How to Grow Sugar Baby Watermelon (with Pictures)

Sugar Baby Watermelon – It’s possible that you’re considering growing watermelon this year but haven’t chosen which kind to try. If this is the case, you may want to consider planting sugar baby watermelons. What exactly are Sugar Baby watermelons, and how do you go about cultivating them?

The high “brix” measurement of a Sugar Baby watermelon is a fascinating fact to know about this fruit. What exactly does the term “brix” measurement mean? Commercial watermelon producers prize melons that are rich in sugar; the word “brix” refers to the sweetness of the fruit, which can be tested using scientific methods.

 

Sugar Baby watermelons, as the name indicates, have a brix measurement of 10.2 and are considered to be one of the sweetest watermelon varieties available. Citrullus lanatus, often known as “Sugar Baby Watermelon,” is a prolific grower that produces a large amount of fruit.

 

The Cultivation of Sugar Baby Watermelon

“Icebox” watermelons, also known as sugar baby melons, are spherical watermelons that are suitable for small families and, as the name implies, are tiny enough to fit into an icebox. They weigh between 8 and 10 pounds (4-5 kg) and measure 7 to 8 inches (18–20 cm) wide at their widest point. The colors of the leaves are black with faint dark veins or medium green with dark veins on the rind. This fruit’s flesh is as described above: delicious and red, firm and crisp, speckled with a few tiny, tan-black seeds throughout.

Sugar Baby melons, like all other types of watermelons, need a warm, dry climate in order to grow and produce fruit. This early watermelon cultivar, which was initially developed in 1956, is a variety that matures in 75 to 80 days, making it one of the earliest maturing varieties available. They thrive in Mediterranean settings where the vines may grow to reach 12 feet (4 meters) or more in length, with each plant producing two or three melons per plant.

The majority of people start this melon from seed inside at least six to eight weeks before putting it outside in the garden. These melons need soil that is rich in organic matter, well-draining, and has been supplemented with compost and composted manure. Plant them in a location that receives at least eight hours of direct sunlight every day, and allow them at least 60 square feet of space per plant.

Additional Tips of Growing Sugar Baby

For sugar baby watermelon to thrive, it must be consistently irrigated. Sugar Baby cultivars, like other watermelons, are sensitive to a number of fungal infections, and drip watering is required to keep them healthy. Using crop rotation and fungicide sprays to limit the danger of a potentially lethal disease is also recommended.

Melons may also get infected with the striped cucumber beetle, which may be managed by hand picking, rotenone treatments, or the use of floating row coverings, which are put down at the time of planting. Sugar Baby watermelon crops are susceptible to attack by aphids and nematodes, as well as diseases such as anthracnose, sticky stem blight, and powdery mildew, among others.

And last, bees are responsible for pollinating these melons, as they are with all melons. The plants bear yellow blooms on both the male and female halves of the plant. Pollen is transferred from male blooms to female blooms by bees, resulting in pollination and fruit set in the flowers. The plants may fail to pollinate on occasion, mainly as a result of rainy weather conditions or a lack of bee populations in a certain area.

When it comes to Sugar Baby watermelon care, a little extra special attention is required. It is possible that you may need to assist nature by manually pollinating the melons in order to boost yield. Simply dab the male flowers with a little paintbrush or cotton swab to gently transfer the pollen to the female blossoms and the process is complete.