In the spring I decided to try growing the watermelons using the hydroponic method. I bought a few watermelon seedlings from a nearby nursery and planted them in two hydroponic containers.
The beginning looks very promising. The watermelons grow very fast and I started to see flowers turning into small watermelons.
After a few weeks, the growth stopped, and the plants did not look so healthy … I decided to add air (pump + air stone) but it did not help. None of the watermelons were made ripe and eventually the plants died.
My assumption is that the cause of the failure is that the Kratky method is not suitable for growing hydroponically watermelons. The Kratky method is excellent for leafy vegetables but not for vegetables / fruits.
Next year I will try again with air stones from day one. Also, I am searching the net to find tips for growing watermelons hydroponically. Stay tuned for the next try next year. Promise to update 😊