Watermelon 'Moon & Stars (Van Doren)'

Description:
The Moon and Stars variety of watermelon has been around since 1926. The rind is purple/black and has many small yellow circles (stars) and one or two large yellow circles (moon). The melon weighs 20-50 pounds (9–23 kg). The flesh is deep rose red. The foliage is also attractively spotted. About 90 days from transplant to harvest.

Notes:
It is not known when the plant was first cultivated, but there is some evidence of its cultivation in the Nile Valley from at least as early as the second millennium BC, and numerous watermelon seeds were recovered from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. These plants originated in the tropics of Africa and still demand growing conditions with plenty of sunlight, warmth and moisture.

Cultivation:
Like all melons, watermelons do not transplant well and are best started where they are to grow. Buying seedling plants will never give you the same good results as starting your seeds in place where they are to grow. The soil should be rich in organic matter and warmed up to at least 70°F (80°F for seedless varieties – they’re a little fussier). You can get a head start on the melon planting season by using raised beds or large containers, something at least the size of half a bourbon barrel (at least a foot deep and about 2 feet across). The soil needs to be well drained, so if you are using containers, be sure that they have plenty of drainage holes. Bush types can grow well with about 2 to 3 feet between plants, but the vine types require at least 3 to 4 feet between them to produce good fruit.