Your summer watermelon crop should be growing strong, and now is the time to devote a little attention to your patch of fruits. Watermelons need extra care once they germinate and start vining. The heat of summer spurs growth seemingly overnight. Once they fill in your garden area with vines, they will be better able to withstand pest attacks and drought. In warm parts of the country with two growing seasons (spring and fall), you can even try to replant a failed watermelon patch now and get a harvest before frost.

Here are some summer chores to do in your watermelon patch.

For gardeners in southern climes, such as Texas and the deep south, you can seed a crop of watermelons as late as early July and get mature fruits before the cold weather hits. The key is to select fast-maturing, disease-resistant, hybrid varieties and keep them well watered, fertilized, and bug-free.

Here are some varieties to try. They all mature in about 80 days from seeding and produce 20- to 25-ound fruits unless otherwise noted.

'Gold Strike' is a quick-growing hybrid with orange flesh.

'Jube-ette' is a 'Jubilee' type that's smaller and produces sweet, dark red, firm flesh.

'Redlicious' is a new diploid variety with deep-red flesh and high sugar content.

'Yellow Doll' is a ice-box type with crisp, extra-sweet, yellow flesh. The 10-pound fruits mature in only 70 days.

'Gem-Dandy' is a seedless variety with bright red flesh and high sugar content that lasts for weeks in the field.

Hills of watermelon plants need to be spaced about 4 to 5 feet apart. The space between hills is prime real estate for weeds to move in before the watermelons have a chance to take over. Eventually watermelon vines can grow 20 feet, but you may need to clear the way for them.

Cultivate the open space between hills with a hand weeder, such as a scuffle hoe. For large patches, consider running a tiller or high wheel cultivator between rows or hills to kill weeds. Once the weeds are gone, mulch between hills with pine straw, old newspaper, or hay mulch. Lay down a 3- to 4-inch-thick layer of straw or a layer of newspapers five sheets thick. Northern gardeners might consider using black plastic mulch around plants to speed their growth while blocking weeds.

Mulching not only controls weeds, but it helps retain soil moisture. Watermelons love water. Established plants have moderately deep roots so watering may not be necessary unless the weather turns dry for a prolonged period. That being said, if you have drought conditions or a newly planted crop, water a few times a week. Apply water so it sinks at least 6 inches deep into the soil. You can tell if your plants need watering if in the morning the leaves look wilted. Wilting leaves in the afternoon are natural and caused by the heat of the day, but morning wilting is a sign of water stress.