Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon Seeds

Days to Maturity: 90 direct sow; 65 transplant

All-America Selections (AAS) Winner 2019

Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon is grown as a fruit vegetable. Each round to oval mouthwatering melon weighs about 10 to 12 pounds. The rind is dark green and striped; the bright red internal flesh has exceptional texture and taste—sweet, crisp, and juicy. Watermelon is a rich source of water and healthy nutrients, including carotenoids lycopene and Beta carotene, amino acids citrulline and arginine, as well as vitamins A, B6, and C.

An annual herbaceous plant, Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon is a member of the cucumber and squash family (Cucurbitaceae), commonly called cucurbits. Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon grows as a compact, bushy, determinate vine with trailing branched tendrils. The vine reaches about 14 to 18 inches long and produces 2 to 3 fruits. Fruit is ripe and ready for harvest when the blossom end is soft and the nearest tendril is brown and dry. The bottom of the watermelon (touching the ground) should be yellow, not white, and the melon should sound hollow when tapped.

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.

Watermelon is easy to grow from seed, growing best in a sunny location with fertile, organically rich, consistently moist, well-draining sandy loam having a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Watermelon is intolerant of shade and overly wet soil; however, water should be applied liberally during early growth and fruiting but overwatering at the end of ripening can result in bland fruit. Fertilize well. Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon is disease resistant, with tolerance to powdery mildew.

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.