Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF

Organic Kleckley's Sweet Picnic Watermelon in the Vegetable Garden

To lengthen the growing season, start the seeds indoors or in a greenhouse up to one month before the final frost date in your growing zone. Keep the seedlings in the dark for about 2 days and then expose them to 8 or more hours of sunlight immediately upon emergence. During germination, provide constant dampness, warm temperatures, and humidity. An optional but beneficial tip: start pollinator-friendly flower seeds simultaneously and transplant them into the garden together, promoting the natural pollination of watermelon flowers later. The site should have ample room for the plants to grow, temperatures consistently at or above 70F, and full sun. In this case, ‘full sun’ necessitates eight or more hours of direct sunlight daily. If desired, directly sow the seeds as early as soil temperatures regularly exceed 50F.

Before transplanting, prepare the garden bed by creating 8-10 inch tall mounds, about 4-5 feet apart. Plant 2-3 starts per mound. About a week before your planting date, start to harden off the seedlings once they have developed 1-2 sets of true leaves. If starting from seed in the garden bed, plant 5-6 seeds per mound, about a half inch deep, and then thin out to 2-3 once they have true leaves. Try not to disturb the roots during transplantation.

Cover the mounds in 2-3 inches of mulch to keep soil moisture even; this can help with any water inconsistencies the plants might experience. Although natural pollinators will attempt to pollinate your flowers for you, hand pollination can ensure a fruitful season. The female flowers will have a bulge at the base (which will hopefully become fruit), and the male pollen (the flower with the obvious pollen-filled stamen) needs to make it to the female flowers. Break off the male flower once it has opened fully and lightly brush it on the middle of the female flower. Watermelon plants benefit from a nitrogen-rich feed every 2-3 weeks until fruiting occurs, then continue with an even fertilizer. Watermelon plants require lots of water while their vines and fruit mature. Yet, it is best to taper off watering slightly as the fruit reaches maturity.

Harvesting Organic Kleckley's Sweet Picnic Watermelons

To harvest, use a sharp knife to slice the melon off the main vine where the stem connected to the fruit diverges. Discerning if a watermelon is ripe and ready for harvest is often challenging. The most reliable sign is the presence of a yellow belly. This yellow area is where the fruit rests on the ground and should be firm, not white. The color will fade from white to yellow as it matures. Additionally, the spindles on the main vine near where the fruit branched off from will die back and turn brown. Lastly, the rind will fade from shiny to dull. Lastly, the melon will sound hollow when tapped or lightly knocked on.

About Organic Kleckley's Sweet Picnic Garden Seeds

Be gentle when checking leaves for pests and fruit for maturity. The vines can be a bit dramatic if they get disturbed excessively. They may wilt or slow production.

As we all know, watermelon tastes delicious when eaten fresh, but it can also be made into desserts and drinks. The rind can even be peeled and blended into chlorophyll shots!

Kleckley’s Sweet Watermelon was introduced to the market by William Alexander Kleckley in 1897. The Kleckleys being from Georgia, this variety is truly an All-American watermelon developed for Americans by Americans. It can also be known as Monte Christo or Wonder Melon by other seed distributors.

Suitable for growing in garden plots, Kleckley’s Sweet has very sweet, deep-red flesh and a broad, stringless heart. A good choice for a home garden variety because of its thin skin. It is an oblong fruit with square ends and large white seeds.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Although I have not grown Kleckley’s Sweet personally, I have heard nothing but good things about it. The flesh is said to be supremely sweet and although it is not seedless, the seeds are large and easy to remove before eating the flesh."

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

Other Resources

• True Leaf Market Garden Planner - Watermelons

Organic Kleckley's Sweet Picnic Watermelon Seeds Per Package:

• 3 g packet - Approximately 28 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 260 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 1,040 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 4,160 Seeds

Non-GMO Organic Kleckley's Sweet Picnic Watermelon seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.