Watermelon, Strawberry Watermelon Seeds

Strawberry Watermelon, Open Pollinated, Non-GMO
20 seeds per package

Flesh is a gorgeous strawberry pink, ripening to within a half-inch of the rind, and usually has very few seeds. Fine grained, distinctively flavored and super sweet; it is classed among the best-tasting by those who have tried it. The oblong, striped fruit reaches about 10-15 pounds. With moderate disease resistance, this variety deserves to be the star of your summer garden.

In North Texas I plant my seeds in late April. Needs very fertile well draining soil.

Plant seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep, placing two or three seeds in groups 18 to 24 inches apart. Once watermelon seedlings are established, remove two and leave the best watermelon plant in each group. Watermelons need soil that is well-drained and sandy. They also need a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5, a very narrow range. About 85 days to harvest.

How To Cultivate Watermelon Plants:
Watermelon plants have moderately deep roots and watering is seldom necessary unless the weather turns dry for a prolonged period. When vines begin to ramble, side dress plants with half a cup of balanced fertilizer (5-10-5). A third application of fertilizer should be made when melons are set. Withhold water as melons start to mature to intensify sweetness.

Knowing how to determine when a watermelon is perfectly ripe is not easy. One way favored by many gardeners is to watch the tendril closest to the melon stem. A tendril is a modified leaf or stem in the shape of slender, spirally coil. When it turns brown and dries up, the melon is ripe. The trouble with this method is that with some watermelon varieties, the tendril dries and drops off more than a week before the melon is fully ripe. Slapping and tapping or thumping are other common methods used to determine ripeness, but they are not always accurate.

The surest sign of ripeness in most watermelon varieties is the color of the bottom spot where the melon sits on the ground. As the watermelon matures, the spot turns from almost white to a rich yellow. Also, all watermelons lose the powdery or slick appearance on the top and take on a dull look when fully ripe.