Ask-a-Dave's-Gardener: Crimson sweet watermelon growing in Pueblo Colorado, 1 by Steele77

Steele77 wrote:
Hi fellow gardeners!! I am new to gardening and this is the first successful year I have ever gotten watermelons to grow, the last two years I planted in pots and just made green plants, this year I planted in the ground. I planted two starter plants and have four watermelons growing, two on each plant, they are nowhere near 20 lbs and winter is coming, one is the size of a big tennis ball, one the size of a softball, one the size of a grapefruit, and one the size of maybe one and a half grapefruits. I am new so I wasn\'t fertilizing I was just watering but I have been fertilizing the last three weeks, and I have been cutting off any new baby watermelons that are trying to grow because my friend told me to do that so the other four get the nutrients. Any suggestions to ensure they make it to harvest before winter? Do you think I should cut off the smaller ones? I\'m really not sure what to do, but I come out and water daily and I make little nests out of dried grass to lay them on top keep the bottoms off of the wet soil as I was told they could mildew that way. I am so new to this, if this sounds stupid I apologize but I could use any guidance or help out there. Thank you!!!!!
( I included photos of the watermelons in my hand for size and the little ones I cut off.)