Pollination. “Sugar Baby” melons are pollinated by bees. The plants produce yellow male and female flowers. Bees distribute pollen from male plants to the female plants, causing pollination and fruit development.
Do you need to pollinate Sugar Baby watermelon?
Hand-Pollinating Your Sugar Baby Watermelon
The first wave of flowers that your watermelon vine produces will usually only be male. Once the female flowers appear, they’ll need to be pollinated to produce fruit. Hand-pollinating is easy. Take a small paintbrush and gather a little pollen from a male flower.
Is Sugar Baby watermelon open-pollinated?
This early standard icebox watermelon, Sugar Baby, is popular throughout the world. This heirloom open-pollinated watermelon produces round fruit that is 8″ in across and weighing 8 pounds.
How many watermelons will a sugar baby plant produce?
‘Sugar Baby’ produces anywhere from two to five melons per vine. In regions with a long growing season, the first melon is usually the largest, with smaller melons ripening toward the end of the season.
How long does it take a Sugar Baby watermelon to mature?
Compared to their full-sized counterparts that take 120 days to mature, smaller Sugar Baby watermelons ripen in just 75 days. Also called icebox or picnic watermelons, they often grow eight- to 12-pound fruits.
When should I fertilize my Sugar Baby watermelon?
Fertilizing watermelon is typically done at the time of planting by incorporating fertilizer into the soil. If you don’t do that, apply a weak fertilizer solution when you water. Fertilize again when fruit begins to set using fish-emulsion spray or compost tea.
How can you tell if a watermelon has been pollinated?
How Can You Tell if a Watermelon Has Been Pollinated?
- Watermelon vines produce both male and female flowers.
- Pollen from the male flowers must reach the flowers of the female plants for pollination to occur.
- The presence of swelling at the pistil’s base is a telltale sign that pollination has occurred.
How can you tell if a watermelon flower is male or female?
The fruit is found in the ovaries (beneath the flower sepals) from the pistillate flowers. The female flower is easy to recognize. Its swollen base looks like a tiny watermelon. Vines usually produce 10 times more male flowers than female.
Can you trellis Sugar baby watermelon?
Hot to Make a Watermelon Trellis
Whatever you choose, make sure it can support the weight of 2-3 watermelons per plant (sugar baby watermelons work great for this method and eliminate issues trying to support enormous melons)
What is the sweetest watermelon variety?
Sultan. Sultan is one of the sweetest varieties you’ll find, this one measures 12.3 on the Brix scale. The fruits average 15 pounds and ripen within 95 days.
Why is my Sugar Baby watermelon white?
More About Watermelon Colors
Regular watermelons take up to 120 days to ripen; if your red one is white inside, it is not ready to eat.
Can you save seeds from a seedless watermelon?
Yes, you can save watermelon seeds to plant for next year. Watermelons take quite a while to grow to maturity, so plan for the following season. Save seeds from melons you’ve grown in your garden after they’ve ripened on the vine.
How much space do Sugar Baby watermelons need?
These melons need rich, well-draining soil, amended with compost and composted manure. Plant them in an area with at least eight hours of sun exposure per day and account for at least 60 square feet of space per plant.
What can you not plant with watermelon?
Avoid planting them near other crops that will shade them. Include flowers like dill, chamomile, cosmos and pineapple sage to attract predatory insects that eat melon pests, including beetles, caterpillars and aphids.
Is a Sugar Baby watermelon good?
This widely adapted heirloom variety is solid, dark green on the outside with a bright red, firm and fine-grained flesh that is super sweet. Watermelon contains high levels of healthy antioxidants, making Sugar Baby a great sweet way to pack in good nutrition. Vines are compact. Plant about 4 feet apart.
How many watermelons do you get per plant?
The number of vines determines how many watermelons there are per plant as each vine can produce between two to four melons during the growing season. Watermelons grow best in a planting site that has a lot of open space. Watermelon vines ramble, so your plants are going to spread out around your garden as they grow.
What month do you plant watermelon?
Watermelons need about 100 days of warm weather to produce an edible melon. If the warm, late fall and winter weather of recent years continues, you may get a watermelon for Christmas. The best times to sow seeds for watermelons are early March and early August.
Can sugar baby watermelons grow in pots?
Compact varieties like Sugar Baby work well for containers. Compact varieties of watermelon work best for containers. I’m growing Black Tail Mountain and Sugar Baby watermelon in 20 gallon Smart Pots containers.
Should you water watermelon everyday?
Watermelons do not need water every single day. Only consider watering your watermelons daily when temperatures exceed 90°F (32°C). Watering 1–2 times per week works well as long as temperatures are below 90°F. Try to keep the soil moist to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm) at all times.
Is Miracle Grow fertilizer good for watermelons?
Miracle Grow is a commonly used fertilizer that can often be a great thing for your watermelon plants. It’s important to learn about your soil composition to know what type and how much of any fertilizer you use, including Miracle Grow.
How do I make my watermelon sweeter when growing?
Heat brings out melons’ sweetness, so make sure to plant them in a location that warms up early in spring and stays hot through the end of September. The south side of a fence or wall is ideal as the structure will absorb heat and light from the sun and reflect it back onto the melons.