AAS winner from the 1960s. The Crimson Sweet Watermelon has a classic light and dark green striped rind and deep red flesh with the perfect amount of sweetness. Almost round fruits can reach 15- 25 pounds. Vines spread 8 feet and are resistant to anthracnose and fusarium wilt.

20 seeds

PLANTING

Citrullus lanatus

Germination:4-10 days

Germination Temperature:Optimum soil temperatures 70-85F

Seed Sowing Depth:1/2″ deep

Sowing Indoors:3-4 weeks before the last frost.Provide 70-85Fsoil temperature.Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot.Sowing into individual biodegradable peat/cow pots reduces rootdamage when transplanting. Transplant after last frost,36-48″ apart.

Sowing Outdoors:After the last frost when the soil temperature is over70F.

How much does a packet plant:18-20foot single row,5-6hills

Harvest:Look for the following signs as it does take some practice on telling when they are ready to harvest. The closest tendril to the stem dries, there is a crack in the stem that attaches the watermelon to the vine, where the watermelon touches the ground it should be a butter yellow color, give it a knock with your hands it should sound hollow, the skin is dull, and slipping of the stem from the melon with slight finger pressure.

Tips: Plant Crimson Sweet Watermelon in fertile soil, amended with compost or well-rotted manure, and keep well watered. They benefit from growing on black plastic and by using row covers for weed, insect control, and more rapid growth.