3 grams / packet
1. Short Description
75-88 days. Citrullus lanatus. When it comes to sweet, Sugar Baby Watermelons would be in the royal family of heirloom seeds. These summer melons are packed with “brix”, which means they contain a high percentage of sugar. Their almost candy-coated sweetness is grown as a valuable crop for commercial gardeners and farmers. These non-GMO watermelon seeds are warm season annual plants and can be sown earlier than other varieties. Sugar Baby seeds are also fast-growing and mature as early as 75 days from their sowing date! As durable heirloom plants, they get their name for a reason. These small and round watermelons grow up to 8-10 lbs and don’t compromise their delicious taste. Sugar Baby seeds are less intimidating to grow as a new gardener, due to their quick maturity and adaptability from warm-to-hot conditions.
2. More Details and tips:
Growing Sugar Baby Watermelon Garden Seeds
- Latin Name: Citrullus lanatus
- Variety: “Non-GMO Sugar Baby”
- Other Names:”picnic”
- Watermelon Days to Maturity: 75-88 days
- Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Planting Depth: ¼-1"
- Plant Spacing: 3-4’
- Row Spacing: 5-6’
- Growth Habit: Spreading-vine
- Soil Preference: Fertile, sandy and well-drained with soil pH 6.5-7.5
- Temp Preference: Warm to hot
- Light Preference: Full sun
- Pests/diseases: Nematodes, melon aphids and anthracnose
- Color: Dark-green oval-shaped exterior with bright-red fruit
- Flavor: Juicy, high sugar content, very sweet
Sowing & Growing:
Direct-sow Sugar Baby Watermelon seeds 2 weeks after your region’s final frost or once the soil has warmed to 70℉. In cooler regions, you can start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your region’s final frost, by first sowing Sugar Baby Watermelon seeds in pea pots ¼” deep. Germination will take 10 days. Once the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, transplant young watermelons to a sunny location in raised hills spaced 4-6’ apart, thinned to 2-3 plants per hill. Water Sugar Baby Watermelons 1-2” per week until their fruits grow. It’s recommended to use drip irrigation and well-draining soil, as watermelon plants are more vulnerable to certain soilborne diseases. For Sugar Baby seeds, use fertile soil with a pH level between 6.5-7.5. As a general rule for growing crops successfully, be sure to expose watermelons to the heat, loamy soil that isn’t too wet. Watch with a careful eye. For supporting the plants’ vine-growth, and providing more space and sunlight, it’s advised to use a trellis. Since Sugar Baby watermelons are smaller than other varieties, some of them may be mature enough for picking 60 days from the sowing date. Be sure to look for visual cues before harvesting. You can also hold the watermelons to see if they’re heavy, which indicates ripeness.
Harvesting:
Harvest Sugar Baby Watermelons 75 days from the sowing date or once the coils of the vines have completely dried and the stem has turned brown. When checking to see if your watermelon plants are ripe enough, look for a light-yellow color and use the classic “thump” method. Give a gentle knock on the rind and listen for a hollow sound, which means they’re ready to pick. You can harvest mature watermelons by cutting them off from their primary vine with a gardening knife. To keep Sugar Baby Watermelons fresh, it’s recommended to store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. With cut watermelon, wrap in plastic to keep for 3 days.
Facts:
Sugar Baby seeds were cultivated in 1956 and are often referred to as “picnic” watermelons, since they can easily fit into a small container on-the-go.
Source: Trueleafmarket