Watermelon - Crimson Sweet

Medium-sized, striped melon with great disease tolerance. Great-tasting melons are typically 10 x 12 in., weighing 15-25 lbs. A unique feature of this variety is its ability to promote beneficial soil fungi that inhibit Fusarium wilt. This is the variety many melon lovers come back to after trying the rest - grow your own and taste the difference!

10 organic seeds

KEY GROWING INFORMATION

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus

CULTURE:

A light, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5–7.5 and a southern exposure is ideal. Good soil moisture is important in early stages of growth and during pollination when fruits are setting. After this point do not water the last week before fruits are ripe, as overwatering can cause bland fruit. Since watermelons like consistently warm conditions, row covers will make for earlier crops and better yields, especially in the North. Remove covers when plants have female flowers (tiny fruit at base of blossom).

DAYS TO MATURITY:

95 days from transplanting; add about 10 days if direct-seeded.

TRANSPLANTING:

Sow indoors in 50-cell plug trays or 2–3" peat pots in late April or one month (no sooner!) before transplanting outdoors. Plant 2 seeds per cell or pot, about ½–1" deep. Keep temperature 80–90°F (27–32°C) until germination. Handle young plants carefully and never let the soil dry out. Grow seedlings at 75°F (24°C). Reduce water and temperature for a week to harden seedlings. When the weather is frost-free, warm, and settled, transplant 2–3' apart in rows 6–8' apart, or thin to 1 plant/pot or cell with scissors and transplant 18" apart. Even hardened watermelon seedlings are tender! Do not disturb roots when transplanting, and water thoroughly.

DIRECT SEEDING:

Sow 1–2 weeks after last frost when soil is warm, above 70°F (21°C), 3 seeds every 18–36", ½–1" deep, thinning to 1 plant/spot.

RIPENESS:

There are 3 ways to tell when a watermelon is ripe: 1) the tendril nearest the point on the vine where fruit stem attaches is browning/dead; 2) the spot where the fruit rests on the ground is yellow; and 3) the classic mystery — you hear "punk," as opposed to "pink" or "pank," when you flick the melon with your fingers.

STORAGE:

Hold at 45°F (7°C) and 85% relative humidity 2–3 weeks.