Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Jubilee

Growing Jubilee Watermelon Garden Seeds

Sowing & Growing:

Sow Jubilee Watermelon seeds in mid-to-late May or once the soil has warmed to at least 70° and doesn't drop below 50° during night temperatures. Generally when planting watermelons, you can choose to sow your heirloom seeds in either raised hills or rows. You'll also help your non-GMO watermelon plants along by creating a 3" mound of Organic material on top of fertile well-draining soil with a pH level of 6.5-7.5. Plant Jubilee Watermelons 1" deep, with 4 seeds per hill and with 4-6" in between in raised hills. If your garden's location has less space, sow seeds closer with 1" apart and 5-6" spaced between raised rows. Because Jubilee Watermelon seeds benefit from a longer growing season, it's recommended to start watermelons indoors if you live in a cooler climate. Start indoors 3-4 weeks before your region's final frost in pea pots or seed starting trays. Plant Jubilee hybrid heirlooms ¼" deep with 3 seeds per pot. Keep the soil moist and warm. Germination will take 3-10 days depending on the heat. Once the young watermelon plants have grown 1-2 sets of true leaves, begin the hardening off process by exposing Jubilee Watermelons to outside temperatures before gently transplanting them to their permanent location, 3-4 from the sowing date. In both cases, you'll select strongest plants by thinning with scissors to at least 2 watermelons per raised hill or pot. Be sure to keep an eye on the tender annual vines as they grow fast and can spread up to 10" long! The key to watering watermelon varieties has to do with timing. Keep an even moisture with young Jubilee plants or 1-2" per week. Once you see fruit begin to bloom, ease up on watering and allow soil to soak up until dry. As the hybrid melons grow to the size of a baseball, lessen the amount of water even more, as the Jubilee Watermelons finish maturing. Allow these non-GMO fruits to grow into their elongated oblong shape and ripen as a summer-sweet heirloom crop.

Harvesting:

Harvest Jubilee Watermelons once these hybrid fruits bear a light-yellow color on the base of where they sit on the ground. If the primary stem and tendrils of this heirloom plant are still green, it's not ready to pick. In ideal summer conditions, these melons will be ready in 90 days from the sowing date. However, it can take up to 97 days, as the heat will help these watermelons with a longer growing season grow best. Another sign that your watermelon crop is ripe is if the stems have dried and the rind has turned a dull green. As non-GMO Jubilee Watermelons can grow up to 40lbs, testing their ripeness by holding this variety to feel its weight might be difficult. However, the bigger size of Jubilees make it easier to listen for whether or not it sounds hollow. Give a gentle thump on the watermelons" exterior. Use garden shears to detach the watermelons from their vine. If you want to harvest Jubilee heirlooms seeds, rinse them off and allow the bulky seeds to completely dry out for 1 week before storing. Continue to celebrate the crisp rich flavor of your sliced Jubilee Watermelons by storing them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Facts:

Jubilee Watermelon Seeds are a smooth-textured melon that were first grown in Florida in 1963. This hybrid heirloom was developed by crossing 4 other heat-loving watermelon varieties!