Charleston Gray Watermelon
Charleston Gray Watermelon is a heirloom melon. Germination takes 7-10 days and fruit ripens from about day 85-90. Skin runs to light gray-green skin with dark green stripes, bright red flesh with black seeds. Water need is 1-2 inches per week, deep watering with mulch to retain moisture. Suits zones 4-11.
Sowing
Direct sow when soil temperature reaches 70°F or start indoors 3-4 weeks before last frost. Plant in hills 6-8 feet apart with plenty of space for vines.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-2 inches per week, deep watering with mulch to retain moisture
- Soil
- Well-drained sandy loam with plenty of organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 72-96 inches
- Height
- 4-8 inches
- Season
- Warm season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Light gray-green skin with dark green stripes, bright red flesh with black seeds
- Size
- 25-40 pounds
- Shape
- Large, elongated oval
- Flavour
- Sweet and refreshing with classic watermelon flavor and crisp texture
In the kitchen
Fresh eating, picnics, fruit salads, juice, agua fresca, pickled rinds, grilling
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cucumber beetles, aphids, squash bugs, flea beetles
- Diseases
- Bacterial fruit blotch, gummy stem blight, powdery mildew, mosaic virus
- Resistance
- Excellent resistance to fusarium wilt and anthracnose, good tolerance to sunscald
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | May – June | July | July – August | October – September |
| 3 | May | June – July | June – August | September – October |
| 4 | April – May | June | June – July | September – October |
| 5 | April | May – June | May – July | September – October |
| 6 | April | May – June | May – July | August – October |
| 7 | March – April | May | May – June | August – September |
| 8 | March | April – May | April – June | July – September |
| 9 | February | March – April | March – May | June – August |
| 10 | January – February | March | March – April | June – July |
| 11 | January | February | February – March | May – June |
| 12 | January | February | February – March | May – June |
| 13 | January | February | February – March | May – June |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 30
- Protein (g)
- 0.61
- Fat (g)
- 0.15
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 7.55
- Fibre (g)
- 0.4
- Sugars (g)
- 6.2
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 28
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 8.1
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.05
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 0.1
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.045
- Folate (µg)
- 3
- Calcium (mg)
- 7
- Iron (mg)
- 0.24
- Magnesium (mg)
- 10
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 11
- Potassium (mg)
- 112
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.1
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.4
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Charleston Gray Watermelon?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other melons with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Charleston Gray Watermelon suits these too.
- Galia Melon 85 days
- Cantaloupe Iroquois 85 days
- Delicious 51 Cantaloupe 85 days
- Hale's Best Cantaloupe 85 days
- Watermelon Charleston Gray 85 days
- Watermelon Picnic 85 days