What’s more summer-like than watermelon? Growing your own watermelon, of course!

These days the watermelon you buy at the supermarket is carefully bred for a lot of different characteristics, but flavor isn’t one of them. Tolerance for shipping and handling is great for the grower and seller, but doesn’t do much for the end consumer—you.

That’s why home food gardeners should consider growing their own sweet melons from seed or seedlings. Today’s varieties—all 1,200+ of them—are sweet, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Once you try homegrown, you’ll never look back.

This collection has been prepared to help you grow those watermelons in your garden, starting with Introduction to Watermelon to help you learn about the background and history of this luscious fruit.

We’ve included everything in our Feature Articles that the home grower needs to know. Find out about the different types of watermelon, from mini personal melons to the truly monstrous. Discover the factors you’ll need to consider in choosing which watermelon to grow in your specific garden.

We’ve also got information on everything from planting to watering to fertilizing—watermelons are nutrient hogs—to keep you on track throughout the growing season.

Then, to help you narrow down your choices, we’ve included six variety profiles, because these are some of the most commonly grown. If you’d like us to include another watermelon variety that appeals to you, please us know by commenting below. We think of ourselves here at Food Gardening Network as part of a family—the family of home food growers, people like you who get a unique satisfaction from producing food for your table in your own back yard, so we’re always responsive to our readers!

You’ll also find one of the special things we do here at Food Gardening Network: Our assortment of easy and fabulous Recipes for enjoying the watermelon you grow. You’ll be surprised at the things you never thought of before while you were simply slicing and serving this delicious fruit (and yes, it is a fruit—and a vegetable, one of the few foods classified as both!).

We’ve also included Nutrition Facts about Watermelon and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Watermelon. You probably already knew a little about the food value of the amazing watermelon, but it’s truly a superfood that you’ll be surprised to know can benefit you and your family both on the inside and the outside.

And because we believe in giving you more than enough information to help you become the best food gardener you can be, you’ll also find a Resources section that is complementary to this collection. We aim to give you all you need to grow, harvest, and eat delicious watermelon, but feel free to take a deeper dive into these additional resources by visiting the links provided.

Finally, you’ll find a brief Glossary at the end of this collection, just in case you need a fuller explanation of any key terms and concepts.

Now, go forth and grow the sweetest watermelon you never bought in a store!