72 days from direct-sowing the seed; 60 days from transplanting seedlings.
Meet the 2012 All-America Selection, a whole new look in watermelons! Faerie Hybrid is nothing short of enchanting, with a creamy rind striped in yellow and concealing crisp, juicy, supersweet pinkish-red flesh! This small melon is just right for the family dinner table, and it finishes quickly, yields heavily, and saves space. You simply can't go wrong!
This vine reaches just 11 feet long, yet bears quite profusely. The melons are about 7 to 8 inches long at maturity, and weigh between 4 and 6 pounds. Disease- and pest-resistant, they're easy to grow in a wide range of climates, asking only for plenty of sunshine and rich, well-drained soil. You'll be amazed at how fun and simple Faerie is to grow, even if you're a novice watermelon farmer!
But the best part of this melon is its flavor. Rich, juicy, yet also with a good crunch, it's ultra-sweet and mouthwatering. Thank goodness the yields are so generous -- you're going to wish these melons harvested year-round!
In northern climates and short growing seasons, start the seed indoors about 4 weeks before the final frost. Farther south and in longer seasons, sow the seed directly into the warm, well-worked spring soil. Space plants 8 to 10 feet apart. Pkt is 10 seeds.
When you think of melons, you probably think of summer. It's hard to beat the simple pleasure of eating a sweet, juicy slice of chilled honeydew or watermelon on a hot day. Well, the world of melons has far more to offer than that one nostalgia-inducing delight, and what a delicious world it is!
There's a wide variety to choose from, ranging in size from slightly larger than a softball to hefty 50-pound beauties, and they come in a range of colors, both inside and out. Melons are extremely versatile, proving wonderful freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator, and they make a healthy dessert or snack as well as an ingredient in salads, salsas, entrees, side dishes, and drinks!
Choosing a Variety
When choosing which variety of melon to grow, you will want to take into consideration the size of your growing area. Melons are vining plants and tend to require a lot of space, so be sure to grow only varieties you know you'll enjoy eating. Some gardeners have started growing melons vertically (on trellises, etc.) in order to conserve space. If you want to try this method, research which ones would be most appropriate.
Since melons come in such a wide variety of sizes, colors, and flavors, these characteristics will also play a role in what types you decide to plant in your garden.
When to Start
If you live in an area with a long growing season, Melons do best if the seeds are sown outdoors when the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed. You can sow them indoors 3 to 4 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees F.
How to Start
Whether you are planting indoors or out, sow your Melons at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds. If you're planting inside, sow them in individual pots, as they don't like being transplanted. Seedless Watermelons should be started indoors.
When sowing outdoors, make a small hill of fertile, well-drained soil and plant 3 to 5 seeds about 2 inches apart. Water well.
Expect your Watermelons to germinate in 8 to 14 days. Other Melons will germinate within 7 to 10 days.
Planting Out
You need to harden off your young Melon plants for at least a week before planting them out. Set them outdoors in a lightly shaded area for an hour or two. The next day, give them a longer visit outside until they remain outdoors overnight, still in their pots. Naturally, if a cold spell hits, bring them indoors again to wait for the temperature to rise.
Watermelons:
You will want to transplant your Watermelon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Be very careful with the roots -- they resent being disturbed. Space them about 2 feet apart in rows that are 6 to 8 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Other Melons:
Fertilize before you plant and then again every 4 weeks. You will want to transplant your Melon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Space them about 18 inches apart in rows that are about 4 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Once your Melons have been transplanted, if cold weather should threaten, you can make a mini-greenhouse out of a one-gallon, plastic milk jug. Just cut the bottom off and set it over the plant, pushing it about ½ inch into the ground. During the day, it can be vented by removing the cap.
Special Considerations
Be sure not to start your Melons too early.
Watermelon:
Growing Tips
Pests and Problems to Watch For
This large, sprawling vine with large, hairy leaves produces large, round, oval, or oblong, edible fruit. It is a smooth-skinned fruit that can be colored light-green, dark-green, or green and white striped. The inner flesh can be red, yellow, or white. It can be difficult to tell when the fruit is ripe: rap on the sides and listen for a dull thump rather than a sharp sound and look for a golden yellow color where the bottom of the fruit rests on the ground
Superior Germination Through Superior Science
First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.
Superior Standards - University Inspected
Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians
Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.
When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.
The Park Seed Gold Standard
Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).
Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.
72 days from direct-sowing the seed; 60 days from transplanting seedlings.
