Juicy, Sweet Watermelon

By: Denise Foley

Delectable and it's easy to grow.

Itty Bitties

If space is an issue in your backyard, mini melons are the way to go. Here are some little guys with big flavor:

Sugar Baby: Great for areas with short growing seasons; matures in 75 days and produces 1-pound fruits.
Solitaire Hybrid: Fruits each weigh 3 1/2 to 5 pounds; deeply red-flesh melon is very sweet and seedless.
Tiger Baby: Grows to 7 to 10 pounds and is very sweet; 80 days to maturity.
Sweet Beauty: Oblong-shaped fruit, weighing 5 to 7 pounds when mature.
Extazy: Fruits max out at about 5 pounds, with an 85-day growing season.

Healthy Eatin'

Watermelon is made up of more than 90 percent water, but is still a nutrient-rich powerhouse. Its luscious red color comes courtesy of lycopene, a plant chemical linked to a lower risk of heart disease and some cancers. Watermelon is second only to tomatoes in lycopene content.

And it's the dieter's secret weapon. One substantial wedge is about 86 calories. "Best of all, it's such an indulgence that it keeps you from eating bad things," says nutritionist Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and former food editor for Weight Watchers magazine.

Even if you have a modest backyard, you can grow enough watermelons to have plenty of seed-spitting contests this summer.

How to Grow Watermelon

All it takes is a few simple steps to grow watermelon you can enjoy all summer long. So get planting!

Watermelon plants can be purchased or started indoors.
These fruits like it warm and sunny. Plant after all danger of frost has passed--when daytime temperatures are in the 70s and evenings are in the high 60s. Use weed-barrier fabrics to keep the soil warm; the fabric also lets air and water through, while preventing weeds.
Plant up to three large watermelons on a hill that's mounded up to 2 feet high with soil and plenty of compost. If you can fit more than one hill in your garden, space them 6 to 8 feet apart.
You can also grow smaller varieties vertically on a trellis. Just be sure to offer plants substantial support--a solid cage or A-frame using reinforced wire, and slings to hold the fruit. Tie up vines every few inches to keep them secured.
Water liberally for the first three to four weeks your vines grow, but cut back once the plants are established. Continue to water thoroughly but less frequently. Too much water could reduce the amount of sugar in the melon, making it less sweet.

Contact your local garden center or horticulture extension office to find out what grows best in your own backyard.

The Ripe Time

How do you know when your watermelons are ripe?

The best method? Look for the curly tendrils on the stem near where the fruit is attached to turn brown. If they look half dead, it's ready for picking.
You can also check the underside of the melon. A ripe fruit will have a cream- or yellow-colored spot from where it sat on the ground while ripening in the sun.

Did you know? Thumping on the fruit and listening for a "hollow" sound isn't particularly accurate. Sometimes, that hollow sound actually means the melon has turned to mush inside.

Eat a slice with your barbeque fare, or try one of these recipes:

Beverages