Watermelons, as with most crops, require early season weed control to ensure a quality crop. Watermelons should be kept free from weeds by shallow hoeing and cultivating.
Weed control is essential for good yield and it makes harvesting easier. In addition, the spreading nature of this crop makes weed control difficult once the vines begin to form.
Shallow cultivation by off baring, 15 days after planting followed by hilling up at 30 days after planting and hand weeding thereafter until the crop have attained sufficient size to cover the soil which in turn will suppress the growth of weeds.
Most of the pre- and post emergence herbicides are phytotoxic to the seedlings or reduce plant growth. When this herbicide is used for control, it should be applied to weeds 3 days before watermelon seeding.
No comments:
Post a Comment