Grower Diaries

This winter, I’ve started a practice batch of watermelon grafting to improve my technique. I wanted to get a feel for the process before the main growing season begins.

First, I want to show the box I use to heal the grafts. It’s a simple wooden box that I’ve lined with aluminum, and I made an aluminum pan for the bottom.

Here is the box all set up with a glass top and removable insulated side panels

Inside the box, I have metal grates that sit above two germination mats. These mats provide gentle heat to help the grafts recover. I also use a small humidifier (not shown) to maintain the right humidity level. Both the heat and humidity are carefully controlled with an SHT 2000 controller, ensuring a stable environment for the grafts to heal successfully.

I’m using bushel gourd as the rootstock. I plant the bushel gourds first, and once they reach the appropriate growth stage (shown below), I start germinating the watermelons. As a rough rule of thumb, watermelons are usually started about a week after the bushel gourds.

For the grafting itself, I use the hole insertion method, which involves creating a small hole in the rootstock and carefully inserting the scion (watermelon seedling) into it. Precision is key—both the rootstock and scion must be healthy and at the right stage for the graft to succeed.

That’s easier said than done, which is why I’m practicing this winter. Each attempt teaches me something new and helps me get closer to perfecting the technique.

To make the process more visual, I made a video of the grafting process. It includes the actual grafting, next-day shots, and the final outcome after seven days. Watching it gives a much better sense of how the process works and how the grafts develop over time. Hope this might help someone!

You can check out the full video here: https://youtu.be/6Wlw2uJbcbU