Water Melon

[Digeroo]

I bought a packet of baby watermelon seed from Lidl. 

Does anyone have experience of these in this country?  Will they grow outside or do I need to keep them in a cloche?  Or have I wasted 29p?  :o

[Digeroo]

[saddad]

I managed to raise a "sugarbabe" under glass last year... and have just sown "Blacktail" mountain... I think you need to get hold of some black plastic to start warming the soil and some old windows to make a "light frame" for it...



cut this one too soon...



but this was later on... (September)

[Digeroo]

Thanks Saddad, the packet is Sugar Babe.  Look good in your pics.  I had some double grazing recently and have four lovely glazed panels.  I also have four great little greenhouses each about a meter square and half meter high, bought them very cheap from Woollies, shall miss there end of season bargains. 

Might give them a bag of Wiltshsire's best compost.  It only costs £1 for a bag and is still warm when you buy it.

[Lottie103]

Oh wow! Methinks a little trip to Lidl to see if they have sugarbabe here is in order. That looks fab & has to be worth a shot at 29p! ;D

[northener]

How many did you get off each plant Saddad?

[saddad]

Only one plant and three fruit... I damaged the stem and the plant collapsed so the last couple didn't swell....  :-[

[northener]

mmm only 3 not sure if its worth it. Think i'll stick to Toms, peppers and cucs.

[Digeroo]

Three fruits from one plant seems good to me.

Not sure whether Lidl still have many seeds left, they go like hot cakes in some of their stores.

[saddad]

It's not worth it in any real sense Northerner, but sometimes one has to do these things, just for the S*D factor....  ;D

[thifasmom]

i grew these last year from lidl seed in the conservatory in a pot ea, got two watermelons one ea plant, i don't think i fed them enough and a serious attack of red spider mite weakened the plants. may not be worth it to some but the taste of these cricket ball size fruit :-\ were delicious ;D

[Digeroo]

I know they are called Babe but I must say I expected them a bit bigger than cricket balls.  Mind you the normal ones are far too large.  They often do not taste of much so hopefully home grown ones will be better.

[thifasmom]

yep they should have been bigger but like i said maybe i didn't feed or water them enough :-\ should have seen how the five of us fought over a taste of them ::).

coming from the west indies i will have to say the big ones sold over here are rank :-X simply because thy are probably picked to early. if you had the opportunity to eat a sun ripened huge watermelon you would be licking your elbows cause the juice would be so sweet and so much it would most likely run down your arm, yum ;D ;D.

[Twoflower]

No No No............. now you've made me want those seeds............oh  and my addiction was coming on so well :-[

[Digeroo]

Are you addicted to seeds or melons?

[Twoflower]

mostly seeds, but sun ripened melon sounds good ;D