🍉 Sugar Baby Watermelon: Sweet, Compact, and Garden-Friendly
The Sugar Baby watermelon is a beloved heirloom variety known for its small size, intense sweetness, and suitability for home gardens. Here’s everything you need to know:
🌱 What Is a Sugar Baby Watermelon?
- Botanical Name: Citrullus lanatus
- Type: Icebox or picnic watermelon
- Origin: Developed in Oklahoma, introduced in 1955
- Size: Typically 6–10 pounds, 7–10 inches in diameter
- Appearance: Dark green rind with light stripes; deep red, juicy flesh
- Taste: Exceptionally sweet with a Brix rating of 10.2 (high sugar content)
🌞 Growing Sugar Baby Watermelons
- Days to Maturity: 75–85 days
- Sunlight: Full sun (8–10 hours daily)
- Soil: Loamy, well-draining, slightly acidic (pH 6.0–6.8)
- Watering: Consistent moisture; drip irrigation recommended
- Spacing: 18–36 inches apart; vines can grow up to 12 feet
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 2–11 (best in 9–10)
🍉 Harvesting Tips
- Ripeness Signs:
- Tendrils near the fruit turn brown and dry
- Ground spot becomes creamy yellow
- Rind loses gloss and sounds hollow when tapped
- Technique:
- Use sharp shears to cut with 2 inches of stem
- Handle gently to avoid bruising
🐝 Pollination & Pests
- Pollination: Bees are essential; hand-pollination may help in low bee areas
- Common Pests: Aphids, cucumber beetles, spider mites
- Diseases: Powdery mildew, anthracnose, fusarium wilt
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