Growing Guides
Growing Watermelons From Seed
Choosing The Right Watermelon To Plant In Your Garden
Choosing the right watermelon to grow can get very technical and oftentimes confusing. Like most fruits and vegetables that can simply and easily be broken down into hybrid and open-pollinated, watermelons can bend, and sometimes break the rules especially when it comes to pollination. To throw a wrench in those gears even further, watermelons also come in seedless varieties that require special circumstances to be pollinated. To keep things simple, let’s cover the differences between seedless watermelons and traditional seeded watermelons.
Seedless Watermelons
The first thing to know about seedless watermelons is that they are actually not technically seedless. No doubt you’ve cut into a watermelon and seen the small white seeds that are dispersed through the fruit. These are actually empty seed casings that are perfectly fine to eat.
What makes a watermelon seedless is actually quite technical from a botanical standpoint. The main takeaway is that when you order a seedless watermelon variety from HOSS, you will actually be getting 2 different seed packs. One is a seed that will produce female flowers but also has male flowers present. The pollen in the male flowers is not typically enough to fertilize the plant. Because of this, we include a separate pollinizer seed that will produce the male flowers needed to guarantee successful fertilization.
Seeded Watermelons
This is the more traditional watermelon that most people have grown to know through the years. Seeded watermelons have thick black seeds within the fruit that are fertile and, depending on the variety, can be saved and planted for another crop. Not all seeds from traditional watermelons can be saved, though. For example, seeds from F1 hybrid watermelons cannot be saved to plant again. Below are our favorite traditional watermelons seeds to grow in our area.
Sangria Watermelon * Add to cart
Moon and Stars Watermelon * Add to cart
Georgia Rattlesnake Watermelon * Select options
Crimson Sweet Watermelon
Growing Watermelons From Seed
Should You Direct Sow or Transplant Watermelon Seeds?
As any gardener knows, when you have a plant that can either be directly planted in the ground or transplanted, there are pros and cons to both. At HOSS, we always err on the side of starting your watermelon seeds in trays because it has proven to be a more successful strategy for our gardens and our space. We know that every garden is different but we always highly encourage starting seeds in trays when you have the option.
Benefits Of Starting Seeds In Trays
Benefits Of Direct Sowing Seeds
Watermelon Indoor Seed Starting Dates
Watermelon seeds should be started indoors at least 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date for your zone. We recommend using our 162 Seed Trays for best results.
Zone 10 – December 15th
Zone 9 – January 15th
Zone 8 – February 20th
Zone 7 – March 15thZone 6 – April 1st
Zone 5 – April 20th
Seed Start Supply List
Depending on your preference, you can choose to start your seeds indoors with a light kit or outdoors in a greenhouse setting. Below is a list of all the essentials to begin growing your watermelons from seed and get them ready for transplant.
Indoor Growing
Dr. Joe Growing Bubble
Add to cart
Dr. Joe Nutri Bubble Plant Food * Add to cart
Dr. Joe All-Purpose Growing Bubble * Add to cart
Dramm Watering Can * Add to cart
Hanging Grow Light Kit * Select options
Sungro Black Gold Seed Starting Mix * Select options
Heavy-Duty Bottom Trays * Select options
162 Cell Seed Starting Trays
Outdoor Growing
Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer
Add to cart
Germination Thermostat * Select options
Hoss Germination Mat (150 Watt) * Add to cart
Hoss Germination Mat (100 Watt) * Select options
Sungro Black Gold Seed Starting Mix * Add to cart
Fogg-It Mist Nozzle * Select options
162 Cell Seed Starting Trays
Planting Your Watermelon Seeds
See The Next Steps To Growing Your Onions
Read The Hoss University Onion Growing Guide
Read More
Watermelon Seed Tips
Make Sure To Plan Ahead
All varieties of watermelon have one thing in common: they need lots of room to grow. Contrary to popular belief, even growing smaller varieties like the Sugar Baby Watermelon needs the same amount of room to grow as the massive Jubilee Watermelon. The main thing to remember is that it isn’t the size of the fruit that you’re growing, it’s how far out the vines sprawl that you have to accommodate for. A good rule of thumb to grow watermelons is to dedicate at least 20 square feet per plant in your garden.
Get A Head Start On Your Watermelons!
SHOP NOW
Top 5 Reasons To Plant Flowers In Your Vegetable Garden
If you’re planning your vegetable garden, don’t forget about the flowers! Adding flowers to your vegetable garden has a ton of long-term and short-term benefits from the blooms to the soil. Year after year in our gardens, we always make room for beautiful blooms. We’ve narrowed down our top 5 reasons that we always make sure and have flowers in our garden.
Read More »
March 9, 2022
How To Grow Watermelons From Seed
Fill each cell in the trays completely with seed starting mix. Use your hands to pack the mix into each cell, saving some for covering the seeds later.
Place starting tray on bottom tray and lightly water from above to generously moisten seed starting mix. Repeat 3-4 times to ensure all of the soil in the cells are moist. Water should be dripping from the bottom of the trays.
Make an indentation
Read More »
February 15, 2022
Watermelon Growing Guide
Growing Guides Onions Strawberries Watermelon Growing Guide The 4 Types Of Watermelon Planting Schedule Planting Methods Soil, Irrigation, & Fertilizer Pest & Disease Protection Harvesting Extra Credit Grow Big, Juicy Watermelons At Home Watermelon is the quintessential Summertime treat in most areas of the world. Because of their popularity in home gardens, we get a
Read More »
January 28, 2022