Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Warm‑season · frost‑sensitive · direct sow
70–100 days from seed to harvest
Watermelon is a warm-season, frost-sensitive fruiting vegetable in the gourd family. The usual start is direct sowing, and harvest is about 70–100 days from sowing (about 10 to 14 weeks).
Primary method: direct sow
Watermelon is usually sown outdoors. Calendar dates for your garden are on the when-to-plant page after you choose a place.
- Sow outside. Sow seed outdoors. Germination typically takes 3–12 days.
- Grow to harvest. The harvest clock starts when you sow seed. 70–100 days from sowing (about 10 to 14 weeks).
Time to harvest
Ready to harvest about 10 to 14 weeks after sowing.
- Sow
- Sprouting
- Growing
- Harvest, earliest to latest
Dates for your area: Local dates: not yet available This guide has no calendar dates; they depend on your place.
Other start methods
Starting indoors is not the usual method for this plant.
Care basics
Sun: full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun.
This plant does not tolerate frost.
Types and varieties
Other names: Citrullus, Picnic watermelon, Seedless watermelon. Variety groups are not listed here.
Growing facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Plant name | Watermelon |
| Scientific name | Citrullus lanatus |
| Family | Cucurbitaceae (gourd family) |
| Time to harvest | 70–100 days from sowing (about 10 to 14 weeks) |
| Days to germinate | 3–12 days |
| Ideal growing temperature | 21 – 35 °C |
| Minimum tolerable temperature | 16 °C |
| Maximum tolerable temperature | 38 °C |
| Start indoors | Not the usual method |
| Direct sow | Yes, usual method |
| Season type | Warm-season, frost-sensitive |
| Typical start method | Direct sow |
| Light | full sun, 6+ hours direct sun |
Glossary
- Ideal temperature
- The preferred daytime range for good growth.
- Tolerable temperature
- A wider range where the plant can still grow, less optimally.
- Harden off
- Gradually acclimating indoor seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting.
- Transplant
- Moving seedlings into the garden.
- Days to harvest
- The usual time to harvest, counted from the start point named beside the number (seed, transplant, or planting).