Victory Seed Company

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one seed at a time." ™

 Indicates New Variety for 2009


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Watermelons

Citrullus lanatus

[ Cantaloupe / Muskmelon ] [ Watermelon ]
 Click Here for information about growing watermelons.

Arikara WatermelonArikara
80 days — The small (about five inches in diameter) fruits have dark rinds and good tasting, sweet, pink flesh.

According to the Museum of the Fur Trade, this variety is a descendant of small Spanish watermelons brought to South Dakota by traders from St. Louis in the late eighteenth century. It was collected and released by the Oscar Will Seed Company. About 10 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $2.45
Item 3250391
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $4.25
Item 3250392
Well worth the effort . . . watermelon close to October!Black Diamond
90 days — This old standard variety generally reaches the thirty to fifty pound range.

The fruit is slightly oblong with prominent creases, and dark skin. The flesh is dark red with large grayish seeds.

This one was harvested on the 23rd of September and boy was it good!

Approximately 7 to 8 seeds per gram.

Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250041
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250042
Charleston Gray No. 133
90 days — The rinds are tough, grayish green with darker veining, oblong shaped with rounded ends, dark red flesh and reaching twenty to forty pounds in weight. 'Charleston Gray' was released in 1954.  No. 133 has better disease resistance.  About 10 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250401
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250402
Congo WatermelonCongo
100 days — The rind is tough, medium green with darker stripes, cylindrical in shape with blunt ends.  Can reach twelve inches by twenty five inches and up to fifty pounds.  Does extremely well in Southeastern U.S. and has a medium red colored flesh with very high sugar content and white seeds.  Bred by the USDA.  An "All-American Selection®" winner in 1950.  Approximately 12 to 13 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250171
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250172
Crimson Sweet
88 days — The fruits are light-green with dark-green stripes and average about 25 pounds.  The flesh is dark red and very sweet.  An "All-American Selection®" winner in 1964.  About 20 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250411
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250412
Desert King, YellowDesert King, Yellow
90 days — Bred to be extremely drought tolerant and resistant to sunburn.  The fruits are round to slightly oblong in shape with a rind that is a light pea green color.  Although the rind is relatively thin, it will hold up in transport well.  The flesh is a deep-yellow color, sweet and very tender.  The fruits will reportedly hold up well on the vine for about a month after they first reach the ripe stage.  Note: A small percentage of red-fleshed melons may occur.    Approximately 8 to 9 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250331
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250332
Dixie Queen WatermelonDixie Queen
90 days —  The fruits are generally round but can be oblong and reach forty pounds.  The flesh is pink, crisp and sweet.  The skin has dark green stripes over light green rind.  The rind is thin but tough.

Released by Johnson & Stokes Seed Company of Philadelphia in about 1890.  About 10 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250491
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250492
Fairfax
90 days — The fruits average about thirty five pounds, are oblong, striped light and dark green with bright red flesh that is fine quality and very sweet. Anthracnose and fusarium wilt resistant and well adapted for the Southeastern United States.  Bred by the USDA, Southeastern Vegetable Breeding Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina and released in 1952.  About 12 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250421
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250422
Florida Giant
90 days — The fruits are nearly round. fifteen or more inches in diameter, and can reach sixty pounds.  The skin is smooth, thick and tough and a dark green color.  The flesh is bright red, firm and sweet.  About 8 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250501
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250502
Giza WatermelonGiza
85 days — This melon is typically not available in the United States.  Grown in the mid-East for its large, edible seeds.  They are consumed as we would sunflower or pumpkin seeds here in the U.S.

Although the original use may in fact be for the seeds, we found it to be a really good eating watermelon.  Sweet, juicy and fine grained.  About 9 to 10 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250191
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250192

Greybelle WatermelonGreybelle
80 days — Greybelle was bred and released by the USDA's Vegetable Breeding Laboratory at Charleston, South Carolina in 1963.  It features resistance to Anthracnose race 1 and sunburn. The fruits are nearly round and reach about fifteen pounds.  The rinds are a light grayish-green in color with darker veins and flesh that is dark pink.  About 20 to 22 seeds per gram.

Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250231
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250232
Kleckley's Sweet WatermelonKleckley's Sweet (a.k.a Monte Cristo)
85 days — The skin is too thin for shipping so you will not likely find this variety in your local supermarket.  Excellent for home gardens. The fruit is oblong, dark green in color, and up to forty pounds in weight.  Very sweet, dark red flesh with a stringless heart and large, white seeds.

Bred by Alabama watermelon grower W. A. Kleckley.  It is reportedly a cross between 'Boss' and 'Arkansas Traveler'.  It was introduced commercially by W. Atlee Burpee in 1897.1  About 9 to 11 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250201
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250202
Klondike Blue Ribbon StripeKlondike Blue Ribbon Stripe
85 days — A very sweet, scarlet colored flesh with no strings.  The fruit has a thin, but tough rind and can weigh up to thirty pounds.  Released about 1900.  About 18 to 19 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250211
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250212
Moon and Stars
95 days — The dark green skin of the fruit is wonderfully speckled with bright yellow ranging in size from tiny to silver dollar and sometimes larger, hence the name.  The leaves of the plant are light green with similar yellow speckles.  The flesh is pink and very sweet.  Average about ten pounds in weight.

