Florida Giant Watermelon
60-90 Days
Heirloom 1940's

A giant melon that's firm, red, juicy and so sweet! Melons are long and oval with deep green rind and can grow long and up to 50 pounds! The rind is perfectly thin but very strong making it a good option if you need to get it to the market. Thrives in warm climates. The perfect choice for the home gardener and market grower. A good producer. Resistant to fusarium wilt, anthracnose and sunburn. The yellow belly is where it lies on the ground.

Garden tips: For early fruiting and to overcome a short growing season, start seeds in a warm, well-lighted indoor area 3 to 4 weeks before last spring frost. Before transplanting to the garden, acclimate plants to outdoor conditions by moving to a sheltered area outside for a week.

Fun Facts:

1. Egypt recorded the first watermelon harvest occurred around 5,000 years ago
2. Watermelon's scientific name is Citrullus lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae
3. This scientific name is derived from both Greek and Latin roots
4. Citrullus comes from a Greek word “citrus” which is a reference to the fruit
lanatus is Latin, and has the meaning of being wooly, referring to the small hairs on the stems and leaves of the plant
5. The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles
6. A watermelon contains approimately 93% water