What the *#%& is going on with my watermelon?

[KalenaPlants]

I'm not angry at them, but I'm really concerned. lol

I have two watermelons on my vines. At first they were the same size. Then, one of them just got huge and the other one is still the same size it was a week ago. Then, I noticed that there are a few other pea sized watermelon babies that started and then just shriveled up. What does this mean? Is this just how some watermelons grow? Are they diseased? Is there too much fertilizer? Something choking them out? What? I don't know. Any thoughts?

[kitsapFG]

The ones that shriveled up - did not get pollinated. It's normal to lose several female fruits due to lack of pollination. The one that is "exploding" with growth - was pollinated. You have two choices:

1) Not worry about it - nature will provide you with some fruit just not every one that possibly could be; or

2) You can hand pollinate using a soft artist or make up brush. You gently swipe the male flowers (on long stems no visible fruit) first to get some pollen on the brush (you will see the yellow/orange pollen on the end) and then gently daub the pollen onto the open female flower (has a visble fruit at the base of the flower).

I have been hand pollinating for the past two days my pumpkins and winter squash because I was losing too many fruits and I need them to set right now to be mature before winter. I will quit doing the hand pollination in about two mroe days time and go back to letting nature just do her own thing.

[KalenaPlants]

I will try the hand pollination thing this weekend! Take care :)

[gardengirl72]

I have a problem here with fungus that takes out some of my crops watermelon as well. I am testing solutions now.