Small Shining Light Watermelon
$3.45
$3.95
The Seed Savers Exchange - Traditional Russian watermelon introduced to American gardeners by SSE in 1991. Round 10-12" fruits with a very dark green rind and sweet red flesh. The early maturing variety is well suited for northerly gardens and high altitudes. Great little icebox melon, holds for several weeks after picking. 80-90 days.
Characteristics:
Round fruits grow to 10-12 inches
Red flesh and dark green-black rind
Sweet, holds well in storage
Early maturing, good for short seasons
25 seeds
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Stone Mountain or Dixie Belle Watermelon, 1924 Heirloom, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
We found this popular one again! It arrives in early January 2024!
The Seed Savers Exchange - (aka Dixie Belle) Southern favorite introduced in 1924 by Hastings Seed Company of Atlanta, Georgia. One of the most popular watermelons during the 1930s and 1940s but is now scarce. Round dark green fruits with sweet pink flesh average 30 pounds. Thick rind resists splitting, a good choice for shipping or storage. The rind is also excellent for pickling. 80-95 days.
Characteristics:
Organic
Round fruits grow to 30 pounds
Sweet, pink flesh
Thick, dark green rind prevents splitting and is good for pickling
80-95 days
25 seeds
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
Instructions -
Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Strawberry Watermelon, Organic,
$3.49
$3.75
Strawberry Watermelon - Strawberry-red flesh ripens to within ½ in. of the rind. Delicate texture and outstanding flavor, one of the best we offer. Long melons (8 x 20 in.), 15-25 lbs, dark green rind with darker green stripes, white seeds. Very good disease resistance. Pkt (3 g, about 31 seeds)
Developed by Walt Childs and introduced in 1989. Strawberry watermelon was selected from a heirloom planting.
Characteristics:
Organic
15-20lbs
Sweet flavor
High disease resistance
85 days to maturity
20-60 Seeds per packet, based on weight of 3g and 31 seeds is average
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Sugar Baby Watermelon, 1956 Heirloom, Organic
$3.45
$3.95
Excellent short-season variety with reliable yields of sweet, juicy melons.
High Mowing Organic Seeds - The standard for small watermelons! Perfectly rounded fruits range from 7-8.5" in diameter with a solid green rind and deep red flesh. Our strain has been selected for cool growing conditions and high yields.
Characteristics:
Organic, non-GMO, and open-pollinated
Drought tolerant
6-12 lbs
75 days (Short Season)
1/16 oz approx.
Instructions - Watermelons are warm-season tender annuals. Sandy or light-textured soils that warm easily in the spring are desirable. Melons are heavy feeders. Give 80-120 lbs of N per acre. Calcium deficiency can lead to blossom end rot, especially when adequate moisture is not available. Use dolomitic limestone.
Plant 1/2" deep
Plant spacing: 12-18"
Row Spacing: 6' row centers
Sow: Days to maturity are from transplanting, add 10-14 days if direct seeding.
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Sweet Siberian Watermelon, 1898 Heirloom, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
Not available for the 2024 Season
The Seed Savers Exchange - A Russian variety first offered by Peter Henderson & Co. in 1898. Obtained from the SSE member Glenn Drowns who introduced it into the Seed Savers Exchange in 1987. Green oblong watermelons weigh about 10 pounds. The flesh is very sweet, juicy, and apricot-colored.
Characteristics:
Organic
Oblong fruits grow to 10 pounds
Apricot-orange flesh
Very sweet and juicy
80-85 days
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
25 seeds
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Chelsea Watermelon, 1900 Heirloom, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
Not available for the 2024 Season
The Seed Savers Exchange - In the early 1900s Chelsea, Iowa was famous for melons grown on the sandy hills north of town. Farmers would fill their horse-drawn “triple box” wagons in the field, haul them to town, and sell the melons right from the wagons. Today SSE member Marvin Kucera is the only person growing this watermelon in Chelsea. Sweet, pink-fleshed, 15-20 pound fruits with white seeds will keep for several weeks once picked. 80-90 days.
Characteristics:
Organic
Round fruits grow to 15-20 pounds
Pink flesh with white seeds
Sweet and keeps well once picked
25 seeds
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
Instructions -
Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Cream of Saskatchewan Watermelon, Heirloom, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
Not available for the 2024 Season
Seed Exchange - Brought to Saskatchewan by Russian immigrants. Does well in cool northern climates. Round fruits up to 10" in diameter, 4-10 pounds. A rare treat with sweet white flesh, exceptional flavor. Pale green skin with dark stripes. Very thin rind and must be handled with care—strictly garden to table. 80-85 days.
Characteristics:
Organic
Round fruits grow to 4-10 pounds
Sweet white flesh with exceptional flavor
Very thin, pale green rind with dark stripes
Does well in cool northern climates
80-85 days
25 seeds
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Halbert Honey Watermelon, 1902 Heirloom, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
Not available for the 2024 Season
The Seed Savers Exchange - Developed by Mr. H.A. Halbert of Texas and introduced in 1902 by the W. Atlee Burpee seed house. Thirty years later the Steckler Seed Co. of New Orleans still called it “one of the best tasting melons on the market, a favorite”. Sweet pink flesh with a crisp juicy texture. The dark green elongated fruit has a thin, somewhat delicate rind. 90-100 days
Characteristics:
Organic
Dark green, elongated fruit with somewhat delicate rind
Pink flesh with crisp, juicy texture
Sweet flavor
Tan-white tipped seeds
85-95 days to maturity
25 Seeds per packet
This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.
Instructions -
Sow seeds outdoors in 12" diameter hills after danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Space hills 8' apart in all directions. Seeds will germinate in 4-10 days. Can also be started indoors 4 weeks before transplanting out. Watermelons love heat and prefer sandy or light-textured soils.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability
Oh So Sweet Watermelon, Organic
$3.25
$3.75
Not available for the 2024 Season
The Seed Savers Exchange - This watermelon came to SSE from Virdie Smith of Gladewater, Texas. The highly productive plants bear many medium-sized fruits with striped rinds and high sugar content. It is possible that the watermelon originated in Africa and that it was cultivated in the Nile Valley as early as the 2nd millennium BCE and is mentioned in the Bible. Later the watermelon was brought to India and China before being brought to Europe. It was brought to North America by European colonists and African slaves.
Characteristics:
Organic
Favorite of SSE staff
Light green rind with irregular, dark green stripes from stem to blossom end
25 seeds
Instructions -
Watermelon seeds can be sown directly into the ground or planted indoors in soil trays or pots 4 weeks before planting them outside. This is a heat-loving plant, so make sure that all chance of frost has passed and the soil has warmed before planting them outdoors. Watermelon seeds germinate in 4-10 days and can be planted outdoors in hills that are 12 inches across and 8 feet apart. Sow 6-8 seeds per hill at around 1/2 inch deep and thin the hill to 3-4 plants as the vines grow. If you are transplanting your watermelon, plant them in rows that allow ample room for vines to spread. This variety should be mature in 90 days. 25 seeds per packet.
Plant 1/2" deep
Hill 6-8 seeds together
Thin to 3-4 plants
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute suppliers based on availability