How To Grow Watermelon From Seed

Watermelon is a fruit that has been around for centuries and was first cultivated in the Americas. It’s easy to grow, but it does require some work at planting time.

You can plant seed directly into the ground, or you can buy transplants from your local nursery.

Watermelon seeds are tiny, so they need to be planted very carefully.

Once they have sprouted, water them regularly until the plants reach about 6 inches tall. Then transplant them into individual pots or larger containers.

They will continue to grow and produce flowers as long as there is enough sunlight. When the fruits start to form, pick them when they are still green.

Let them ripen on the vine for several days before harvesting.

The most common way to grow watermelons is by starting with seeds. If you want to do this, you should get started early in the season.

Planting in late summer means you won’t get any fruit until fall. In fact, if you wait too long, the melon may not even make it through the winter.

When growing watermelons from seed, you’ll need to provide plenty of light. Use a south-facing window to ensure good results.

Seeds need 16 hours of direct sun each day and the temperature needs to stay above 50 degrees F.

If temperatures drop below 40 degrees F, the seeds will stop germinating.

When you’re ready to sow your seeds, choose a sunny spot where the soil is rich and well drained.

Mix together equal parts sand and peat moss, then add half of the mixture to a container.

Add seeds and cover with the remaining soil mix. Keep the soil moist until the seeds begin to sprout.

Once the seeds have sprouted, keep the pot in full sun and water daily.

After two weeks, remove the pot from the garden and place it under a strong fluorescent light indoors.

This will help the plants develop more quickly. As soon as the leaves turn yellow, remove the pot from its light source and move it back outside.

Continue to water the plants every few days.

When Should I Grow Watermelon?

Seeds should be sown in spring or early summer. Plants take approximately three months to mature. By mid-summer, you should see signs of growth.

You should harvest your watermelons when the fruits have reached their maximum size.

If you live in an area with mild winters, you can leave your watermelons outdoors all year round.

However, if you live in a colder climate, you may need to bring the plants inside during colder weather and use fluorescent lighting.

Growing watermelon from seed requires patience. But once you’ve got a crop, you’ll find yourself wanting to grow more!

Benefits Of Growing Watermelon

Watermelon is one of those foods that everyone loves. It’s delicious, nutritious, and versatile. It also happens to be one of the easiest crops to grow.

So why don’t we grow our own? Well, the truth is that many people just aren’t interested in doing the work involved. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try, though!

There are many benefits to growing your own watermelon:

1. You know exactly what goes into it. Most commercially grown watermelons contain pesticides and other chemicals. These substances could potentially cause health problems down the road.

2. You save money. Buying watermelon at the store isn’t cheap. And it’s not like you can buy a huge amount without spending a lot of money.

On the other hand, if you grow your own watermelon, you’ll never pay retail prices again.

3. You save time. With a home garden, you can enjoy fresh produce whenever you want without having to visit your local store.

4. You save space. A large commercial greenhouse occupies a great deal of room.

Instead of having to devote valuable real estate to growing watermelon, you can use your backyard for something else.

5. You get better quality. Many commercial growers rely on genetically modified seeds.

They may also use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. All of these things can affect the taste of your watermelon.

6. You save energy. If you live in a hot region, you’ll probably need air conditioning. The same goes for any type of farming.

But there’s no reason to waste energy heating up a greenhouse when you can simply heat your house instead for germination.

7. You get fresh fruit. When you buy watermelon at the store, you’re buying pre-picked fruit. It has already been stored somewhere.

In fact, some stores even sell it “ripe.” But unless you’re willing to wait until it gets ripe, you won’t be able to eat it right away.

8. You get free seeds. The best way to ensure that your next harvest is successful is by saving seeds.

Commercial growers often destroy them after harvesting. But this means that they lose out on another chance to grow.

9. You get to control how much you eat. If you buy watermelon at a grocery store, you’ll likely end up eating far too much.

Sure, there will always be plenty left over. But if you have access to only a few pieces every week, you might as well make sure that you eat them all.

10. You get to eat your favorite melon. Some people love cantaloupe. Others prefer honeydew. No matter which variety you choose, you’ll find that it tastes incredible.

11. You get to experiment with different varieties. Commercial growers tend to stick with the same types of fruits year after year.

But if you’d rather try something new, you can do so easily with a home garden.

How To Harvest Watermelon

Watermelon is ready to pick once its rind turns yellow. You should cut off the entire rind before picking.

Then, remove the flesh from the rind using your hands or a knife. Cut each piece into bite-size chunks.

How To Store Watermelon

If you don’t plan on eating your watermelon immediately, you should put it into an airtight container. Make sure that the container is clean and dry.

You can then refrigerate it for several days. Or, you can freeze it for longer periods of time.

What Are The Best Ways To Eat Watermelon?

• Add it to salads.
• Mix it into smoothies.
• Use it as a topping for ice cream.
• Put it into sandwiches.
• Dip it in chocolate.
• Have it as a snack between meals.
• Serve it as dessert.
• Bake it into pies.
• Eat it plain.

Conclusion

To conclude, you can grow watermelon from seed easily. This process requires little effort and allows you to enjoy delicious fruit throughout the summer.

There are many benefits of growing your own watermelon from seed, and we hope that our guide was helpful.