
Growing Watermelon in Zone 5
I live in zone 5 and have tried growing watermelons but they never seem to grow full size or ripen. I would love to know how early to plant and what all it needs to make a great tasting juicy watermelon.
Watermelons grow best in areas with long warm summers. Northern gardeners need to select one of the short season watermelons. These can be started from seed in the garden in early June and are ready for harvest in as little as 65 days. Sugar Baby, Golden Crown, Yellow Baby and Yellow Doll are a few of the shorter season melons you may want to try. Cover plantings with ReeMay, Harvest Guard or one of the other floating row covers. These trap the warmth around the plants while letting light and water through. This helps speed up germination, growth, and development. Remove the covering once the flowers form so the bees can get busy pollinating. A little warm weather combined with these tips should give you a tasty harvest.
Related
Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars
May 10, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 11, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 15, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
7 Steps to Managing Water on Your Property
Register here
May 17, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
May 18, 2025
Ask the Plant Doctor Q&A
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
June 4, 2025
FREE WEBINAR:
Attracting Hummingbirds
Register here
June 8, 2025
Selecting the Right Hydrangea
for Your Landscape
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
June 14, 2025
Houseplants 101
Ebert's Greenhouse Village
Ixonia, WI
June 20, 2025 (event 6/20-6/22)
Pollinator Celebration
Vino in the Valley
Maiden Rock, WI
Register here
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Learn More