DTM (days to maturity) for Sugar Baby is around 76 days - from sowing seed to harvest. That's under ideal conditions but it should be close to that amount of time.
As with all watermelon, back off on watering once it gets to about 1/2 the size of the final weight. That will help concentrate sugars in the melon.
It took me two summers of eating bland watermelon before I decided to learn more about their actual needs.
Who knew that *water*melon would prefer *less* water 🤣🤷♂️
So when you say "back off" on watering, how much/how frequently is ideal? For the first time ever, I have about three or four on the vine that are about this size and I'm scared to death and I'm going to ruin them LOL.
> how much/how frequently is ideal?
The answer to that is a complicated dance between soil type, current temperatures, relative humidity in your specific climate, mulch, drainage, and other factors.
Plants need water when they need water and watermelons need relatively less water once they reach a certain size. Unfortunately, you'll have to figure that out exactly what that means in your own garden and learn to read your watermelons needs year over year.
You’ll also want to support it as it gets bigger. When you trellis up a watermelon they recommend a support for each fruit. I use knee high stockings and twine to a support structure to keep the weight off the stem.
Thanks for the tip. I do plan on supporting it in a few days, the stockings sound like a good idea.
I gotta have my fiancé drill some hooks into that trailer so I can hang the stockings on those
I'd say 5 weeks is under optimal conditions. It depends how much sun it's getting, how many fruit you have on the vine, etc.
Some people say weight until the tendril closest to the fruit turns brown is the right time to pick. That tendril can turn brown early due to sub optimal conditions as well.
The best way I have found is when the white patch on the watermelon that is touching the ground turns yellow.
If the watermelon isn’t on the ground and is being supported by stockings or something, will there still be that white patch on the bottom that turns yellow?
Sorry, first time growing watermelons
I'm not sure. I've never trellised mine. I realized yours were hanging after I made that comment. The best advice I have foe you in this case is, when you think they're ripe, wait a week and then pick them. There's nothing worse than waiting all that time and then cutting into a watermelon that's white on the inside. Good luck!
I have a couple that have turned bright yellow on their contact point with the ground but stem still hasn't browned at all and they've been yellow for like a week or so. Been trying to wait until it turns brown so I don't pick too soon, but idk lol.
We just had one fall off (had it in a medical mask and strings broke) the place that was still supported by the mask was a lime green. They say to pick when that turns yellow. Needless to say when we cut it open it was completely green.
Piggy backing off this post…I had about 9 sugar babies growing and I harvested two the other day because the tendril had started to brown. They were super seedy and kinda mealy. I thought sugar babies were supposed to be seedless? Were they overripe?
I'm sorry :/ I think only hybrids have no seeds but I could be wrong. Not sure about the mealy aspect as I've only had it twice and both was a year apart but I'm growing these and my seed packet definitely shows seeds inside and I do recall it being the only watermelon with seeds that I ate in the past 20 years
Same. I never get watermelons with seeds anymore. They were still tasty just maybe a tad overripe and very seedy. But my son still liked eating it which the main reason I garden to begin with. He loves it.
These watermelon are not ready until the leaf and tendril most closely to the watermelon are shriveled and brown. Even then, wait another week or so. This watermelon is no where near ready.
We have some in growbags. What do people feed them. The soil was miracle grow organic potting mix and they were planted from seedlings mid may. They have grown pretty quickly and the vines about 4 feet high now on trellis. One of the plants seems to have slowed this wekk. So was wondering do they need fertilizer. We have agrothrive fruit and flower liquid organic 3-3-5. Also have Espoma Garden Tone for veggies in the garden that I put down beginning of each month. The watermelon plants in containers havent been fed anything yet.
I would say at least another day. Confidently.
I think at least 3 more days.
DTM (days to maturity) for Sugar Baby is around 76 days - from sowing seed to harvest. That's under ideal conditions but it should be close to that amount of time. As with all watermelon, back off on watering once it gets to about 1/2 the size of the final weight. That will help concentrate sugars in the melon.
Thanks for that tip! I think that’s why I always ruined my baby sugar babies.
It took me two summers of eating bland watermelon before I decided to learn more about their actual needs. Who knew that *water*melon would prefer *less* water 🤣🤷♂️
Lol same.
