Variety field guide
What to expect from Crimson Sweet Watermelon Seeds
Crimson Sweet Watermelon seeds produce red watermelon, about 20-25 lb, on vining/climbing plants.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Crimson Sweet Watermelon seeds produce red watermelon, about 20-25 lb, on vining/climbing plants. It is best suited to picnic melons, fresh slicing, productive home gardens, roadside stands, and dependable red-fleshed harvests. refreshing sweetness with a crisp, fine-grained bite Grow the familiar striped picnic watermelon with crisp red flesh, balanced size, and dependable summer flavor.
About Crimson Sweet
Crimson Sweet is an annual watermelon with red color, 97–120 in mature height or spread, and a vining/climbing habit. Harvest form or size: about 20-25 lb. Botanically it is Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai. Maturity or first bloom: 80-89 Days; germination: 5-10 Days at 75–90 °F. Best for picnic melons, fresh slicing, productive home gardens, roadside stands, and dependable red-fleshed harvests. Refreshing sweetness with a crisp, fine-grained bite.
History and provenance
Crimson Sweet was developed by Kansas State University horticulturist Charles V. Hall and released in 1963. Its striped rind, crisp red flesh, and practical picnic-melon size helped it become a widely grown American open-pollinated watermelon. Botanical record: Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus. The broader crop history is kept separate from the documented history of the named variety. Where an exact breeder, introduction date, family story, or cultural attribution cannot be supported by a credible record, repeated claims are not presented as certain. Crimson Sweet watermelon seeds produce round, striped watermelons with bright red, crisp flesh. Crimson Sweet watermelon seeds are warm-season seed. The vines need full sun, warm soil, fertile drainage, and steady moisture while fruit is sizing. Pollinating insects must visit both male and female flowers, so protect bloom activity and avoid treating open flowers.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity / first bloom | 80-89 Days |
| Germination | 5-10 Days at 75–90 °F |
| Seed depth | 1 in |
| Plant height / spread | 97–120 in |
| Growth habit | Vining/Climbing |
| Spacing | 36 in between plants; 48 in between rows |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Soil | Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5 |
| Water | Moderate |
| Support | No-Support |
Starting Crimson Sweet from seed
How to grow Crimson Sweet Watermelon
Botanical identity: Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai. Life cycle: Annual.
Sow 1 in and use a seed-zone temperature near 75–90 °F. Expected emergence: 5-10 Days. No stratification; direct sow into warm soil or start briefly in biodegradable cells and transplant young
Plant during Late Spring. Space plants 36 in apart with 48 in between rows or planting bands.
Provide Full sun, moderate water, and loamy near pH 6.0–6.5. Support: No-Support.
Garden performance and care
Give Crimson Sweet enough room for its vining/climbing growth. Direct irrigation to the soil, keep developing fruit on dry mulch or boards where rot is common, and leave seed-saving fruit on the plant beyond the eating stage. Expected emergence is 5-10 Days; the listed maturity or bloom timing is 80-89 Days.
Harvest, bloom, and uses
Crimson Sweet is best for picnic melons, fresh slicing, productive home gardens, roadside stands, and dependable red-fleshed harvests. Harvest form or size: about 20-25 lb. Color at the principal harvest or mature stage: Red. Refreshing sweetness with a crisp, fine-grained bite.
Saving seed
Seed saving for Crimson Sweet Select several healthy, true-to-type plants so the saved lot represents the variety rather than one unusually early or large individual. Melons are insect-pollinated and varieties of the same species can cross. Isolate compatible varieties or use controlled pollination, and mark fruit from healthy true-to-type plants. Allow seed fruit to become fully ripe; eating ripeness and seed maturity should both be reached. Remove seed, separate pulp by washing or short fermentation as appropriate, rinse until clean, and dry in a thin layer with good airflow. Keep records of species, variety, plant count, isolation, ripeness test, fruit traits, and year.
Common problems
Watch Crimson Sweet for cucumber beetles, squash bugs where applicable, aphids, powdery or downy mildew, bacterial wilt, crown rot, poor pollination, and fruit damage on wet soil. Rotate cucurbit crops, provide airflow, water at the root zone, protect young plants before flowering, and remove covers when blossoms need pollinators. Do not work wet vines.
Frequently asked questions
When is Crimson Sweet ready?
80-89 Days from warm direct sowing or equivalent established transplant
How long does germination take?
Expect 5-10 Days near 75–90 °F; actual emergence changes with moisture, seed condition, and soil temperature.
How large does it grow?
About 97–120 in with a vining/climbing habit. Support: No-Support.
Can it grow in a container?
Best in open ground or a large raised bed; mature vines require substantial horizontal or vertical space.
How is it used?
Primary uses: picnic melons, fresh slicing, productive home gardens, roadside stands, and dependable red-fleshed harvests. Refreshing sweetness with a crisp, fine-grained bite.
Can I save seed?
Yes where the crop biology allows, but keep compatible varieties isolated, use several healthy plants, wait for full seed maturity, dry thoroughly, and label the lot.
Minimum Seed Count:50 seeds
