Gardening can be a fun and soothing activity, but it's not without its challenges. Occasionally, something puzzling occurs — like a watermelon splitting wide-open.
One perplexed gardener took to the r/gardening subreddit to get some advice from the knowledgeable members of the community. They posted: "My watermelon split open. Can someone experienced tell me what I did wrong?"
The photo in the post shows a watermelon still on the vine that has split almost in two.
"It is almost guaranteed related to watering practices," one user commented.
Many people put a lot of time and care into their plants and flowers. Gardening is great exercise that helps strengthen muscles and increase agility, and it has many mental health benefits. Gardening can provide stress relief, improve mood, and alleviate anxiety.
It can also save time and money if you grow your own food — no need to head to the store to purchase produce if you're growing it in your own backyard.
Gardeners also save time and money when they install native plant lawns. Native plants require less water, fertilizer, and overall maintenance.
Rewilding your yard or growing a natural lawn also greatly benefits the environment. These options conserve water, don't require chemical treatments, and are great for pollinators like bees. Providing a healthy ecosystem for pollinators is smart since they protect our food supply.
Some low-maintenance lawn replacement options include xeriscaping, clover, or buffalo grass. Even a partial lawn replacement with one of these options will provide homeowners with great money and time-saving benefits while helping the environment.
Trying any of these options may bring about some challenges, and it's good to know that there are communities of like-minded people available to help.
Members of the r/gardening subreddit were able to offer great advice to the original poster. Another user confirmed: "I have seen this happen from overwatering."
Another Redditor wrote: "Just remember watermelon is actually a desert plant, and keep the watering consistent but less than other melons and plants."
Other users felt the watermelon reminded them of a certain flesh-eating fictional plant. One user commented: "Feed me, Seymour."
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