Days to Maturity: 80 days from direct sow
Wilson's Sweet Watermelon is a rare heirloom variety known for its incredibly sweet flavor, crisp texture, and striking appearance. The round fruits typically reach 8 to 10 lbs pounds at maturity, with dark green rinds that are mottled in light green. The flavor is rich and sugary?perfectly refreshing for hot summer days. Wilson's Sweet is a reliable producer with vigorous vines and good disease resistance, offering consistent yields of high-quality melons. Whether you're growing for family picnics, farmers markets, or backyard barbecues, this variety brings old-fashioned sweetness and charm to every harvest.
A popular variety in the 1960's, Wilson's Sweet nearly became extinct. It is now available again for home gardeners to enjoy the old-time watermelon taste. It is prized for eating fresh?just slice and enjoy its juicy, seed-studded flesh straight from the rind. Wilson's Sweet Watermelon is also excellent for fruit salads, smoothies, and summertime desserts.
Watermelon is monoecious, having both male (pollen) and female (fruit) flowers, and does not need a second plant for pollination. But the female flowers must receive pollen from the male flowers to set fruit, which is usually carried out by bees. So, it may be helpful to plant bee-attracting plants, like marigolds and zinnias, nearby to ensure pollination. Open pollinated, it produces seed that grows true to variety, ideal for seed saving.
A warm-season vegetable, sensitive to cold temperatures and frost, watermelon seeds can be direct sown into warm spring soil after the last frost date. For an earlier harvest, seeds can be started indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost date and transplanted in the garden after all threat of frost has passed and the soil temperatures are 70°F. Flowers begin to set fruit with night temperatures between 55° and 75°F. Protect plants with row covers if temperatures are expected to dip below 50°F. Mulching helps to moderate soil temperature as well as to maintain soil moisture and control weeds.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
