Florida watermelon growers can read about the recommended spray schedules for watermelon from the experts at UF/IFAS.
We have been sharing the details from UF/IFAS’s “UF AgriGator Spray Program: Watermelon” publication in our previous blogs. First, we shared management considerations for Florida watermelon growers that can help combat diseases, and then we shared the most common diseases and treatments for watermelon. Now, we look at the recommended spray schedules for watermelon. See the details below.
Spray Schedules for Watermelon
The experts at UF/IFAS recommend the following spray schedules for watermelon, based on the season:
“A typical spring spray schedule in Florida should start one week after transplanting and then use a 7-to-10-day schedule. These schedules should be shortened to 5 to 7 days during prolonged rainfall periods and should only be greater than 10 days if it is very dry and no disease is present. Preharvest intervals (PHI) for late season sprays may be as high as 14 days, requiring attentive planning. Chlorothalonil is a quality early season disease control product but should not be sprayed within 21 days of harvest as it can cause watermelon rind burn.
A typical fall spray schedule follows a program similar to that of spring. However, heavy rains often occur in the fall with cooler temperatures occurring late in the season, so additional products should be applied with or in replacement of chlorothalonil in sprays two and three. Some example products include Orondis Ultra for downy mildew and Luna Experience for gummy stem blight. Caution: Recent years have seen many viruses emerge, thus there is a high risk for crop failure in growing fall watermelon.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.