Plant Guide

Description:

A lovely vigorous vining selection; round, oval or oblong with a hard outer rind that is green with dark green striping; sweet and juicy flesh, usually pink or red but can be yellow or orange; perfect raw, pickled or made into juice

Edible Qualities

Watermelon is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces large green fruit with dark green stripes and red flesh which are typically harvested when mature. The fruits have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Preserves
• Juice-Making
• Pickling

Planting & Growing

Watermelon will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 3 feet apart. Because of its vigorous growth habit, it may require staking or supplemental support. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America.