Sangria Watermelons-tips for you

I just wanted to let ya'll know what amazingly sweet, perfect, gigantic, pink fleshed watermelons I grew here last summer---DESPITE our cold summer last year. I harvested them in September. Seeds were: Sangria Watermelons, from Territorial Seed Co. I believe the reason for my success was using their green mulch around the melons. I direct seeded in early June. Also grew the New Queen Watermelons (yellow fleshed personal sized) successfully, which were also very tasty. But I really, really loved the Sangria melons. So give watermelons a try this year---use green mulch, and mine also grew in 100% full sun. I watered with drip irrigation on a timer, under the green plastic daily.

No!!!! You're sucking me back in!

I had just decided that I was not even going to try melons this year, after dismal failures with cantaloupe and watermelons for the past three years running. But this does sound promising.... and I haven't put in my Territorial order yet...

Oh dear.

I must say though, it was certainly easier to grow melons back when I lived in the Willamette valley than it is up here in Seattle. Just those few degrees less heat in the summers make an already marginal crop just that more iffy. (That's my rational brain trying to talk me back out of it :)

Yay, Kymmco! Give it another try. I have to say that eating those melons last year were some of my proudest moments in life. I think the key is using that green plastic or a black plastic to heat up the soil. I have also heard of another clever way to get really hot soil for great melons, which would work up in Seattle: Use chicken wire or something to build a vertical cyclinder. Fill with soil. Wrap the whole thing in black or green plastic. Cut holes thru plastic and wire, and start melons on the sides and top. I guess this works well for getting the soil really hot, and for people who don't have the space needed for the vines. (Although I was impressed---my watermelons used much less space than squash, pumpkins, etc.)

We had friends who lived in Deming (northeast of Bellingham, up the Mount Baker Highway) who consistently grew wonderful baby watermelons. Their property was very sandy, as it was the old Nooksack River bed. So, perhaps add a lot of sand to your watermelon spot and be sure it gets plenty of sun?

Ok, Kosk, you have convinced me to try them. We have a vacation house over in E Wa where we grow our tomatoes much more successfully. Alas, I have already made all of my seed orders. Does anyone know where we might find the seeds locally?

I went to a local store that carries Territorial seeds, and they happened to have "Sugar Baby" watermelon seeds, so I bought a packet for you to try if you would like, Sharon. D-mail me your address if you want me to send them. :)

Thanks for the offer, Holly, but I already have those seeds. I hope you did not get them just for me. I will be happy to reimburse you if you did. Good luck to you in growing them if you plan to.

It wasn't much, so no worries. I did buy them with you in mind, but I'll use this opportunity to experiment with them my self and see what happens. If anyone else wants a few seeds, I'd be happy to mail them out as there are more in the packet than I could possibly use in one year.

Does anyone have experience with the shelf life of watermelon seeds? Is it more than one year? I hope so. I lazily didn't collect any from my Sangria last year, and am hoping to use the rest of them from the seed packet this year. I kept the packet in the fridge in a tupperware container with the rest of my seeds.

Kosk, per Territorial seed catalog, usual shelf life for melons in general is 3 years. I'd give 'em a whirl.

Thank you, bonehead! That's a relief. I need my melons!

I am in luck! Azorina has a nursery in Gig Harbor that will special order seeds from Territorial without the S/H charges. The seeds are on their way!

Yup