Description
Grow the classic heirloom Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon in your garden and enjoy sweet, creamy-white flesh that’s been cherished for generations. This variety produces round, 6–11 pound fruits with pale green rinds striped in dark green, making them as beautiful as they are delicious. Perfect for northern climates, these watermelons thrive even in cooler summers, offering crisp, sweet flavor in every slice. The compact 10-inch diameter fruits are ideal for easy serving, snacks, or sharing with family and friends.
Starting your seeds is simple: sow outdoors 1–2 weeks after the last frost when soil temperatures reach 70°–90°F. Plant 2–3 seeds per mound, spacing rows 4–6 feet apart, and thin to one strong plant per mound once seedlings develop three leaves. With a maturity of approximately 85 days, Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon is a frost-sensitive annual that flourishes in full sun and produces vigorous 6–10 foot vines. Harvesting is straightforward when the fruit shows a yellow bottom, dull skin, firm rind, and dried tendrils, ensuring every melon is perfectly ripe.
This packet contains 18 seeds.
Variety Info:
Days to Maturity: 85 days
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Type: Watermelon (Learn more)
Native: Africa
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Exposure: Full Sun
Plant Dimensions: 6'-10' vines
Variety Info: 'Cream of Saskatchewan' produces round fruits that average 6–11 pounds. Outer rind is pale green with dark green stripes. The creamy-white interior is firm and sweet.
Attributes: Frost Sensitive
Sowing Info:
When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is 70°–90°F.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended except in very short growing seasons, 2 to 4 weeks before transplanting. Roots are sensitive to disturbance; sow in biodegradable pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Transplant when soil temperature is at least 60°F.
Days to Emerge: 5 – 10 Days
Seed Depth: 1/2″
Seed Spacing: 2 – 3 seeds per mound
Row Spacing: 4' – 6' apart
Thinning: When 3 leaves, thin to 1 plant per mound.
Growing Info:
Harvesting: It can be tricky to know exactly when a watermelon is ripe and ready to pick. First, know the number of “days to harvest” and begin checking fruits as harvest date draws closer. Signs to look for are: (1) the bottom of the melon (where it lies on the soil) turns from light green to a yellowish color; (2) the surface color of the fruit turns dull; (3) the skin becomes resistant to penetration by the thumbnail and is rough to the touch; and (4) light green, curly tendril on the stem near the point of attachment of the melon is brown and dry. All of these indicators may not necessarily occur at the same time.
