Best time to plant watermelon in Australia
Citrullus lanatus
A sprawling, frost-tender vine grown for its large, sweet, juicy fruit. It needs a long, hot season, plenty of room and steady water while the fruit swells.
On a shared plot: needs a lot of room
Vines wander well beyond a small bed. Train them back into your plot, and ask your coordinator if space is tight.
When to sow
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoolBroadly matches local guides, with some differences | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow |
| TemperateMatches local guides | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow |
| SubtropicalMatches local guides | Sow | No | No | No | No | No | No | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow |
| TropicalBroadly matches local guides, with some differences | No | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | No |
| AridBroadly matches local guides, with some differences | Sow | No | No | No | No | No | No | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow | Sow |
Good months to sow
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Sow directly in the bed
- Sowing depth
- 25-38mm
- Plant spacing
- 90-120cm
- Row spacing
- 125cm
- Germination
- 10-14 days at 27-32°C
- Time to harvest
- 85 days
- Frost
- Frost tender
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- annual
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.