The fastest a watermelon can be ready for harvest is 70 days after planting. These quick-growing species generally reach between 6 and 10 lbs. and include the golden crown, sugar baby, yellow baby and yellow doll varieties.
What is the best kind of watermelon to grow?
Top Watermelon Choices
- Bush Charleston Gray. (F) 90 days. High sugar content. Small, oblong fruit similar to Charleston Gray except for the smaller size of fruit and vine; weighs10 to 13 pounds.
- Bush Jubilee. (AN, F) 90-100 days. Sweet, high sugar content.
- Bush Sugar Baby. 75-80 days. Juicy, sweet flesh.
What watermelon has the shortest growing season?
Northern gardeners need to select one of the short season watermelons. These can be started from seed in the garden in early June and are ready for harvest in as little as 65 days. Sugar Baby, Golden Crown, Yellow Baby and Yellow Doll are a few of the shorter season melons you may want to try.
What’s the sweetest watermelon to grow?
Sultan. Sultan is one of the sweetest varieties you’ll find, this one measures 12.3 on the Brix scale. The fruits average 15 pounds and ripen within 95 days.
Which watermelon grows the biggest?
If you want large watermelons, choose a variety that is designed to produce large fruit, such as ‘Crimson Sweet,’ ‘Royal Majesty,’ ‘Carolina Cross’ or ‘Black Diamond. ‘ Other watermelons are designed to grow smaller melons to save space in a little garden.
What month do you plant watermelon?
Plant watermelon from late spring to early summer, once soil temperatures reach 70° F or above. Space watermelon 3 to 5 feet apart in nutrient-rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
How many watermelons do you get per plant?
2-4 fruits
How Many Watermelons per Plant? Healthy watermelon vines produce 2-4 fruits per plant. The vines produce both male and female flowers. Both are needed to set fruit and there are fewer female flowers compared to male, about one female for every seven males.
How do you increase watermelon fruit size?
To maximize the size of the melon, water the plants regularly in deep water sessions that keep the soil moist. Side dress the Watermelon plants with fertilizer prepared for edible crops or fertilizer tea to feed the plants. Fertilizer encourages growth to produce large melons.
Which grows faster watermelon or cantaloupe?
Cantaloupes are among the first melons to produce fruit — typically within 35 days of pollination. Early varieties, including “Earli-Sweet” and “Alaska,” produce fruit even sooner. Honeydew melons take between 45 to 60 days to bear fruit, while watermelons need a long, warm season.
Where is the best watermelon grown?
Florida has historically been the top producer of watermelons and accounted for 19 percent of the 3.9 billion pounds of U.S. watermelon production in 2012.
What kind of watermelon is all dark green?
Icebox Watermelon Types
Watermelon plant varieties in this genre include the Sugar Baby and the Tiger Baby. Sugar Babies are sweet pulped with dark green rinds and were first introduced in 1956, while Tiger Babies are golden once mature in about 75 days.
What is the sweetest seedless watermelon to grow?
Summer Breeze Seedless Watermelon is a hybrid, seedless watermelon variety that produces round, blocky watermelons averaging 15 lbs. This is considered one of the best-tasting seedless watermelon varieties on the market. It has a high brix rating of 11.7, making it super sweet!
What state grows the best tasting watermelon?
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Summer means relaxing by the pool, barbeques and refreshing slices of watermelon and no one produces more of this favorite summertime fruit than Florida. The Sunshine State is the top producer of watermelon in the United States.
Which fertilizer is best for watermelon?
When fertilizing watermelon plants, use nitrogen based fertilizer at the onset. Once the plant begins flowering, however, switch to feeding the watermelon a phosphorus and potassium based fertilizer. Watermelons require ample potassium and phosphorus for optimal melon production.
Is Epsom salt good for watermelons?
For sweeter watermelons and cantaloupes when the plant starts vining and again when small 1-inch melons appear, spray with 6 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salts and 3 1/2 tablespoons borax in 5 gallons of water. For more fruit on your pepper plants, fertilize the plant by burying an open one-half pack of book matches near it.
Is Miracle Grow good for watermelon plants?
Feeding and Caring for Melons
Then, feed your melon plants regularly through the growing season with a continuous-release plant food like Miracle-Gro® Performance Organic® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, which feeds the soil as well as your plants.
Can I plant watermelon in March?
Watermelon seeds need warm soil to germinate. The best time to sow the seeds directly in your garden varies depending on climate, although in many locations, the ideal planting time is in May and June. In warmer climates, you may be able to plant as early as March.
What is the lifespan of a watermelon plant?
3-4 months
How many watermelons per plant? About 2 to 3 melons can be obtained per plant in its single lifespan of 3-4 months. Usually, gardeners purposely keep only one watermelon per plant to harvest big sized fruits.
How long does it take for a watermelon to grow to full size?
80-90 days
Watermelons require 80-90 days from seed sowing to grow a full-size watermelon. Some smaller-sized watermelons (like Sugar Baby) can reach maturity in closer to 70 days.
Is it good to trim watermelon vines?
Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. Look for irregular or rotting fruit to prune from the plant. Removing the less than perfect melons will enable the plant to focus energy towards growing bigger, healthier, juicier melons.
Do watermelons come back every year?
Watermelon plants do not come back every year as they are tender annuals. This means they complete their entire lifecycle in one season and are then killed off by the first frosts.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.