what is causing my watermelons to bust open

what is causing my watermelons to bust open while still small? I am growing a garden for the first time and am having problems with the watermelons splitting partially open way before ripe, a little larger than a softball. I live in North Central Florida region, and planted all seedlings in mulch and compost. I was told to put leaves around the plants to help hold in moisture and I fertilize weekly with 6-6-6. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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1 Comment To "what is causing my watermelons to bust open"

#1 Comment By Heather On 06/02/2015 @ 8:46 pm

Irregular watering can cause this as well as overwatering. Are these watermelons in the ground or in containers? We recommend watering twice a day for watermelons in containers, but for ones in the ground a few times a week is all that you would need. While leaves can help with moisture, I would recommend straw. Mulch is an effective way to retain moisture. This article will help you:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/watermelon/watering-watermelon.htm ^[1]

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