How to Grow Orange Tendersweet Heirloom Watermelons

Watermelons originate in Southern Africa: technically the fruit of the watermelon is a berry. The watermelon “berry” has a very thick rind and a fleshy interior, and prefers hot, dry climates for growth.

The Orange Tendersweet watermelon has an orange fleshy interior, and is extremely nutritious. All watermelons have a diuretic effect, which helps to flush water through the body. Watermelon also contains vitamin C, citrulline, and beta carotene (an antioxidant). Watermelon is rated as an excellent food for those trying to lose weight: it is nutritious and adds few calories to the diet.

The Orange Tendersweet watermelon has a tough rind, which makes it suitable for short-term storage and for selling by the roadside. The flesh of this heirloom watermelon is a pastel orange color, and has a subtle, honey-like flavor. The Orange Tendersweet is not as “heavy” in flavor as other watermelons, but the fruit is definitely sweet and has a bright, crisp flavor!

The Orange Tendersweet takes approximately 90 days to mature from the time the seeds are planted. Mark the date the seeds are planted on the calendar, to keep track of when the fruit should begin to ripen. Planting seeds in raised garden beds is also beneficial for watermelon plants, as the soil warms faster than the surrounding ground. Be sure to provide the plants with plenty of room: the vines will sprawl and smother anything in their path!

Watermelon vines don’t like to be transplanted, so it is best to sow the seeds outside once the danger of frost has passed. Plant the seeds approximately 1 inch deep (2cm) and cover the seeds with quality topsoil. Watermelons are native to a desert region, and do not like standing water. Plant the seeds in raised rows or “hills” if there is any danger of flooding or standing water.

Our family planted Orange Tendersweet watermelon seeds directly into raised beds (we are in Zone 5, in the Great Lakes region of Western New York). The seeds were planted in late May, after the danger of frost had passed. We were not terribly particular about the planting method: our five year old planted the seeds himself, with no adult interference. By August 24, we had mature, ripe watermelons, ready for eating!

There are several ways to determine if a watermelon is ripe.

1. Check the “spoon leaf.” This is a very small, oblong leaf near the watermelon. When this leaf dries and withers, the watermelon is close to being ripe.
2. Check the tendril closest to the watermelon: this should be dry and brown.
3. Turn the watermelon over: the pale, white patch on the bottom of the watermelon should be a yellow color.
4. Scratch the watermelon rind with a fingernail. A ripe watermelon will be hard and resistant to scratching.
5. The watermelon rind will become dull in color when it is ripe.
6. Some people insist that tapping the watermelon will produce a dull, hollow sound when the watermelon is ripe. This test is very subjective, however, and it is best to rely on the tendril/spoon leaf/yellow patch signs.

When the watermelon is ripe, cut the watermelon from the vine. There is no turning back now! Cut the watermelon open. The flesh of the Orange Tendersweet watermelon will be very pale, so do not panic when the color does not resemble the watermelons in the grocery store. If the seeds inside the melon are mature, it is ripe! Take a taste test to be sure: the flesh will be crisp and sweet.

When we harvested our Orange Tendersweet watermelons, I let my son have the first bite. He had, after all, planted the seeds to begin with! He has planted, raised, and eaten organic fruit entirely on his own, and he is only five years old. The experience has been a wonderful learning experience, and we have a lot of fresh, organic watermelon to eat as a bonus!