Charleston Gray Watermelon Seed

Charleston GrayWatermelon Seed

Thick pale rinds protect long, cylindrical thirty-pound melons
Crisp red flesh matures in roughly eighty to ninety days
Disease resistance helped make this classic a grower favorite
Oblong fruits stack and transport more easily than round types

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Citrullus lanatus

Days to maturity

83 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

25 Seeds

About Charleston Gray, Watermelon Seed, Watermelon Seed

Charleston Gray watermelons are a classic variety celebrated for their large size, sweet flavor, and excellent disease resistance. Originating in the southern United States, this melon typically weighs between 20 to 30 pounds and features a distinctive light grayish-green rind with dark green stripes. The flesh is bright red, juicy, and refreshingly sweet, making it a favorite for summer picnics and barbecues.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/2"

Days to Germination

4–10 days

In-row plant spacing

36-72"

Row Spacing

Plant profile

Maturity

Summer

Life Cycle

Annual

Plant Height

10-20"

Growth Habits

Vining, Trailing

Type

DIPOLID WATERMELONS

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

225

Color

Red

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Growing Season

Warm-Season Crop

Growing Instructions

Before Planting

Reserve a full-sun, warm location for Watermelon with fertile, well-drained soil and ample space for vines. Incorporate compost and correct nutrients according to a soil test, then shape raised beds or hills where drainage is slow. Wait until the soil is warm, and install trellises before planting if watermelon will be trained vertically.

Planting

Direct sow watermelon after frost danger has passed and soil is at least 70°F, or start seed indoors 3–4 weeks earlier in individual biodegradable or deep cells. Keep the medium warm and evenly moist. Harden seedlings carefully and transplant without disturbing the roots. Space watermelon plants 3–5 feet apart in rows about 6–8 feet apart.

Watering

Water deeply and consistently during vine growth, flowering, and early fruit development. As melons approach maturity, reduce irrigation without allowing severe wilting; avoid overhead watering and saturated soil.

Fertilizer

Side-dress watermelon with balanced fertilizer after establishment and again as flowering or fruiting begins. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes foliage while reducing flowers, fruit, or maturity.

Harvesting

Harvest watermelon when the tendril nearest the fruit dries, the ground spot turns creamy yellow, and the rind becomes dull and firm. Cut the stem rather than pulling; sound alone is not fully reliable.

Tips

Slide a board, tile, or thick mulch beneath developing melons to reduce soil contact and rot. Avoid moving vines after fruit sets, and limit late-season fruit where the growing season is short.

AVG. Seeding Rate

1 oz./340', 1,000 seeds/500', 3 oz./1,000', 1⅓ lb./acre at 3 seeds every 18", in rows 6' apart.

Disease Resistance Abbreviations

A, F

Anthracnose, Fusarium Wilt

Pests & Diseases

Fusarium wilt, anthracnose, gummy stem blight, downy mildew, and mosaic viruses affect watermelon. Choose resistant varieties and clean seed, rotate cucurbits for several years, and avoid working wet vines. Remove permanently wilted or mosaic plants; harvest only sound fruit without sunken or water-soaked lesions.

Check watermelon seedlings for cucumber beetles and later inspect leaves for aphids or spider mites. Row cover helps before flowering, but remove it for pollination; squash bugs and vine borers are less typical on watermelon.