# Watermelon, cantaloupe, Squash- How much water?



## broadonrod

How much should I water my watermelons? They are 4" tall and starting new sprouts.. I put them in 2' wide rows and 8" tall.... They are turning light colored and some leaves yellow... I have been watering them about every 2-3 days pretty heavy on the water am I killing them? I also have cantaloupe and squash yellowing and stopped growing all the same size been in the ground about 12 days .....Thanks Brett


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## Larry Pure

If the leaves are yellowing around the edges, you may need more water. I don't know what part of the country you are in, but I haven't had any rain for a long time now. I have to water every two to three days because I can't get enough water on my yard to soak into an decent depth. Some of my new stuff has to be watered daily due to short roots on the new plants.


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## broadonrod

Larry Pure said:


> If the leaves are yellowing around the edges, you may need more water. I don't know what part of the country you are in, but I haven't had any rain for a long time now. I have to water every two to three days because I can't get enough water on my yard to soak into an decent depth. Some of my new stuff has to be watered daily due to short roots on the new plants.


 *Thanks* I checked the soil to day and it is damp about 3-4" down but dry above that where the roots are ill going to try a little more water....Brett


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## rvj

You might try to deep root water your plants. With it being so dry turn your hose on very low, and water each individual plant at its base. this will allow the plants to develop deep roots. Its very time consuming but worth it.....


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## Muddskipper

Try to water on a more consistant cycle at the same amount each time....

I also heard if you feed them small pieces of sword fish it will act as fertilizer ... do you know where to get any of that ??? j/k


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## Nokillbill

typical veggie gardens should do well on 1 in a week.take into account that some soils drain quicker than others. now i dont know what an inch is comeing out of a water hose so i water each plant for 30 seconds each about every 3-4 days with the hose turned on between slow and medium.


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## SV_DuckBuster

Nokillbill said:


> typical veggie gardens should do well on 1 in a week.take into account that some soils drain quicker than others. now i dont know what an inch is comeing out of a water hose so i water each plant for 30 seconds each about every 3-4 days with the hose turned on between slow and medium.


You can check your flow rate in inches by using a rain gauge. Place a rain gauge next to the plant and time how long it takes to fill one inch using the same flow (slow/medium) and spray setting coming ouf of your hose. This will give you an idea of how long you should water each one to achieve the 1in per week.


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## speckle-catcher

I'm using a drip irrigation system with 1 gph drippers for 15 minutes twice a day, 6am and 6pm

everything looks green and healthy.


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## broadonrod

Thanks for all the coments I don't think I was watering them enough and was told by a friend I was watering too much... I have all of these plants on large rows and they seem to be doing better now that Im pouring the water to them.. The soil is draining very fast and drying out in 1 day.... Thanks for all the info... Ill post a pic of what im attempting to grow LOL... Thanks Brett Holden


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