Description

🍉 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