30-50 pounds.
Black Diamond Heirloom Watermelon grows on tough, vigorous vines. Black Diamond Watermelon fruits can average 30-50 pounds, with some reaching up to 125 pounds! This watermelon variety has dark, blue-green thick rinds which protect the sweet, firm bright-red flesh.
How do I know when my black diamond watermelon is ready to pick?
Harvesting Black Diamond Watermelons
When attempting to pick a ripe watermelon, pay close attention to the tendril located where the melon connects to the plant stem. If this tendril is still green, the melon is not ripe. If the tendril has dried and turned brown, the melon is ripe or has started to ripen.
Is Black Diamond a good watermelon?
“Black Diamond’ watermelons taste mild and delicate due to their high water content, which is more than 92 percent. Over the years, these watermelons have been cultivated to have a more appealing flavor that’s sweet and satisfying, which means they’re an excellent dessert fruit.
How far apart do you plant black diamond watermelon?
Direct-seed 1 to 2 weeks after average last frost when soil is 70 F or warmer. Plant 1 inch deep, 6 seeds per hill, hills 4 to 6 feet apart; or 1 foot apart in rows 5 feet apart.
What does Black Diamond watermelon look like?
Black Diamond is a classic oblong watermelon with a black-green rind covering bright red, crisp, flavorful flesh. In the 1950s, Black Diamond was a very popular home garden variety. Fruits have gray-black seeds (perfect for seed spitting contests) and can grow quite large.
What is so special about a black diamond watermelon?
Black diamond watermelons are known for their enormous size and their juicy, sweet flesh. This heirloom variety is popular for home gardens as well as large, commercial farms. The dark, blue-green-black melons have rich red flesh. and typically lack the usual stripes of more familiar watermelon varieties.
What is the best tasting watermelon?
25 of the Best Watermelon Varieties
- Picnic. Allsweet. Charleston Gray. Crimson Sweet.
- Icebox. Blacktail Mountain. Bush Sugar Baby. Sweet Beauty.
- Personal. Golden Midget. Little Darling.
- Giant. Black Diamond Yellow Belly. Carolina Cross #183.
- Seedless. Big Tasty. Mini Piccolo.
- Orange, Yellow, or White Flesh. Orange Crisp. Orangeglo.
Why are Black Diamond watermelons so expensive?
This specific black diamond watermelon by Densuke is only grown on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. They take a considerable amount of space to grow, and require several months of care and maintenance. They are very rare and every year there are fewer than a hundred that the company sells.
What is the most expensive watermelon?
Densuke melons
Nearly seedless with a black rind and exceptionally sweet flesh, Densuke melons typically cost around $250 USD. In 2008, a Densuke melon sold for roughly $6,100 USD; it’s considered the most expensive watermelon ever sold. While exceedingly rare, Densuke melons aren’t exclusively sold in Japan.
What is the sweetest variety of watermelon?
Sweetest by size
And the monsters that weigh 10-15 pounds are called picnic varieties. WSU found that the personal watermelon with the highest Brix value is the Pony Yellow, a lovely yellow-fleshed melon that scores a sugary 12.3 Brix.
What happens if you plant watermelons too close together?
In the case of spacing watermelon plants, those set too far apart waste valuable garden space while those set too close together compete for light, air and soil nutrients, resulting in a potentially compromised crop.
What can you not plant with watermelon?
Watermelon Companion Plants & Non-Companions
For companion plants, you’re going to want to plant it with things like radishes, lettuces & then avoid things like cucumber, zucchini, and basically anything in the melon family. Basically they make it difficult for the plants to grow and mature and can attract diseases.
How deep do watermelon roots go?
Watermelon roots commonly grow 8 to 10 or more inches deep; the hole and mound become a reservoir of moisture and nutrients. More tips: Watermelon Seed Starting Tips. Care. Space watermelons 6 to 12 feet (1.8-3.6 m) apart; don’t let plants compete for soil moisture or nutrients.
When should I pick my heirloom watermelon?
Answer: Harvest watermelons when the underside or belly of the fruit turns from a greenish white to buttery yellow or cream. This color change is especially pronounced on the dark green skinned varieties. In addition, the fruit tends to lose its slick appearance on top and becomes dull when ripe.
Why is my black diamond watermelon white inside?
White heart is a disorder that can develop during the final stages of watermelon growth. With this disorder, white streaks appear throughout the flesh of the melon.
Are Sugar Baby and black diamond watermelon the same?
Black Diamond is a regular size watermelon and Sugar Baby is icebox size.
Is it OK to eat black watermelon seeds?
The black seeds in a regular watermelon are just plain ol’ seeds. They’re mature, fertile seeds, so if you planted a few in the ground, they would indeed sprout into watermelon plants. While they’re thought to be too hard and therefore inedible, they are actually completely safe to consume.
Can you freeze watermelon?
Nothing evokes summer like fresh watermelon juice running down your chin. Capture the feeling of long summer days by tucking some watermelon into your freezer. If you’re thinking, “Are you sure—can you freeze watermelon?” The answer is a resounding yes.
How much do Black Diamond watermelons weigh?
Black diamond melons average at 50 pounds, but can easily weigh in at 75 pounds. Infact an 80 pound black diamond watermelon holds the current title at the historic Watermelon Thump festival.
Should watermelon vines be pruned?
Pruning watermelons promotes healthier vines and increases fruit size. Look for irregular or rotting fruit to prune from the plant. Removing the less than perfect melons will enable the plant to focus energy towards growing bigger, healthier, juicier melons.
Does Salt Make watermelon sweeter?
Salt is a great way to enhance these fruits’ natural sweetness. Salting watermelon also improves the fruit’s texture. A little sprinkling of salt brings all the liquid to the surface of the water-rich fruit. As a result, each bite is guaranteed to be juicy and sweet.