Library

Commercial Watermelon Production

George Boyhan, Darbie Granberry and, William Kelley (January, 2014)

Summary

Watermelon is a warm-season crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. Watermelons can be grown on any well-drained soil throughout Georgia but are particularly well adapted to the Coastal Plain soils of South Georgia. Yields of 20,000 to 40,000 pounds per acre are common. More than 35,000 acres of watermelon are produced in Georgia, with more than 25 percent of this produced on plastic mulch. This bulletin addresses varieties of cultivars, cultural practices, pest controls, production costs, harvest techniques / post-harvest handling and availability of markets.