Watermelon, also known as "watermelon", Citrullus lanatus, is a fruiting vegetable in the Cucurbitaceae family and the Benincaseae tribe. The Citrullus genus comprises 4 known species. Depending on the variety, watermelons produce round or elongated fruit, with entirely green skin, yellow skin with striations or spots, and white, yellow, orange or red flesh. There are three main types of watermelon: bitter-fleshed watermelons, cultivated in Africa for their seeds, which are roasted before being eaten; jam-type watermelons, with white flesh, high dry matter content and no sweet taste.They are sometimes called "Spanish melons", and sweet-fleshed watermelons are very rich in water, and are red, orange or yellow in color. All our bagged watermelon seeds are organic, royalty-free and reproducible.
Watermelon is over 90% water. It's a good source of vitamins C and B6, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. It's also one of the richest foods in citrulline, an amino acid transformed by the body into the essential amino acid arginine. The seeds embedded in the juicy flesh can be eaten and are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. In Africa, they are used as a staple food. In India, they are ground into flour for bread.
The watermelon, with its long, creeping stems, is a plant covered with small hairs. Its distinctive leaves are quite large and divided into numerous lobed segments. Sensitive to low temperatures, it needs more sun than melons. In temperate climates, only 1 to 3 fruits are left on the plant.
Sowing advice: from March to April, sow watermelon seeds in pots of 2 to 3 seeds, keeping the substrate moist until emergence. Place seedlings under a bright, warm shelter. Watermelon seeds generally germinate in 7 to 10 days at temperatures above 21°C. Transplant 1.50 m apart in all directions in the vegetable garden once the last frosts have passed, and mulch generously. A few weeks in advance, prepare holes filled with compost or organic matter for watermelon plants or seeds. Water regularly. From April to May, you can sow directly in the ground. Watermelons are harvested from July to October.
