Description
Harvested from the gardens at Monticello.
By the 1840's Mountain Sweet Watermelon was extremely popular in the Mid-Atlantic States and, because it shipped well, was grown almost exclusively for the Philadelphia and New York City markets. The large melons are round to slightly pear-shaped and the bright scarlet-red flesh is extremely sweet.
Direct sow seeds in hills or rows after the last spring frost; for hills, sow 6-8 seeds per 12"-wide hill, then thin to the best 3 plants per hill. To grow in a shorter season, start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost. Watermelons prefer light, fertile soil on the dry side. Approximately 10 seeds per packet.
Exposure | Planting Method | Planting Depth | Plant Spacing | Days to Maturity | Size at Maturity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full Sun to Part Shade | Direct Sow | 1" | Thin to 4' apart, rows 5'; or hills 4-6' | 90-95 | 12-18"H |