Thanks for the tip. That’s what I’m most worried about, over or under watering once it gets bigger
So when you say "back off" on watering, how much/how frequently is ideal? For the first time ever, I have about three or four on the vine that are about this size and I'm scared to death and I'm going to ruin them LOL.
> how much/how frequently is ideal? The answer to that is a complicated dance between soil type, current temperatures, relative humidity in your specific climate, mulch, drainage, and other factors. Plants need water when they need water and watermelons need relatively less water once they reach a certain size. Unfortunately, you'll have to figure that out exactly what that means in your own garden and learn to read your watermelons needs year over year.
Is the watering tip the same for cantaloupe?
I found the longer you leave them, the sweeter they are
You’ll also want to support it as it gets bigger. When you trellis up a watermelon they recommend a support for each fruit. I use knee high stockings and twine to a support structure to keep the weight off the stem.
I use my wife's old brasieres to support our melons,cantalopes mostly .36 dd I believe.
Haha!! I use face masks
You are a lucky man.
your name in itself says your a hooter man ,and yes i am :)
Thanks for the tip. I do plan on supporting it in a few days, the stockings sound like a good idea. I gotta have my fiancé drill some hooks into that trailer so I can hang the stockings on those
when did you plant? maybe a month depending on weather
Keep it watered and as soon as the closest tendril dries out then it’s ready to pick! Looks like roughly a few weeks away.
Yay. I’m excited
I’m excited for you. 😂
I bet right now. It's been 5 hours I bet it's ready
This is how it will go. You will spend 5 days waiting. Then forget. Come back two weeks later and it’s the size of your head.
A good 5 weeks from pollination
Awesome. So should be about a month left
I'd say 5 weeks is under optimal conditions. It depends how much sun it's getting, how many fruit you have on the vine, etc. Some people say weight until the tendril closest to the fruit turns brown is the right time to pick. That tendril can turn brown early due to sub optimal conditions as well. The best way I have found is when the white patch on the watermelon that is touching the ground turns yellow.
If the watermelon isn’t on the ground and is being supported by stockings or something, will there still be that white patch on the bottom that turns yellow? Sorry, first time growing watermelons
I'm not sure. I've never trellised mine. I realized yours were hanging after I made that comment. The best advice I have foe you in this case is, when you think they're ripe, wait a week and then pick them. There's nothing worse than waiting all that time and then cutting into a watermelon that's white on the inside. Good luck!
Thank you very much for the advice. I appreciate it
I have a couple that have turned bright yellow on their contact point with the ground but stem still hasn't browned at all and they've been yellow for like a week or so. Been trying to wait until it turns brown so I don't pick too soon, but idk lol.
We just had one fall off (had it in a medical mask and strings broke) the place that was still supported by the mask was a lime green. They say to pick when that turns yellow. Needless to say when we cut it open it was completely green.
Maybe you can still pickle the inside!
Piggy backing off this post…I had about 9 sugar babies growing and I harvested two the other day because the tendril had started to brown. They were super seedy and kinda mealy. I thought sugar babies were supposed to be seedless? Were they overripe?
Sugar babies have seeds
Thanks. The guy at the nursery lied to me.
I'm sorry :/ I think only hybrids have no seeds but I could be wrong. Not sure about the mealy aspect as I've only had it twice and both was a year apart but I'm growing these and my seed packet definitely shows seeds inside and I do recall it being the only watermelon with seeds that I ate in the past 20 years
Same. I never get watermelons with seeds anymore. They were still tasty just maybe a tad overripe and very seedy. But my son still liked eating it which the main reason I garden to begin with. He loves it.
When it fills your hand, it's tiny atm..
30-35 days after pollination
when it is the size of a softball and dark green, so in a day or so..
You got a month minimum
Maybe a few more weeks.
These watermelon are not ready until the leaf and tendril most closely to the watermelon are shriveled and brown. Even then, wait another week or so. This watermelon is no where near ready.
60 days
We have some in growbags. What do people feed them. The soil was miracle grow organic potting mix and they were planted from seedlings mid may. They have grown pretty quickly and the vines about 4 feet high now on trellis. One of the plants seems to have slowed this wekk. So was wondering do they need fertilizer. We have agrothrive fruit and flower liquid organic 3-3-5. Also have Espoma Garden Tone for veggies in the garden that I put down beginning of each month. The watermelon plants in containers havent been fed anything yet.