Watermelon
Select Your Climate
If you grow mini and medium-sized watermelons that are a more manageable 2–9kg: you’ll get more fruits from fewer plants in a shorter time and save room!
Likes: Well-drained, sandy soil enriched with organic matter; an open, warm, sunny spot is essential.
Dislikes: Drying out; cold temperatures; too much shade and heavy, badly drained soils.
When to plant/sow in zone:
How to start: Best sown direct into mounds in warm soil but if climate is cold you can sow seeds in small pots. When sowing direct, place a clump of three seeds 5cm apart and 2cm deep on each mound, with clumps 75–100cm apart depending on variety.
How to grow: Thin out seedlings once established in the ground. When your chosen seedlings have 6–8 true leaves, pinch tips to encourage vines to branch. When dry, ensure regular, deep watering, 2–3 times per week, maintaining constant soil moisture, but not too wet.
When to harvest: Look for a change in skin colour usually from green to yellow/orange depending on the variety, withering of the stem joining the fruit to the vine, and fruit that easily ‘slips’ from the vine with little effort.
Pests and diseases: Snails and slugs when young; aphids on growing tips; powdery mildew and other fungal diseases; white fly and red spider mite
Wondering what to plant when?
Use our planner to create a planting calendar for your climate zone
View Planting Guide