Charleston Gray Watermelon

(Citrullus lanatus) Open-pollinated variety developed in 1954.  Produces huge yields of 20-30 pound watermelons with bright red flesh and a beautiful blue-green mottled rind.  Amazing flavor, one of the best-tasting watermelons available. 85 days to harvest.  25 seeds per packet.

My all time best-tasting watermelon came from this variety.  After my husband prematurely picked one (or so I thought) I asked him to toss it to our pigs.  To my surprise, it broke open to reveal perfect juicy red flesh so I asked him to jump the fence and retrieve a piece and as I was 8 months pregnant, he obliged.  It was by far the best watermelon we'd ever had and consequently I had to humbly admit that maybe I wasn't the best melon picker in the house. - Becky

CULTURE:  Direct sow seeds outdoors 2 weeks after last frost, once soil temps have reached 70 degrees.  Sow 3-5 seeds per hill with 3 to 4 feet between hills and to 8 feet between rows.  Under ideal conditions germination will occur in 5-8 days.  Watermelons are ready to harvest when the tendril nearest the melon has dried and the belly of the melon has turned yellow.