Wow-watermelons!

Florida is blessed with weather that allows commercial growers to grow watermelons from December to April.  In fact, Florida is the leading producer of watermelons in the United States.  Many gardeners may consider growing their own watermelons in their backyard.   Proper timing, planning and culture will result in plenty of these spectacular fruits!

Watermelons are related to cucumbers as well as squashes, gourds and pumpkins.  These rapidly growing annual vines have tendrils, hairy stems and yellow flowers that can eventually develop into a watermelon.  The fruit can be various shapes from round to oval, green, with or without stripes, and weigh upward to fifty pounds.  The delicious, sweet flesh is red, pink or yellow and is ready to eat in eighty to one-hundred days.  Some watermelons are seedless and some are seeded and this depends largely on genetics.   Watermelons require a good deal of room as their vines are expansive – up to twenty-four square feet per plant!  Good types of seeded watermelons for Florida include ‘Sugar Baby’, ‘Mickeylee’, ‘Jubilee’, ‘Crimson Sweet’ or ‘Charleston Grey 133”. 

In our area, watermelons can be planted as early as February keeping in mind the possibility of frosty weather and the need for protection.  Another opportunity to plant will come in August or September.  Plant by seed or transplant, being careful not to disturb the roots of transplants.  Select a watermelon growing area in full sun with well-drained soil enriched with compost and standard vegetable granular fertilizer as recommended on the label – watermelons are heavy feeders!   As a rule-of-thumb, space plants thirty-six inches apart in rows eight feet apart.  Provide the proper amount of water, keep the area weeded and look out for pests as needed.  Proper watering will help sustain the growth of the rapidly developing melons.  Don’t be too impatient about picking the ripe watermelons as ripeness can be detected.  Where the melon touches the soil, there will be a pale green to white spot.  When the melon is fully ripe, this spot will change in color to a cream-color or yellow.  A second ripening clue is to look for the tendril (a vine-like curlicue) closest to the melon.  When this tendril turns brown and withers, the melon should be ripe enough to pick. 

It is a good practice to rotate your watermelon crops to new sites each season to avoid pest build-up.  You can also grow “seedless” watermelons.  This type of watermelon requires that you plant a pollinator in addition to the seedless variety for proper development.  Varieties to try include ‘King of Hearts’, 'Supersweet', 'Genesis', 'Crimson Jewel', 'King of Hearts', and 'Tycoon'.

Watermelon are garden treasures that will surely make you want to try growing your own!  For information on all types of vegetables suitable for growing in Southwest Florida, please call our Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer.  Don't forget to visit our other County Plant Clinics in the area.  Please check this link for a complete list of site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.

Resource:

Watermelon (2016) Gardening Solutions – The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS

Maynard D. N. (2003) Growing Seedless Watermelon. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS

McAvoy, G. (2016) Vegetable Gardening – Vegetable Profiles. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Hendry County

Stephens, J. M. (2015) Watermelon, Seedless—Citrullus lanatus The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS