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- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
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Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 85β100 days
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Native: Africa
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: 6'β10' vines
Variety Info: 22"β26" long, 10" wide, oblong fruit that is greenish-gray, and weighs 25β35 pounds. Interior is bright red. 'Charleston Gray' produces 1β2, 20β25 pound fruit per plant with brilliant red, crisp, very sweet interior. Disease resistant to Fusarium wilt and anthracnose.
Attributes: Disease Resistant
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70Β°β90Β°F.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when soil temperature is at least 60Β°F.
Days to Emerge: 5β10 days
Seed Depth: Β½"
Seed Spacing: 2β3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 4'β6' apart
Thinning: When 3 leaves, thin to 1 plant per mound
Growing Info
Harvesting: It can be tricky to know exactly when a watermelon is ripe and ready to pick. First, know the number of "days to harvest" and begin checking fruits as harvest date draws closer. Signs to look for are: (1) the bottom of the melon (where it lies on the soil) turns from light green to a yellowish color; (2) the surface color of the fruit turns dull; (3) the skin becomes resistant to penetration by the thumbnail and is rough to the touch; and (4) light green, curly tendril on the stem near the point of attachment of the melon is brown and dry. All of these indicators may not necessarily occur at the same time.