Watermelon Seeds,
Art Combe's Ancient
Description
(Citrullus lanatus). This melon has a green rind and succulent red flesh with excellent flavor and sweetness. It is a beautiful melon and a favorite on our farm, easy to grow and producing fruit up to 20 lbs. One of the most fascinating seed discoveries in modern history! In the early 1920s, Art Combe, a Southwestern plant expert and amateur prospector, found a small woven pot filled with bright red watermelon seeds in an abandoned sandstone cave in Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. Art planted the seeds and just a few germinated. The fruit was small and crooknecked, unlike any other watermelon he had ever seen before, and the flavor was incredible! Art grew this watermelon for several decades, selecting the largest and most round specimens. The result of decades of selecting is a superb extra-large watermelon with bright red, very sweet flesh. (Some fruit may still have necks.) Art used a dry farming technique that allowed him to grow extra-sweet watermelons with almost no irrigation in the searing hot desert; these watermelons are extremely heat and drought tolerant!
Growing Tips: This variety is well adapted to heat and drought, making it a perfect choice for desert or arid-zone gardens. Choose a site with full sun and fast-draining soil. Deep, infrequent watering mimics the plant’s native environment and promotes strong root systems. Avoid overwatering, especially once fruit sets, to enhance sweetness and reduce cracking.
Plant Details
- Botanical Name
- Citrullus lanatus
- Life Cycle
- Annual
- Growth Habit
- Vining
- Sun Requirement
- Full sun
- Days to Germinate
- 5–10
- Days to Maturity
- 95–105
- Planting Depth
- 1 in.
- Plant Spacing
- 36–48 in.
- Ideal Temperature
- 75–95°F
- Frost Hardy
- No
When to Grow
How to Sow and Plant
How to Grow
How to Save Seeds
FAQ
Is Art Combe’s Ancient watermelon suitable for desert gardens?
Yes, this variety was rediscovered in the desert Southwest and is exceptionally drought and heat tolerant, making it ideal for desert gardeners seeking a low-maintenance melon.
Can I grow Art Combe’s Ancient watermelon in cooler regions?
It is possible, but this melon performs best in hot, dry conditions. In cooler zones, start seeds indoors and provide black plastic mulch to warm the soil and extend the growing season.
Does Art Combe’s Ancient watermelon have red flesh like common varieties?
Yes, the flesh is bright red, very sweet, and succulent, with fruit reaching up to 20 lbs. Decades of selection by Art Combe produced this superb extra-large melon, though some fruit may still show the original crookneck shape.
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