Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Cucurbitaceae · Vegetable
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a sprawling warm-season vine grown for its large, sweet, juicy fruit. It needs long, hot summers, full sun and plenty of room for its trailing stems to run.
- · Plant after all danger of frost when soil is warm, and give each vine 6-12 ft of space.
- · Water deeply and consistently while fruit sizes up, then ease off as melons ripen for sweeter flesh.
- · Harvest when the underside spot turns creamy yellow and the tendril nearest the fruit dries.
Serving Ideas
Served chilled in wedges or cubes, blended into agua fresca, or paired with feta and mint in summer salads.
Recommended: grow and source this plant without synthetic chemicals or pesticides, and rinse thoroughly before eating.
IMPORTANT: please verify food safety independently. Errors and omissions may occur.
At a glance
- Growing zones: 3-11
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Moderate to High
- Maintenance: Moderate
- Type: Vegetable
- Mature size: 1-2 ft tall · 6-12 ft wide
- Bloom season: Summer · Yellow
- Pollinator friendly: Yes
- Container suitable: Best in ground
- Cold tolerance: Frost tender
- Heat tolerance: Excellent
- Soil: Loose, sandy, well-drained soil rich in organic matter
- Growth rate: Fast
Buy Seeds · SeedsNow
Affiliate link — gardens.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.