Watermelon 2026

Seedless watermelons are propagated by crossing two different parent plants that have been treated with a chemical called colchicine.   This process creates a sterile hybrid that produces fruit without viable seeds, which is exactly why you never find mature black seeds in the melon you bring home from the store.   If you’ve ever … Read more

Seedless watermelons are made by crossing a diploid watermelon with a tetraploid watermelon to create a triploid seed that grows into a fruit incapable of producing mature seeds.   It sounds like something out of a science lab, but it’s actually a fascinating bit of plant genetics that farmers have been using for decades.   … Read more

Watermelons are planted in late spring or early summer, once the soil has warmed to at least 70°F and all danger of frost has passed.   If you’ve been wondering how and when to plant watermelon, the short answer is simple: give them heat, give them sun, and give them room to sprawl.   Watermelon … Read more

Watermelon rinds make good compost because they’re roughly 90% water and packed with the kind of soft, nitrogen-rich organic matter that compost piles absolutely love.   If you’ve ever stood over your kitchen counter after a summer cookout wondering whether watermelon rinds make good compost or just turn into a slimy mess in the bin, … Read more

Watermelon plants do self-pollinate, but they also rely on pollinators to make that happen efficiently.   Each watermelon plant produces both male and female flowers, which means it has everything it needs to pollinate itself.   The catch is that watermelon plants can’t just drop pollen onto themselves without a little help.   So while … Read more