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Other Names:
Related To:
[Curcurbitaceae] Cucumber, Pumpkin, Squash
Main Uses:
Food, Water, Medicine (seeds / rind)
Growth Rate:
Fast
Mature Height/Spread:
Lush, sprawling vine, grows along ground with some branching. Vines can be 5-15' long, depending on variety.
Flowering/Pollination:
Self-fertile. Does better with cross-pollination.
Tolerance:
Mild to moderate tolerance in human-bred varieties.
Soil/Nutrition:
Requires a fertile, well drained soil. Prefers sandy loams with good drainage and water retentive properties. Mulching is beneficial. Fertilize with slightly higher nitrogen when vines are younger. After flowring, increase potassium. Use a bit of lime with this species, as it helps to prevent bud-end rot.
Light:
Full sun.
Wind:
n/a
Temperature:
Tropical, or near tropical. Grown as an annual in non-tropical climates.
Dangers:
None.
Diseases Prone:
End rot, squash beetles.
Bearing Age:
70-100 days from seed, roughly 45 days after blooming, depending on type and size.
Fruit:
Small to large melons, often green-skinned. Some yellow-skinned types exist. Flesh is typically pink or red, though yellow, orange, and white fleshed varieties are also popular.
History/Origin:
Watermelons are generally thought to be descended from the wild "tsamma" melons of the southern Kalahari desert in Africa. These grapefruit-to-volleyball sized melons litter the dry bushlands of Botswana and Namibia. They have been used as an important water source in the region for many thousands of years. Being a primary source of potable water, it is said that the desert is not crossable unless it is melon season.
Watermelons have been cultivated for thousands of years, and were already a well established food crop in the time of ancient Egyptians, who grew and enjoyed their own varieties. Watermelon production is widely spread throughout the Middle East, Asia, and parts of South America. North American production is rather limited and seasonal.
Species Observations:
Mositure consistency in the soil is important for this species, wild fluctuations can induce smaller fruits and bud-end rot, a problem which is very common in watermelon.
Propogation:
By seed; sow 1/2 inch deep, and keep moist. Plants of cultivated types can support 4-6 fruits, depending on soil fertility. The fewer fruits on the vine, the bigger they will be.
Container Culture:
Possible, but vines will need to be trained in circles around the pot as they grow.
Medicinal Uses:
Diuretic, kidney tonic.
Nutritional Information:
Watermelons are essentially water (90%) and sugar (5-8%). Like all melons, they do have an appreciable amount of fiber. The red varieties have a significant amount of of the antioxidant carotenoid, lycopene.
Preparation / Food:
Usually eaten fresh and chilled. Watermelon juice can be made fresh by pureeing the flesh.
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"Tree is in fine shape and budding! Packing was exceptional. Thank you so much!"
- Satisfied Customer 1
"WOW, Plant is 10X better than expected. Great condition. Thank you very much."
- Satisfied Customer 2
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