How to Weed Watermelons

Weeds rob the soil of the moisture and nutrients necessary for watermelon production. Large weeds can choke out melon seedlings so the plants never establish, while weeds around older plants can provide refuge for disease and pests while funneling resources away from fruit development. Weed control begins before you plant the first seed. Destroying as many weeds as possible prevents them from establishing in the watermelon bed. Watermelons are less prone to weed problems at maturity because the long vines suppress most other plants, so weed management is most important in a new garden bed.


Treat the bed with a herbicide containing glyphosate at least six weeks before planting and preferably the fall before planting. Apply the herbicide following all package safety and application precautions. Glyphosate destroys all germinated plants, but only remains active for a short time.


Pull up remaining weeds by hand before planting. Dig up the roots of the weeds, because many weed plants can regrow from small root pieces left in the soil. Pull all weeds before they have a chance to set seeds and reproduce.


Hoe between watermelon rows and plants. Break up the top 1 inch of soil, cutting off weed seedlings just beneath the soil surface. Avoid deep hoeing because this can damage the watermelon roots and it pulls dormant weed seeds to the surface.


Remove weeds near the base of the watermelon plants by hand pulling them before they become large. Using a hoe too closely to the seedling can damage it, so it's safer to hand pull. Pull weeds at least once a week until the watermelon plants are large enough to smother out all weeds on their own.


Spread a 3-inch layer of straw mulch between the watermelons, once the plants have three or four sets of leaves. Mulch suppresses weed growth.