After Eating a Watermelon, Can You Plant the Seeds?
Many tiny children have sat on rear porches over the years, eating watermelon and spitting seeds into the grass. At times, they are surprised having a watermelon vine a couple of weeks later, but the vines generally sprout too late to make any fruit. You can save the seeds in the watermelon to grow more crops, but you will have to wait till next spring to plant them. Should you save the seeds in a grocery store melon, you might be amazed by the selection of fruit you produce.
Hybrid vs. Heirloom
Unless you’ve been shopping in specialty markets, then the odds are great that your watermelon is a hybrid variety, grown especially for a certain taste, size or hardiness on the shelf. Hybrids are caused by growers crossing two distinct kinds of fruit along with the resulting fruit can have characteristics of both parents. Heirloom, or single-source, fruit contains just one number as both parents. When you plant heirloom seeds, you are going to develop an heirloom plant. You understand exactly what the resulting fruit will taste and look like. When planting a hybrid seed, the resulting watermelon is going to be a mystery. It could resemble the hybrid you ate, or may take on the characteristics of one or the other of the parents. For many people, this is part of the enjoyment of growing free fruit from what may otherwise be thrown off.
Saving Seeds
Saving watermelon seeds is a simple procedure, but you should take some care to avoid the seeds from growing mould or rotting over the winter. Wash the seeds in a dish of water, together with a drop of dish soap. This will eliminate any sugar that remains on the seeds. Wash the seeds, pat them dry and spread them out on paper towels. Allow the seeds to dry for about a week before storing them.
Storing Seeds
Stored watermelon seeds live best in airtight containers in cool places. Mark an envelope together with the assortment of seed and the date, and place the seeds in an envelope. Pour two big spoonfuls of powdered milk onto the midst of a paper towel, and bend the towel round the powder to make a packet. Put the packet in the bottom of a clean canning jar or plastic freezer container. Add the envelope filled with seeds, and fasten the lid on tightly so no air can escape. The milk powder will absorb any moisture from the container, so keeping it away from the seeds. Place the container in the refrigerator until spring.
Growing Watermelon
Eliminate the container holding the seeds in the refrigerator and let it warm up before opening the top. This will prevent moisture in the air from being attracted to cold seeds. Plant the seeds from your garden after the soil warms and maintain the garden watered and fertilized. Cut back on the water once the fruits arrive to avoid watering down the sweet taste in the melons. Pick your watermelon once the pale spot on the underside turns yellow or creamy white, or when the tendrils on the vine begin to wither and brown.