How to grow Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Summer’s big sweet payoff.
Watermelon loves heat and a long, warm season — give it the sunniest, most sprawling spot you have. In cooler or short-season areas, choose a small icebox type like Sugar Baby and start seeds indoors to get a head start.
Grow Watermelon with step-by-step help for your exact yard.
Start free in Seededly →Watermelon at a glance
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6.0–6.8 |
| Spacing | 36–48 in |
| Harvest | 80–90 days |
| Plant | After last frost |
| Note | Needs heat & room |
How to grow Watermelon, step by step
Wait for warm soil
- Watermelon hates cold — sow only once soil is 70°F+ and frost is well past.
- Short season? Start seeds indoors 3–4 weeks early and transplant carefully.
Give it room & sun
- Plant on a sunny mound; vines sprawl 6–10 ft, so space hills 3–4 ft apart.
- Black plastic or mulch warms the soil and keeps fruit clean.
Water steady, then ease off
- Keep evenly moist while vines and fruit grow.
- As melons near ripe, ease off water to concentrate the sugar.
Pick at peak
- Ripe signs: the curly tendril nearest the fruit dries brown, the ground spot turns creamy yellow, and it sounds hollow when thumped.
- Cut — don’t pull — to avoid tearing the vine.
Watermelon problems & fixes
Watermelon — Lots of vine, no fruit: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Early male flowers are normal; female flowers (with a tiny melon behind them) come later. Encourage bees or hand-pollinate.
Watermelon — Fruit rots on the bottom: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Resting on damp soil. Slip a board, tile, or straw under each melon.
Watermelon — Bland or mealy flesh: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Too much water near harvest, or picked early. Ease off water late and wait for the ripe signs.
Recommended watermelon varieties
- Sugar Baby — Small / early. Icebox size; great for shorter seasons.
- Crimson Sweet — Classic. Big, sweet, dependable.
- Yellow Doll — Yellow. Sweet yellow flesh; quick to ripen.
Watermelon month-by-month
| January | Off-season — dream of summer. |
|---|---|
| February | Plan the sunniest, biggest spot. |
| March | Order seed; pick a short-season type if your summers are cool. |
| April | Start seeds indoors in cold areas. |
| May | Wait for warm soil; transplant after frost. |
| June | Vines run; flowers open — bees do the work. |
| July | Fruit sets and swells — keep it watered. |
| August | Melons size up — ease off water as they near ripe. |
| September | Harvest — check the tendril and ground spot. |
| October | Last melons before nights cool. |
| November | Pull spent vines. |
| December | Off-season. |