The hot topics of discussion about our garden this week have been the merrily-growing pumpkins and the lone watermelon.

The pumpkins – now apparently joined by another pair of fruits – have been growing at a phenomenal rate. Just compare these:

One of the round pumpkins, four days ago.

The same round pumpkin today – much wider.

As you recall, the pumpkin vines, while started from a pot, have spread out over a rather wide area – part of which was a compost heap. Earlier today, I noticed some rather thick roots growing from the vine into the compost heap, which probably explains why the fruits are so plentiful (seven, now!) and fast-growing.

Can you make out the roots growing from the pumpkin stem? They’re nice and thick, and widespread, too.

In sad comparison is the little watermelon:

The watermelon when we first noticed it on New Year’s Day, and today, at 11 days old. A good rate of growth but nowhere as phenomenal as the pumpkins.

The watermelon plant also originates from a big container, but I don’t think the vines have taken root outside of the pot like the pumpkin vines have. So the plant currently sports just the one fruit. I also read that watermelon plants have deep seeking roots, so I am not expecting a large fruit from this plant, unless it somehow escapes the confines of the pot and takes root in the garden.

Lessons from this: Good organic soil and giving the plants space to grow are important if you want to have healthy, fruitful plants. I don’t always follow my own advice, so expect to hear this again in a future post!

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