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Choosing the Right Variety of Watermelon

Gardening Guide: Wonderful Watermelon: How to Grow the Fruit that Means 'Summer'

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Choosing the Right Variety of Watermelon

By Norann Oleson

Charleston Gray Watermelon

Before you plant a single seed or seedling, you have to decide on a variety that fits your space, sunny growing season, and desired melon size. Because watermelons require a great deal of space, you’ll have to choose one of the hybrid smaller varieties if you’re limited in garden acreage.

At the same time, watermelons require a lot of sunshine—up to 100 days of it, in fact, depending on the variety. That means you have to choose a variety with a shorter time to harvest if you live in an area with a short summer.

Alternately, you can get a head start on the growing season by buying seedlings, or by starting seeds indoors up to eight weeks before you’ll plant outside in the garden.

Here are some varieties for gardens limited in space (all of which are correspondingly small melons):

  • Bush Charleston Gray: 90 days to harvest. Spreads 3 to 5 feet across.
  • Bush Jubilee: 90 to 100 days to harvest. Spreads 3 to 5 feet.
  • Bush Sugar Baby: 75 to 80 days to harvest. Spreads 3 to 3½ feet. Note: This variety works well for shorter growing seasons, too.

Here are some varieties for gardens with more space (again, with correspondingly larger fruit, for gardeners going for the really big boys):

  • Calsweet: 90 to 92 days to harvest. Allow up to 10 feet of space.
  • Charleston Gray: 85 to 100 days to harvest. Allow up to 10 feet of space.
  • Crimson Sweet: 80 to 97 days to harvest. Allow up to 10 feet of space.
  • King of Hearts: 80 to 85 days to harvest. Allow up to 10 feet of space.

And, finally, if your growing season is short, here are some varieties that ripen more quickly than others:

  • Cole’s Early: 80 days to harvest.
  • Fordhook Hybrid: 75 days to harvest.
  • Yellow Baby: 75 days to harvest.
  • Yellow Doll: 65 to 70 days to harvest.
  • Bush Sugar Baby (see above): 75 to 80 days to harvest.

Have you ever grown any of these watermelon varieties? Which varieties have you grown and how successful were you with your crop? Please share your tips for growing watermelons.

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Tags

bush sugar baby, fordhook, starting seeds indoors, watermelon

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Feature Articles

  • Growing Zones for Watermelon
  • Types of Watermelon Plants
  • Pollinating Watermelon Plants
  • Choosing the Right Variety of Watermelon
  • Growing Watermelon from Seeds or Seedlings
  • Growing Watermelon in Open Land, in Raised Beds, or on a Trellis
  • Soil, Sunlight, Fertilizer, and Water for Your Watermelon Plants
  • Watermelon Care: Pests and Disease
  • Harvesting Your Watermelons
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Watermelons
  • Start Growing Watermelon in Raised Beds
  • Plant Profiles

  • Desert King Watermelon
  • Black Diamond Watermelon
  • Yellow Doll Watermelon
  • Crimson Sweet Watermelon
  • King of Hearts Watermelon
  • Sugar Baby Watermelon
  • Recipes

  • Grilled Watermelon and Pineapple Skewers
  • Grilled Watermelon Salad
  • Easy Watermelon Sorbet
  • Fresh Mozzarella Watermelon Salad
  • Watermelon Rind Smoothie
  • Watermelon Fruit Rollups
  • Margarita Watermelon
  • Watermelon Juice
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts about Watermelon
  • Home Remedies and Health Benefits of Watermelon
  • Resources about Watermelon
  • Watermelon Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • Decoding Watermelon Ripeness
  • Wonderful Watermelon: How to Grow the Fruit that Means ‘Summer’

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