Watermelon Seeds: Latest Prices and a Detailed Guide to Growing Methods

Watermelon, also known as summer melon, cold melon and so on, is an annual trailing vine in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), genus Citrullus. It is highly nutritious and can be called the “king of midsummer”. It is widely cultivated across China, with a great many varieties, and its rind, flesh and seeds come in many forms. Among these, the regions of Xinjiang, Lanzhou in Gansu, Dezhou in Shandong and Dongtai in Jiangsu are the most famous. Now let us take a look together at watermelon seed prices and growing methods!

How much do watermelon seeds cost?

Note: There are a great many watermelon varieties, and the rind, flesh and seeds come in a wide range of forms. Seed prices vary with seed quality, variety, place of origin and market conditions. The prices above are for reference only; please rely on the actual situation when purchasing.

What varieties of watermelon are there?

1. Early-maturing varieties: from sowing to harvest takes 80-100 days, the fruit ripens quickly, and from the opening of the female flower to maturity takes 25-30 days. The plants are relatively small and suitable for close planting. Good varieties include Jingxin, Zhengza, Zaohua and other small-fruited types.

2. Mid-maturing varieties: from sowing to harvest takes 100-120 days, the fruit ripens a little later, and from the opening of the female flower to maturity takes 30-40 days. The plants are larger and grow vigorously, and the fruit is large with a thick rind, making it relatively tolerant of transport and storage, such as Xinong R.

3. Late-maturing varieties: from sowing to harvest takes more than 120 days, and they are less commonly cultivated. The fruit is large and yields are high, and it keeps well for storage and transport, such as Hongyou No. 2, Jingfengbao, Fengshou No. 2, Xin Hongbao, Jinhuabao, Qihong watermelon and so on.

Sowing methods for watermelon

1. Seed soaking and sprouting: before sowing watermelon, sun the seeds for 2 days, then disinfect them, then soak them in warm water at 55 degrees C. Wash the treated seeds well and place them in an incubator at a high temperature of 40 degrees C for 6 hours to start germination, then sprout them at a constant 33 degrees C. When the radicle grows to 0.5 cm, they are ready for sowing.

2. Preparing the seedbed: choose a plot for the watermelon seedbed that is sheltered from the wind and faces the sun, with high, dry terrain and convenient management. For early spring seedling raising, do it in a greenhouse or polytunnel; for late-autumn seedling raising, build a shade shed. The nutrient soil should be loose and free of pests and diseases, with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer applied in proportion, and slightly sticky.

3. Sowing at the right time: sow early-maturing watermelon varieties from mid-December of the previous year to late March, mid-maturing varieties from April to June, and late-autumn varieties in mid-to-late July. Water thoroughly 1 day before sowing. When sowing, place the seeds flat in the nutrient pot, 1 seed per pot, cover with fine soil and then add a plastic film cover.

4. Temperature management: after sowing watermelon, keep the temperature inside the bed at 28-35 degrees C during the day and 20-25 degrees C at night. After 80% of the seeds break through the soil and emerge, keep it at 20-25 degrees C during the day and 15-18 degrees C at night. After the first true leaf appears, keep it at 25-28 degrees C during the day. Begin hardening off the seedlings 1 week before transplanting.

5. Water management: generally do not water again before the watermelon seedlings emerge; watering should be controlled during the cotyledon stage, and once the true leaves have unfolded, the amount of watering can be increased. In addition, be careful to remove the film for ventilation to prevent high temperature and high humidity. During the seedling stage of late-autumn watermelon, the weather is hot and dry, so attention should be paid to supplying water.

Growing methods for watermelon

1. Choosing the site and fertilizing: for growing watermelon, it is best to choose a sandy loam with deep soil, loose texture and convenient drainage and irrigation. The base fertilizer should be mainly organic fertilizer and cake fertilizer, supplemented by inorganic fertilizer, generally accounting for 60-70% of the total fertilizer amount, with a reasonable balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; trace-element fertilizers can be applied to the soil or sprayed on according to conditions.

2. Transplanting at the right time: early-maturing watermelon varieties can be transplanted once the seedlings are about 1 month old and have grown 2-3 true leaves; mid-maturing varieties at 20-25 days old; late-maturing varieties at 7-10 days old. Plant 2 rows on wide beds and 1 row on narrow beds, covering with film as you transplant.

3. Pruning and pressing the vines: watermelon generally uses a three-vine pruning method. When the main vine has 8-9 leaves, keep the main vine and two vigorous side vines. When the vines reach 50 cm, press them down with soil as part of pruning, then press again every 3-4 nodes, pressing each vine 2-3 times in total, and arrange the vines evenly.

4. Setting and turning the fruit: for watermelon, keep the 2nd and 3rd female flowers on the main vine or the 1st and 2nd female flowers on the side vines for fruit set. In low temperatures or rainy weather, artificial pollination should be used. Once the fruit has grown fully, turn it promptly, rotating it in one direction each time, by about 1/3 each turn.

5. Water and fertilizer management: when the young watermelon fruit reaches the size of a chicken egg, apply a fruit-swelling fertilizer according to the plant's growth, generally applying 15-20 kg per mu of 45% nitrate-sulfur-based or potassium sulfate-type controlled-release fertilizer. When water is scarce, irrigate in the early morning or at night when temperatures are lower, and drain excess water from the field promptly after rain.

6. Harvesting at the right time: watermelon is best harvested in the morning. For long-distance transport or storage, harvest at eight-tenths ripe; for sale in nearby suburbs on the same day, harvest at nine-tenths ripe. Generally, early-maturing varieties are harvested about 30 days after pollination, mid-maturing varieties about 35 days, and late-maturing varieties about 40 days.

7. Pest and disease control: the main diseases of watermelon include fusarium wilt, anthracnose, viral disease, powdery mildew and blight, and the main pests include cutworms, aphids, red spider mites, yellow squash beetles, melon maggots and leaf miners. Strengthen control throughout the growing and management process.