Juicy and sweet watermelons are one of the most recognizable summertime fruits. Here are some tips on how to grow watermelon, including knowing when to harvest watermelon and what to do with watermelon once you pick it.
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This post is about how to grow watermelon, how to know when to harvest watermelon, and ideas on what to do with watermelon once it’s harvested.
Sweet, juicy watermelon is one of the best fruits of summer. Available in many vibrant colors, watermelon fruit is as pretty as it is tasty.
Watermelon can be tricky to grow, however, so here are some tips that may help you to grow watermelon more successfully in a garden.
1–Watermelon Needs Plenty of Sun, Water, and Warmth to be Happy
Watermelon is a frost sensitive plant that needs 6 to 8 hours of full sun each day to grow. During hot periods with harsh sun, however, the plants may benefit from being protected with a shade cloth.
Watermelon plants generally need at least 1 to 2 inches of water each week. During hot weather, the plants may need more water. Keep in mind that watermelon fruit are made of 90% water.
Mulching the soil around the plants may help to maintain the moisture that watermelon plants need to grow. Reducing the water as fruit mature may help to produce sweeter fruit.
Soil temperature should be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit before planting watermelon in the garden. Plastic mulch may be used to help warm the soil in areas with shorter growing seasons.
Direct sow watermelon seeds ¼ to ½-inch deep in the garden after all danger of frost has passed, or transplant young watermelon seedlings that were started indoors. Space plants at least 3-feet apart, and allow up to 20-feet for vines to grow.
Watermelon plants are often grown in hills, with 3 watermelon plants placed per 5-foot wide hill.
The plants produce male and female flowers that require pollination to produce fruit. Companion planting flowers and herbs to attract bees and other pollinators may help to bring beneficial insects to the garden.
Many types of watermelon grow best in well drained, sandy loam soil. Most watermelon varieties are heavy feeders that prefer fertile soil. Amending the soil with well aged compost or organic material, like seaweed or fish fertilizer, can provide nutrients that help watermelon to grow.
Drought tolerant watermelon varieties, like Desert King and Navajo Winter watermelon, may need less water and/or tolerate poorer soils.
2–Many Types of Watermelon Need a Long Season to Grow
Watermelon needs a long growing season. Many watermelon varieties can take 90 days or longer for the fruit to reach maturity.
In shorter season areas, it is probably best to start seeds indoors or to buy watermelon plants to transplant to get a head start on the growing season. Short season watermelon varieties include Blacktail Mountain (70 to 80 days), Bozeman (70 to 80 days), Early Moonbeam (75 days), Sugar Baby (75 to 80 days), and Yellow Doll F1 (68 days).
Days to maturity are estimates, based on the time from when plant seedlings are transplanted into the garden. Environmental factors can impact whether and when a plant matures, however.
Plant watermelon seedlings in the garden when the plants are about 4 to 6 weeks old and all danger of frost has passed.
3–Most Watermelon Plants Need a Lot of Space to Grow
Many watermelon varieties yield large, sprawling plants that produce large fruit that can range up to 40 pounds in weight. Watermelon vines can easily grow to 10-feet or more in length.
For a space-saving solution, some gardeners grow smaller watermelon varieties vertically on a sturdy trellis. Sugar Baby watermelon is a popular variety for growing vertically in the garden. Compact watermelon varieties, like Mini Love (F1) watermelon, are popular to grow in smaller gardens.
4–Watermelon Comes in Many Colors
Watermelons come in a variety of colors, including red, pink, orange, yellow, and white flesh varieties. Different colors add variety to your recipes and to the table. Surprise family and friends with an unexpected watermelon–orange watermelon makes a striking salad or drink, for example.
