Cal Sweet Bush Watermelon Seeds

Cal Sweet Bush watermelon seeds produce compact plants and super sweet watermelons. These personal-sized, bright red-fleshed melons are wonderfully sweet and perfect on a summer day! Short, bushy vines are ideal for small spaces or containers.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Cal Sweet Bush watermelon is a warm season crop that does best when planted in warm soil in a full sun location. Melon plants will decline in productivity as the days get colder and shorter.
• In Zones 9 and 10, watermelon seeds can be started as early as April if they are protected from the cold. This may mean starting them in the protection of a greenhouse or indoors if your area still gets cold temperatures. By late April it is possible to plant directly into soils that are at least 60°F.

Zones 2-8

• Sow seeds in starter pots with a heating pad 3-4 weeks before planting out. Harden off plants 6-7 days prior to planting them out into a frost-free garden.

Planting Melon Seeds

• Melon seeds can be direct sown into warm soil or planted in starter pots and planted out into the spring garden.
• Plant melon seeds 1″ deep into well-worked soil, watering deeply at the time of planting or prior.
• If you are starting seeds in starter pots or trays, plant the seeds 1″ deep into pre-moistened high-quality seed starting mix.
• Once the seedlings have germinated and have a first set of true leaves be sure to fertilize regularly with an organic liquid fertilizer.

Growing Melon

• You can plant your Cal Sweet Bush watermelon seedlings in the garden once they are 3-4 weeks old. Do not let your melon plants get root bound, as this will greatly stunt their growth.
• Melons need adequate spacing to be happy. Refer to specific spacing for the crop being planted.
• A granular organic fertilizer added to the planting area is a good idea if your garden has poor nutrient content or if you are growing in a new raised bed.
• Good moisture in the soil is needed. In Zones 9 and 10, this may mean watering by hand often or providing regular irrigation.
• DO NOT water overhead as this promotes foliar diseases. Be on the lookout for powdery mildew which is common in Zone 9 and 10 gardens. Read more about powdery mildew here.

Growing Melon in Containers

• If planting your Cal watermelon in containers, make sure your container is at least 20″ deep. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much. One plant per container is usually all that can fit. Keep in mind, the most prolific melon crop will need multiple plants for good pollination.

Harvesting Melon

• Melons are best harvested at peak ripeness. This is typically when they have turned their appropriate color and when the small tendril next to the melon has shriveled.
• The BEST way to know when to pick your melons is to mark your calendar for the appropriate days to maturity and begin checking on those dates.

Southern California Pro-tips

• Mulch heavily around your plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much.
• During our hottest months of August, September, and October, plants can suffer from the heat. Using shade cloth can help protect the plants from extreme heat.
• Do not overhead water.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Melon plants, like our Cal Sweet Bush watermelon, need good pollination to ensure that you have ample fruit set. To accomplish this, we highly encourage you to plant more than one plant and to plant flowers that will bring pollinators. Cosmos, zinnias, and sunflowers are excellent warm season flowers to accompany your melon plants.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to melons at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.

Try another bush watermelon variety Jubilee.