Giant Watermelons

CAROLINA CROSS: This is the largest watermelon variety. All watermelon world records over the past thirty-eight years have been set using this variety. This variety just grows and grows. It continues to grow even after ripening. There are noticeable variations within the variety such as length, width, seed color, rind contour, and growth rate. All of the Carolina Cross variations sold by Giant Watermelons are capable of growing watermelons in excess of two hundred pounds each. Buyers can choose seeds from individual watermelons listed by weight or they can choose from pooled seeds of young seed melons. The advantage of using the young random seeds is better germination. A first time grower of this variety would be wise to read the growing instructions before planting.

JUMBO BLACK DIAMOND:This variety was developed by Lloyd Bright to be sold on Giantwatermelons.com to growers that need the largest Black Diamonds possible. This variety is far larger than any of the other types of Black Diamonds. There is no other variety that can compete for size with Jumbo Black Diamonds for winning Black Diamond Contests. The variety also has good sugar level. The fruits are round, dark green, furrowed, red fleshed and have dark seeds.

BLUE RIND: This variety first appeared in O.F. Lloyd's Cobb Gem field in the 1970's. It apparently started as an accidental cross of a White Seeded Tom Watson and a Cobb Gem. This variety has the rind color of a Black Diamond and the shape of a Cobb Gem. It is a good eating watermelon and can grow to reach as much as one hundred sixty pounds.

JUMBO WATSON: This variety was developed from a cross of a 268 Bright 2005 Carolina Cross WR with a 189 pound Jumbo Black Diamond. This variety produces long watermelons with solid dark green rinds. The flesh is red and the seeds are white. There is great potential for size due to the genetics from the 268 pound Carolina Cross as well as from the Carolina Cross genetics in the Jumbo Black Diamond.

COLOSSAL CANTALOUPE: Giant Watermelons has sold this line of cantaloupes since the early 1980's. It is a giant cantaloupe that easily reaches twenty-five to thirty pounds. Most of the best ones of this line weigh in the forty pound range. Johnnie Morton of Concord, NC grew a fifty pounder out of this line. This variety grows largest when grown with just one fruit per plant. They respond to boron and need good amounts of water. They rot on the bottoms in wet soil but do fine if rolled onto their sides to keep dry bottom surfaces. Like other vine crops, they do not do well with heavy amounts of nitrogen.