Watermelon – Splitting

Q: This is our first time growing watermelons and we have a prolific crop. We’re running into a problem with the fruit splitting on the vine. What causes this?

A: I think the splitting was caused by irregular watering. Watermelon vines consume a lot of water and the soil can become dry before you know it. If you wait to water when the leaves are a bit wilted, the sudden availability of water causes the rind to split. The same phenomenon happens with tomatoes occasionally.