What Enterprise is Sustainable for Me?
Watermelon
To evaluate how well this enterprise aligns with your farm's agronomic, marketing, financial and management resources, answer these five questions. Then, calculate your score.
Using a scale from 0 to 100, scores indicate your farm's likely success with an enterprise.
The icons link to resources you can use to answer these questions.
QUESTIONS
HELP ME ANSWER THIS
1. During watermelon flowering, too few visits from pollinators may result in watermelon fruit not setting well or developing into odd shapes. Consequently, do you have access to an adequate pollinator population to support a high-yielding, healthy watermelon crop?
Yes
No
No
2. Have you identified an available market in your area and researched it to understand buyer preferences for fruit shape and size, rind pattern and flesh color?
Yes
No
No
3. Do you have adequate labor available to routinely scout for pests, check plant nutrient levels, monitor irrigation needs and harvest melons?
Yes
No
No
4. Do you have access to viable, disease-free seed if growing seeded watermelon varieties or healthy seedling transplants if growing seedless watermelon varieties?
Yes
No
No
5. Watermelons do best when their roots can freely penetrate through the soil. The production site should also have good water and air infiltration; low disease risk; and no recent history of growing other cucurbit, tomato or pepper crops. Do you have a planting site that fits these characteristics?
Yes
No
No
Your ResultsX
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Respond to the questions for an enterprise. Each question touches on a key factor that affects an enterprise's sustainability on your farm.2 of 3
Icons to the side of questions direct to other decision tools that share detailed information about a question's topic.3 of 3
After completing all questions for an enterprise, calculate your score. A pop-up page will share your results. Scores closer to 100 suggest the enterprise would align well with your farm. Scores closer to 0 suggest the enterprise would not fit as well, based on your responses to the questions.