The January 1, 1940 edition of Henry Field's "Seed Sense" stated, "A Novelty Worth Planting . . . Quite a curiosity . . . The Quality is good . . ."  About 9 to 10 seeds per gram.

Moon & Stars Melon - Victory Heirloom Seeds
 Moon & Stars Melon Opened- Victory Heirloom Seeds

Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250051
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250052
Mountain Hoosier WatermelonMountain Hoosier
85 days — Grown in the Mid-Eastern states since before the Civil War, Mountain Hoosier is a very old and productive variety.  The seeds are white with a bit of black at the tips.  The fruit is slightly oblong in shape with a dark-green rind that is medium thick making it a good shipper. The flesh is very sweet, crisp and deep-red in color.  Fruits can mature to seventy five to eighty pounds under optimum growing conditions.  About 10 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250521

Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250322

Orange flesh is sweet also!Orange Flesh Tendersweet
90  days — The fruit of this melon are oblong in shape, roughly twelve inches in diameter by eighteen inches in length weighing between thirty five and forty pounds. The rinds are medium thick, light green with flesh that is orange and high in sugar content.  About 13 to 14 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250061

 SOLD OUT
For 2009
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250062

 SOLD OUT
For 2009
The reward from a summer of watering in HOT weather - a 14 pound 'Sugar Baby' watermelon!Sugar Baby
84 days — The best and most popular small or icebox melon around.   One of the sweetest and earliest melons with very small seeds.  Fairly tough, thin rind which keeps for a long time.

The watermelon in the picture was the result of a hot summer of hand watering.  The reward was this fourteen pound fruit with perfect, extremely sweet flesh.  About 22 to 24 seeds per gram.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250071
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250072
Tom Watson WatermelonTom Watson
95 days — This is a variety that was very popular with home gardeners as well as market growers.  The fruit is large, up to forty pounds, with sweet, crisp dark-red flesh.  The tough rind makes it a good shipping melon. About 9 to 11 seeds per gram.

See also 'White Seeded Watson'.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.55
Item 3250221
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $2.65
Item 3250222
White Seeded WatsonWhite Seeded Watson
95 days — The largest growing of the "Watson" melons. Can exceed one hundred pounds if properly pruned and under favorable growing conditions. Average weight will run from thirty to seventy pounds. Has a blue-green rind and very sweet tasting flesh.  The seeds are large and cream color.

Shape is long with blunt ends but some fruit will run shorter and more blockier. Vines are rank and vigorous having large leaves that helps to prevent sunburn.  Due to the size of this melon and its vigorous growth it is highly advised to leave the melons on the vine two weeks after you think they are ripe. They will hold quite awhile after ripening.  About 9 to 10 seeds per gram.

See also 'Tom Watson'.

Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $1.85
Item 3250271

 SOLD OUT
For 2009
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $3.25
Item 3250272

 SOLD OUT
For 2009
Will's SugarWill's Sugar
90 days — Fruits are nearly round in shape, reach up to twelve inches in diameter and average ten to twelve pounds in weight.  The juicy, sweet flesh is pink to red with almost black seeds when fully ripe.  About 18 to 20 seeds per gram.

Introduced by the Oscar Will Seed Company of South Dakota in 1888.  Very well adapted for the northern Great Plains region and does well in areas with shorter seasons.  Grown out by David Pendergrass from NSL 28142.  Click here for a catalog picture.
Qty:   

1 gram Sampler - $2.45
Item 3250371
Qty:   

4 gram Packet - $4.25
Item 3250372

Watermelon Culture

Watermelons are a warm-season crop that thrive in air temperatures between 70 and 85ºF.  Plant seeds direct in the garden in the spring after the last chance of frost for your area.  Seeds will not germinate in cold soil so wait until soil temperatures at a four inch depth have reached about 65ºF.  To get a jump on harvests, seeds can be started indoors and carefully transplanted.

Watermelons require full sun and a lot of room.  Plants should be five to six feet apart in rows that are spaced six to eight feet from each other.  Watermelon varieties will readily cross with each other as well as Citron so if you are intent on saving seed, grow only one variety and make sure your neighbors are growing the same.  Isolation distance required is about one half mile.  Hand-pollination is usually the preferred method for maintaining pure strains.

Watermelons will benefit from rich, healthy, well-drained soils.  Work in plenty of well composted organic matter in early spring in preparation of planting a melon patch.  Since watermelons are ninety two percent water, they require a lot of it.  If you are using overhead sprinklers, water in the early morning so that the plants have a chance to dry before evening.  This will help reduce opportunities for diseases to become established.  Hand watering or drip irrigation is preferred.  Water so that the soil is moistened to a depth of at least six inches - especially during fruit set and development.

Knowing when to harvest is a little tricky.  When you have a field of watermelons, the best method it to sacrifice a fruit and taste the heart.  If you have a home garden, this "brute force" method is not an option.  First, compare your fruit with the description for the variety.  Are the fruits the approximate size?  Second, have enough days passed?  Finally, look at the tendril closest to the fruit.  If it has turned brown, the watermelon is usually ready to eat.

Watermelon Sale Conditions - Please Read Before Purchasing

1. U. S. D. A. Yearbook of Agriculture, 1937.  Page 222

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