Are you trying to figure out what type of watermelon is right for you? Well, look no further because the crimson sweet watermelon is a great choice!
Because it tastes good and is pretty easy to grow, this particular variety of sweet watermelon has remained a fan-favorite for many decades.
Whether you’re a curious home gardener or just an enthusiastic watermelon eater, keep reading to learn why this type of watermelon is the way to go.
All About the Crimson Sweet Watermelon
What Does it Look Like?
The outside of this watermelon is striped dark green and light green. On the inside of the watermelon, there is a yellow rind and dark red flesh that contains small, dark seeds.
As you might have guessed, the color of the watermelon’s flesh is where the crimson sweet watermelon gets part of its distinctive name from!
The average weight of this specific type of watermelon ranges anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds.
Once they’re fully grown, these watermelons are usually oval-shaped, but they can also be more round-shaped depending on the individual watermelon.
What Does it Taste Like?
As the name indicates, the crimson sweet watermelon is famously one of the sweeter varieties of watermelon. It’s a popular variety among watermelon eaters of all ages, specifically because of its sweet flavor!
How is it Different From Other Watermelons?
In addition to its super sweet taste, the crimson sweet watermelon has other characteristics that make it different from other kinds of watermelon.
One important difference is that this watermelon is less susceptible to certain diseases.
Specifically, the vines of the crimson sweet watermelon variety are resistant to anthracnose and fusarium wilt, making it easier to grow in some ways.
Health Benefits
Although everyone knows that fruit is good for you, the number of health benefits that watermelon has may surprise you!
Full of Vitamins
Watermelon is a nutritious snack for all ages. It’s chock full of vitamins and minerals your body needs.
One cup of watermelon contains 20% of your daily value of Vitamin C. It also contains 5% of your daily value of Vitamin B6.
And that’s only a small sampling of the nutrients watermelon contains!
High Water Content
The high water content watermelon has will keep you cool and hydrated, especially on hot days.
Watermelon is 92% water, so enjoying it as a snack or in a meal can really increase the amount of water you’re consuming!
Check out our article 7 Amazing Health Benefits of Watermelon to learn more about the many nutritional benefits of eating watermelon.
Recipes
Because a crimson sweet watermelon is so sweet, you can eat it on its own as a tasty snack. If you’d prefer to incorporate it into your cooking, also goes well in lots of recipes!
Salads
Watermelon is a great addition to salads of all different kinds!
For a light but satisfying meal, try making the Refreshing Watermelon, Radish Salad.
If you want your watermelon to be the centerpiece of the salad rather than one of the toppings, get creative with this recipe for Grilled Watermelon Salad.
Drinks
While watermelon is super tasty in many different foods, you can also add it to a wide variety of drinks!
To spice up your next happy hour, use this recipe for a Refreshing Mezcal Melonrita.
For a non-alcoholic option, you could make a Refreshing Watermelon Lemonade Slush.
Cooking with Watermelon Rind
If you’re an adventurous chef who loves trying new recipes, you might like cooking with the watermelon rind instead of the flesh!
Give this recipe for Willing Watermelon Rind Preserves a shot and impress your dinner guests with this unique take on cooking with watermelon.
Planting Tips
Anyone can plant a crimson sweet Watermelon with the right tools and good directions!
Watermelons thrive in a sunny atmosphere. They need lots of sun, so be sure to plant your seeds in an area that gets lots of sunlight.
When planting watermelon seeds, be sure to space them out properly! The vines can grow up to 10 feet, so if you’re planning to grow multiple watermelons, you’ll need to plant them about three feet apart from each other.
For more detailed seed planting information, read our guide on How To Plant Watermelon in 8 Easy Steps.
Growing Tips
Watermelon plants thrive in warm weather, so they should be planted in late spring or early summer, depending on where you live. They grow best in the southern United States because of the warm temperatures.
Don’t worry if you live in a colder part of the country, though! crimson sweet Watermelon is really good at adapting to its environment and successfully grows in areas with all sorts of different average temperatures.
Just make sure to keep them protected if it gets really cold outside.
As watermelon plants grow, they need good soil and fertilizer. Sandy soil is the best type of soil for growing watermelon, but planting them in mulch is also a great alternative.
You might also invest in a raised bed so that the watermelons are more protected from the elements as they grow.
It takes 80 to 90 days for a crimson sweet watermelon to reach maturity. On average, most are done growing in 85 days.
If you follow these instructions carefully, by the time those 85 days are up, you might have a fully-grown watermelon to enjoy!
For additional help on how to grow and care for a watermelon, see our posts on How to Grow Watermelon and How to Identify and Get Rid of Watermelon Pests.
Harvesting and Storage Tips
Checking a watermelon to figure out if it’s ripe is an essential first step of the harvesting process.
Rather than thumping a crimson sweet watermelon to figure out when it’s ripe, check the color of its stem.
When the stem and the tendrils surrounding the stem are brown and start to shrivel up, the watermelon is ready to harvest! If the stem is green, this means the watermelon is still growing. Don’t pick it yet!
Other clues can help you figure out if it’s time to pick your watermelon. For example, the color of the rind tells you when it’s ready to harvest.
A fully ripe watermelon will likely fade to a slightly duller green, while an unripe watermelon will have more of a sheen.
You can also look at the underbelly of the watermelon to evaluate its ripeness. There should be a bald spot that is a particular color.
If the bald spot is yellow, then it’s ready to be picked. A green or white bald spot means it needs to keep growing.
Once you’ve harvested your watermelon, it’s important to know how to store it properly so it will keep for as long as possible.
If you plan to store your harvested watermelon in an unrefrigerated place, the watermelon will last for about two to three weeks. However, if you keep the watermelon in a cool space, you’ll be able to enjoy it for even longer!
Go to our pages on How to Tell When Watermelon is Ripe and Methods for Harvesting Watermelon for more details about the final steps in the watermelon growing process.
Where to Buy Seeds
Luckily, these seeds are easy to purchase and are fairly inexpensive! You can buy them online or in your local gardening store. We recommend buying Crimson Sweet Watermelon seeds from one of our favorite online seed retailers, True Leaf Market.
Fun Facts About Watermelon
Did you know? Here are a few fun facts about watermelon to impress your friends and family with.
Latin Names
Like all fruits and vegetables, each different variety of watermelon has its own name in Latin!
The Latin name for the crimson sweet watermelon is citrillus lanatus.
Where do watermelon varieties come from?
Not all types of watermelon occur on their own in nature! Some watermelons are produced by scientists, and their seeds are eventually used by the general public.
For example, the crimson sweet watermelon was created in 1963 by a researcher at Kansas State University. Today, gardeners all across the United States grow it!
Savoring the Crimson Sweet Watermelon!
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or haven’t planted a single fruit or vegetable in your life, the crimson sweet watermelon is for you!
With its delicious taste and disease resistance, this variety of red watermelon is easy to grow and eat. All your friends and family will love this super popular fruit, so buy a packet of seeds and start growing!
If you’re interested in learning more about watermelon, check out our Watermelon Plants page for all kinds of useful information, from planting the first seed to cooking with fully grown watermelon.