There is nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a sweet, juicy slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. Summer afternoons and lazy days at the beach wouldn’t be the same without it.
Whether you grow your own watermelons or purchase them at the local farmers’ market, they are a quintessential summer favorite.
Planting watermelons in Utah can be tricky, as this region’s conditions are quite different from those found in tropical and subtropical areas.
If you’re looking to grow these summer favorites in your garden, you must understand when to plant watermelon in Utah and how different growing conditions may affect the health and development of your plants.
When is the Best Time to Plant Watermelon in Utah?
Depending on the variety of watermelon you’re growing, the best time to plant watermelon in Utah is between late May and early July. When planting seeds indoors, it’s best that you start them about six weeks before the last average frost date.
This means that they will be ready to be transplanted outdoors as soon as the weather warms up.
Doing so will give your plants a head start on the growing season and increase the chances of bearing juicy, sweet, and healthy fruits.
Watermelon Varieties for Utah’s Weather
If you’re lucky enough to live in a region with a long growing season, you have many different watermelon varieties to choose from. However, if you’re limited on time, it’s best to stick with early or mid-season varieties.
Some of the best watermelon varieties for Utah’s weather include:
Sugar Baby
The Sugar Baby is one of the most popular watermelon varieties for growing in Utah’s hot, dry climate. This variety has small round fruits that are perfect for snacking on during hot summer days.
These tasty little melons have a crisp, juicy flesh that bursts with a refreshingly sweet flavor. This fairly compact variety is perfect for growing in small or urban gardens, as it produces gorgeous and bountiful yields even in hot and dry conditions.
In addition, they are typically seedless, making them easy and convenient to enjoy right off of the vine without worrying about messy seeds getting stuck in your teeth. Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or to take to a backyard BBQ, the Sugar Baby is sure to please!
Yellow Baby
The Rocky Mountains can be a harsh environment for summer temperatures and sporadic rainfall, making it essential to choose a watermelon that can adapt to the local weather conditions. Yellow Baby is one popular variety for Utah gardens, an heirloom melon known for its sweet flavor and large size.
Unlike many standard watermelon varieties, this baby features an extra thick rind, making it more resistant to cracking and other damage.
In addition, its large leaves allow it to better withstand hot summer temperatures, while its longer vines make harvesting easier in garden plots with limited space.
Altogether, Yellow Baby is ideal for those looking to grow delicious and juicy watermelons in this local climate.
Crimson Sweet
The crimson sweet watermelon is a classic favorite. It’s the perfect amount of sweet and juicy, with just a hint of tartness. The deep red flesh is crisp and refreshing, making it a great summertime treat. This variety is also one of the most heat-tolerant, so it’s a good choice for growing in Utah’s hot summers.
Crimson sweet watermelons typically weigh between 10 and 20 pounds, and they have a round or oblong shape. The rind is dark green with faint stripes, and the flesh is deep red. Crimson sweet watermelons are usually seedless, but they’re small and black if you find some seeds. This variety is perfect for eating fresh salads or even cocktails.
What Conditions are Ideal for Planting Watermelon in Utah?
While watermelons are typically associated with hot, humid conditions, they can be quite adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. In terms of planting watermelon in Utah, aside from knowing which variety suits your climate and timeline the best, you’ll also want to take into account the following conditions:
Soil Type
The type of soil you have in your garden will greatly affect how well your watermelons grow. In Utah, the best type of soil for watermelons is a sandy loam. This type of soil is perfect for watermelons because it drains well and doesn’t get too compacted.
The sand in the soil helps aerate the roots of the plants, and the loam provides just enough nutrients for the plants to thrive. You can still grow watermelons if you have clay or silt in your soil, but you may need to amend the soil with some extra organic matter to help with drainage.
Temperature
When it comes to planting watermelon in Utah, the temperature is perhaps the most important environmental factor. For fruits to grow and flourish, they need heat, ranging from the mid-60s all the way up to 90 degrees or higher.
Therefore, to ensure that their watermelons are successful, growers should only plant these fruits when daily temperatures reach these ideal levels. Additionally, since watermelons can be sensitive to frost, the grower should wait until late spring or early summer before putting seeds into the ground.
And even then, special frost precautions should be taken to keep plants safe and healthy. In short, anyone who wants to plant watermelons successfully in Utah must only do so under optimal conditions of warmth and sun exposure.
Sunlight
Watermelons require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunshine per day to thrive and produce bountiful blossoms which will turn into fruits. In areas with a lot of shade or limited sunlight exposure, growers may want to consider using reflective mulches or stakes that allow more light into the planted area.
Additionally, it is important to choose spots for watermelon planting that have good drainage since the soil cannot be allowed to stay wet for long periods.
Planting Time
As mentioned earlier, the best time to plant watermelons in Utah is late spring or early summer. This allows the plants to grow and mature during the hottest months when they receive the ideal amount of sunlight and warmth.
It is also important to note that watermelons are a long-season crop, so growers should be patient and not expect fruits to mature too early. Watermelons typically take about 80 days to mature from seed to harvest.
When to plant watermelon in utah: Final Thoughts
There is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to planting watermelon in Utah. Different varieties of watermelon have different temperature and rainfall requirements, and these requirements can vary depending on the individual region of the state as well.
Ideally, the best time to plant watermelon in Utah is during late spring or early summer, when temperatures are consistently warm, but other factors must also be considered.
For example, if you are sowing seeds directly into your garden patch, you will need to take soil conditions into account, select a sunnier corner of your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, and make sure you monitor moisture levels regularly as plants start to sprout up.
By taking these considerations into account and following proven growing techniques, you will be able to successfully plant and cultivate delicious watermelons right in your own backyard!
Related Article: Watermelon Growing Stages