When you get right down to it, there are a lot of watermelon varieties to choose from. If you’re looking for something small, something seedless, or even something yellow, there are plenty of options available to the gardener who’s willing to look for the right seeds. But what if all you want is a good, vigorous, delicious, quintessential watermelon? Then watermelon ‘All Sweet’ might be what you’re after. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow All Sweet watermelons in the garden.
All Sweet Watermelon Plant Info
What is an All Sweet watermelon? All Sweet is a direct descendant of the Crimson Sweet watermelon, and it may very well be what you picture when you’re asked to imagine a watermelon.
All Sweet watermelon plants produce big fruits, usually measuring 17 to 19 inches (43-48 cm.) long and 7 inches (18 cm.) across and weighing in at between 25 and 35 pounds (11-16 kg.).
The skin is a vibrant dark green with lighter green striping. Inside, the flesh is bright red and juicy, with a rich sweetness that earns this melon its name. All Sweet is an heirloom variety and, because of its many good qualities, it is the parent of a good number of other watermelon cultivars.
How to Grow All Sweet Watermelons
Growing All Sweet melons is very easy and rewarding, provided you have ample space and time. The fruits are big and the vines are long, and while the recommended spacing is 36 inches (91 cm.) in each direction, some gardeners have reported them taking off for more than 6 feet (1.8 m.). In other words, make sure your vines have plenty of room to travel.
A single vine will produce several large fruits, taking between 90 and 105 days to reach maturity. Because yields are so high and the fruits are so large and sweet, this is considered a good variety to grow with children.
Plants need moderate watering, full sun, and temperatures above freezing in order to grow.