Do watermelon plants sprout blossoms before they produce a watermelon?

Question

we planted our first garden this year and the tomatoes and peppers even cukes begun with little flower blossoms on them but we havent seen much growth out of our watermelon patch so i was just curious if they too are going to have flowers on them before giving way to an actual watermelon? thanks for your time

Answer 1

Yes, your watermelons will have blossoms but you need to be patient.  They take longer to grow than most of the other garden plants, so of course, start to blossom later than the other plants.  Exactly when they will blossom depends on the species, the weather, when they were planted, and how much care they receive.

Answer 2

Yes they will. Male and female much like squash. Must be pollinated also.

Answer 3

All fruit plants sprout blossoms before producing fruit.  That's the life cycle with plants.  The fertilized flowers are what the fruit grows from.

Answer 4

A fruit is a ripened ovary which would come from a female flower or a flower that carries both male and female flower parts.

Yes, your watermelon vine will need to flower AND be pollinated before a watermelon will form.

In your “additional details” you say the watermelon plants are only 4 inches long. If that’s the case, I don’t think they were started nearly early enough to produce fruit this year. I think you may have to forgo the melons this year and enjoy the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Next year start them about six weeks earlier INDOORS before your last frost is due OR start them outside much earlier, in a cold frame. The vines should be much longer than 4 inches at this time of year. You may even have a problem with the soil they are planted in and therefore the stunted growth.

A lot of this is guess work but they may not be getting anywhere near the amount of sun they need to grow and produce.

Rather than trying to amend soil and try to grow things you cannot or do not grow well – it is often better to keep a record of what did POORLY in your garden so you remember not to plant it again next year. That applies to garden flowers also.

If you plant what grows well in your area – you will be less frustrated and have a better feeling of accomplishment at the end of the season – instead of coming out of summer with a feeling of defeat.