Meet the 2012 All-America Selection, a whole new look in watermelons! Faerie Hybrid is nothing short of enchanting, with a creamy rind striped in yellow and concealing crisp, juicy, supersweet pinkish-red flesh! This small melon is just right for the family dinner table, and it finishes quickly, yields heavily, and saves space. You simply can't go wrong!
This vine reaches just 11 feet long, yet bears quite profusely. The melons are about 7 to 8 inches long at maturity, and weigh between 4 and 6 pounds. Disease- and pest-resistant, they're easy to grow in a wide range of climates, asking only for plenty of sunshine and rich, well-drained soil. You'll be amazed at how fun and simple Faerie is to grow, even if you're a novice watermelon farmer!
But the best part of this melon is its flavor. Rich, juicy, yet also with a good crunch, it's ultra-sweet and mouthwatering. Thank goodness the yields are so generous -- you're going to wish these melons harvested year-round!
In northern climates and short growing seasons, start the seed indoors about 4 weeks before the final frost. Farther south and in longer seasons, sow the seed directly into the warm, well-worked spring soil. Space plants 8 to 10 feet apart. Pkt is 10 seeds.
When you think of melons, you probably think of summer. It's hard to beat the simple pleasure of eating a sweet, juicy slice of chilled honeydew or watermelon on a hot day. Well, the world of melons has far more to offer than that one nostalgia-inducing delight, and what a delicious world it is!
There's a wide variety to choose from, ranging in size from slightly larger than a softball to hefty 50-pound beauties, and they come in a range of colors, both inside and out. Melons are extremely versatile, proving wonderful freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator, and they make a healthy dessert or snack as well as an ingredient in salads, salsas, entrees, side dishes, and drinks!
Choosing a Variety
When choosing which variety of melon to grow, you will want to take into consideration the size of your growing area. Melons are vining plants and tend to require a lot of space, so be sure to grow only varieties you know you'll enjoy eating. Some gardeners have started growing melons vertically (on trellises, etc.) in order to conserve space. If you want to try this method, research which ones would be most appropriate.
Since melons come in such a wide variety of sizes, colors, and flavors, these characteristics will also play a role in what types you decide to plant in your garden.
When to Start
If you live in an area with a long growing season, Melons do best if the seeds are sown outdoors when the soil is warm and all danger of frost has passed. You can sow them indoors 3 to 4 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees F.
How to Start
Whether you are planting indoors or out, sow your Melons at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds. If you're planting inside, sow them in individual pots, as they don't like being transplanted. Seedless Watermelons should be started indoors.
When sowing outdoors, make a small hill of fertile, well-drained soil and plant 3 to 5 seeds about 2 inches apart. Water well.
Expect your Watermelons to germinate in 8 to 14 days. Other Melons will germinate within 7 to 10 days.
Planting Out
You need to harden off your young Melon plants for at least a week before planting them out. Set them outdoors in a lightly shaded area for an hour or two. The next day, give them a longer visit outside until they remain outdoors overnight, still in their pots. Naturally, if a cold spell hits, bring them indoors again to wait for the temperature to rise.
Watermelons:
You will want to transplant your Watermelon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Be very careful with the roots -- they resent being disturbed. Space them about 2 feet apart in rows that are 6 to 8 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 6 to 8 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Other Melons:
Fertilize before you plant and then again every 4 weeks. You will want to transplant your Melon seedlings when they have at least two sets of true leaves. Space them about 18 inches apart in rows that are about 4 feet apart, or plant them in threes on hills. Space the hills 4 to 6 feet apart. Plant in full sun, in a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. You will need to water well while the plants are growing, but once the fruit is ripening, keep the soil on the drier side, as this will improve the sweetness and flavor.
Once your Melons have been transplanted, if cold weather should threaten, you can make a mini-greenhouse out of a one-gallon, plastic milk jug. Just cut the bottom off and set it over the plant, pushing it about ½ inch into the ground. During the day, it can be vented by removing the cap.
Special Considerations
Be sure not to start your Melons too early.
Watermelon:
Growing Tips
Pests and Problems to Watch For
This large, sprawling vine with large, hairy leaves produces large, round, oval, or oblong, edible fruit. It is a smooth-skinned fruit that can be colored light-green, dark-green, or green and white striped. The inner flesh can be red, yellow, or white. It can be difficult to tell when the fruit is ripe: rap on the sides and listen for a dull thump rather than a sharp sound and look for a golden yellow color where the bottom of the fruit rests on the ground
Superior Germination Through Superior Science
First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.
Superior Standards - University Inspected
Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians
Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.
When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.
The Park Seed Gold Standard
Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).
Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.