Bill Martin has been trying the past few years to grow a watermelon that weighs more than 100 pounds, and he was finally able to accomplish that goal this year.

“I don’t know why, but I’ve been wanting to grow a 100 pound watermelon,” Martin said. “I’ve been trying to do grow one the past few years and this year I was finally able to get one.”

The watermelon Martin grew weighed in at a whopping 114 pounds.

“What I did was pinch off all the watermelons off the vine except for one,” Martin said. “That way the vine can just concentrate on growing that one watermelon.”

Martin said he started the plants in coffee cup to get the roots established before transplanting them to the ground.

“When they got big enough, I would dig a hole about the size of a five-gallon bucket and fill it in with my own potting soil mixture,” Martin said. “I also put Miracle Gro on them. I get the water to water them from Bay Branch Creek. I go down there and fill up my tank and that’s the water I use for them.”

Martin said that he would be interested in knowing if anyone in the Covington County area has ever grown a watermelon bigger than his.

If so, he would like you to call him and talk about it.

Martin can be reached at 504-1447.