How to grow Watermelon in Australia
Needs full sun, heat and rich, well drained soil with plenty of room to sprawl. Plant on a mound and water deeply at the base, keeping leaves dry to limit mildew.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 12 litres a week, watered every 3 days
- Spacing: 150 cm
- Time to harvest: 90 days
- Time to germinate: 8 days
- Soil pH: 6 to 7
- Frost tolerance: Frost tender
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to February | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to February | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | September to January | Spring planting (Sept+); start indoors late Aug; shorter season than SEQ. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | October to December | Sow Oct to Nov only (not Dec+). Needs 100+ warm days; Melbourne's short summer risks immature fruit before May frost. |
| Adelaide & SA | September to November | Sow Sep undercover or Oct to Nov direct into warm soil. Long hot summers ripen melons well with deep weekly watering. |
| Perth & WA | August to November | Sow Aug to Nov once soil passes 20C. The long dry summer ripens sweet fruit; too late after November to beat the heat deadline. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable outdoors. Needs months of real heat that Tasmania does not get. Greenhouse novelty at best. |
| Canberra & ACT | November | Sow in November once the last frost has passed. Marginal short season; quick small fruited varieties only. |
| North Queensland | April to August | Dry season crop. Bowen and Gumlu melons are planted Apr to Aug for the national winter supply. Wet season planting fails. |
| Darwin & Top End | April to August | Dry season Apr to Aug. NT melons are a dry season signature crop harvested Sep to Oct. Fruit splits and rots in monsoon rain. |
Companion planting
Good companions
Avoid planting near
Harvest and storage
Harvest tip
Ready when the underside spot turns creamy yellow, the tendril nearest the fruit dries and it sounds hollow when tapped. Cut the stem with a knife as it will not ripen off the vine.
Storage
Bench whole for 1 week, fridge cut for 3 to 4 days.