If you love watermelon but don’t have the family size to devour a huge melon, you’ll love Little Baby Flower watermelons. What is a Little Baby Flower watermelon? Read on to learn how to grow watermelon Little Baby Flower and about Little Baby Flower care.
What is a Little Baby Flower Watermelon?
Of the many types of watermelons, Little Baby Flower (Citrullus lanatus) falls under the category of personal sized melon. This little cutie averages 2- to 4-pounds (just under 1-2 kg.) fruit with excellent flavor. The exterior of the melon has dark and light green striping while the interior has sweet, crisp, dark pink flesh that is very high in sugar. High yielders, hybrid Little Baby Flower watermelons produce 3-5 melons per plant that are ready to harvest in about 70 days.
How to Grow Little Baby Flower Melon
Watermelons like well-draining soil with a pH of 6.5-7.5. They can be started indoors one month prior to transplanting outdoors. Watermelons love the heat, so soil temperatures should be above 70 F. (21 C.) prior to transplanting or direct sowing. To direct sow into the garden, sow 3 seeds for every 18-36 inches (45.5-91.5 cm.), about an inch (2.5 cm.) deep in full sun exposure. After the seedlings get their first set of leaves, thin to one plant per area.
Little Baby Flower Care
Watermelons need plenty of water in their early stages of growth as well as during pollination and fruit set. Quit watering one week prior to harvest to allow the sugars to concentrate. To give seedlings a jump start, use plastic mulch and row covers to keep them extra warm which will increase yields. Be sure to remove the covers when the female flowers begin to open so they can be pollinated. Keep the plants healthy and consistently watered using drip irrigation to reduce the risk of fungal disease. Use floating row covers if your area has a problem with cucumber beetles. Once harvested, Little Baby Flower melons can be stored for 2-3 weeks at 45 F. (7 C.) and a relative humidity of 85 percent.
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