Watermelon! The taste of summer! The question is: What is the origin of watermelon? For 150 years it was believed to have come from southern Africa. Now with advanced genetic testing techniques, that is changing. Smithsonian Magazine presents evidence that the melon originated in Southern Sudan. You can go to smithsonianmag.com and read the article describing the origins and travels of the watermelon. This delicious melon has a history everywhere it has grown. The new findings show that early watermelons were 6 inches long and white or green in color. They evolved and became yellow and then, through more cross selection, they became orange, then pink, and now the pinkish red we enjoy today.

The downside of our new 90% sugar-sweet melon is it has many fungi and insect-related growing problems. Commercially, pesticides and fungicides are currently used to maximize crop success. According to the article, the original watermelon was much more disease resistant and thrived even in dry desert conditions. The Egyptians had pictures of the small, striped Kordofan melon painted on the walls of tombs over 4,000 years old! Learning more about the genetics of the disease resistant ancient varieties can help us reduce the chemicals used in commercial farming of watermelons.

I grow melons every year with no chemicals. I also purchase those irresistible huge watermelons throughout the season. When it's hot on a day in late August we treasure a cool sweet slice of crisp watermelon. Although we are out of the planting season, a few seeds added to the spring planting is always desired.

Grown commercially or organically, watermelon is a winner. The whole melon is edible. My friend makes watermelon rind pickles and wine. The seeds are saved, dryed, and eaten for certain holidays.

Every season those mysterious plants come up in unexpected places from a seed spit out and self-germinated. The “volunteers” are some of the best and the largest melons I have ever grown.

No matter what color or shape you choose, consider this trailing vine a helper in your garden. Let it travel and sprawl to cover the soil in a corn patch or other plants. Gardeners are always planning and thinking ahead of the season. Watermelon will finish soon and then the pumpkins will arrive with the season's change.

The first principle of Permaculture is to Observe and Interact. The second is to Catch and Store Energy (seed saving for this gardener). The third principle is to Obtain a Yield. It seems that melons will fill this very nicely.

Growing Green and saving watermelon seeds,

Jannie