Colorful watermelon varieties include:
- Red or Pink Flesh Watermelons: Ali Baba, Blacktail Mountain, Bozeman, Charleston Grey, Crimson Sweet, Jubilee, Mini Love (F1), Moon and Stars, Nancy, Navajo Winter, Royal Golden, Scaly Bark, Strawberry, Stone Mountain, Sugar Baby, Wilson Sweet, and Winter King and Queen watermelons
- Orange Flesh Watermelons: Desert King, Orange Crisp (F1), OrangeGlo, New Orchid (F1), Tendersweet Orange watermelons
- Yellow Flesh Watermelons: Amarillo (F1), Early Moonbeam, Janosik, Lemon Drop, Moon and Stars (Yellow Fleshed), Sunshine (F1), and Yellow Doll Hybrid watermelons
- White Flesh Watermelons: White Wonder, Yamato Cream, and Yamato Silver watermelons
All are tasty and perfect for using in watermelon recipes.
5–Watch Out for Pests and Diseases
Watermelon can be a relatively carefree plant to grow, but there are a few things to look out for. Aphids, cucumber beetles, and squash vine borers are pests that may target watermelon plants.
Check watermelon plants daily, especially under the leaves, for signs of pest infestations. Monitoring plants, removing pests before they become a problem, and spraying organic treatments or applying garden dust may help to limit pest damage to plants.
Anthracnose and fusarium wilt are a diseases that can target watermelon plants.
Growing disease resistant varieties is one way to help mitigate disease in a garden. Practicing good sanitation in the garden and rotating crops from season to season may help to prevent the build up of diseases in the soil.
6–Watermelon Can Be Tricky to Harvest
Learning when to harvest watermelon can be tricky. Watermelon fruit often ripen over a 2-week long period, making it necessary to study the fruit to know when to pick it.
You may find that you have to pick one or two watermelon too early (or too late) to know when it’s best to harvest the type of watermelon that you are growing in a garden.
Unlike tomatoes, watermelon do not continue to ripen once they are harvested from the vine. So it’s important to learn what to look for to help determine if a watermelon has reached peak ripeness.
The estimated days to maturity for a watermelon variety provide a guideline on when to expect a watermelon to mature. For example, Sugar Baby watermelons are expected to mature in about 75 to 80 days, while Jubilee watermelons can take 90 days to mature from transplant.
Environmental factors can impact whether and how long it takes a plant to mature and produce fruit, however, so plants may mature before or after the expected number of days.
A rule of thumb to know when to harvest watermelon is to check the stem. If the watermelon stem is brown and shriveled up at the point where the stem attaches to the fruit, and the curly tendril on the vine just above the watermelon is also shriveled, then the watermelon may be ready to harvest.
When mature, the underside of a watermelon fruit will usually be lighter in color than the parts of the watermelon that more readily face the sun. This is sometimes known as “field spot”. As the fruit matures, this spot may become yellow or cream colored, instead of bright white.
Watermelon rinds tend to have a shiny appearance while the fruit growing. Some gardeners look for the once shiny watermelon rind to develop a duller appearance as the fruit becomes more mature. Once the skin dulls, the watermelon may be ready to pick.
Cut the watermelon stem to remove the fruit from the plant. Store uncut watermelon for up to 10 days in a cool place. Store cut watermelon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
7–Watermelon Tastes Great in a Variety of Recipes
Crisp, delicious watermelon is a perfect fruit to use in summer recipes. You can use watermelon to make everything from salads to smoothies and drinks.
Eat sliced watermelon on its own, or add it to summer fruit salad. Watermelon pairs well with other types of melon and fresh herbs, like basil and mint.
Use watermelon to make refreshing watermelon agua fresca or watermelon and mint salad with honey lime dressing—a perfect side dish for fish or chicken.
See: The Best Watermelon Salad Recipe
Watermelon infused water makes a tasty summer drink, while watermelon mojito mocktails are perfect for special occasions.
Remove the seeds before using watermelon in your favorite recipes. Once sliced, watermelon may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Watermelon can also be frozen to use in smoothies and other blended drinks.
This post was all about 7 things to know about growing and using watermelon.
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Credits
- Photo by Jeremy Horvatin / Unsplash, Nina Luong / Unsplash, Betty Subrizi / Unsplash, Mark Strebnicki / Pexels, and Karolina Grabowska / Pexels
- Photos used for illustrative purposes only.