills and produced bigger melons. Large (over 9 kg) melon yields were not different at in-row spacing of 0.6 m and greater. However, the 5.4-9kg melons “pee wees” produced more yield as in-row spacing decreased. Thus total marketable melon yields increased as in-row spacing decreased to 0.45 m up to 21,000 melons and 135 T/ha. Plastic increased yield 2 to 4 times depending on the spacing. If small watermelons can be sold, single plants at 0.45m spacing provided the greatest return for the plastic-drip-fertigation system.
We evaluated high plant population of watermelons when grown on black plastic with drip fertigation. We grew watermelons in 1.5m or 1.8 m centered rows, with one or two plants per hill, at spacing from 0.45 to 1.5 m in-row. Single plants constantly out yielded 2 plant hills and produced bigger melons. Large (over 9 kg) melon yields were not different at in-row spacing of 0.6 m and greater. However, the 5.4-9kg melons “pee wees” produced more yield as in-row spacing decreased. Thus total marketable melon yields increased as in-row spacing decreased to 0.45 m up to 21,000 melons and 135 T/ha. Plastic increased yield 2 to 4 times depending on the spacing. If small watermelons can be sold, single plants at 0.45m spacing provided the greatest return for the plastic-drip-fertigation system.