{"product_id":"watermelon-charleston-gray","title":"Watermelon Charleston Gray","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWatermelon Charleston Gray is a traditional large watermelon, producing elongated, grey-green fruit that can weigh up to 9kg, filled with bright red, crisp flesh that is very sweet right through to the rind. It is the kind of substantial, old-fashioned watermelon many gardeners remember from childhood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a highly productive variety, setting a genuinely good number of these large fruit per plant, and it carries disease resistance that helps vines stay healthy and cropping well right through a long, warm growing season. Excellent keeping quality rounds out its practical appeal, meaning harvested fruit holds its eating quality for longer than many modern watermelon varieties.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCharleston Gray has long been popular in the Pacific Islands, a track record that speaks to how well it performs in warm, humid conditions, and New Zealand gardeners in similarly favourable summer climates can expect much the same reliable, generous cropping.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor anyone with the space to grow a proper, old-style watermelon rather than a smaller modern type, Charleston Gray delivers genuinely impressive size alongside classic bright red, sweet flesh.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg width=\"451\" height=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSowing and Growing Watermelon Charleston Gray\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSow indoors or under cover from September to November, maintaining a temperature of 20-30°C for germination, which typically takes 5-10 days. Once frosts have passed and seedlings are established, transplant into a warm, sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil, spacing plants 100cm apart within the row and 200cm between rows to allow for the vigorous vines and large fruit.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cimg width=\"451\" height=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHarvesting Watermelon Charleston Gray\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFruit is ready 80-100 days from transplanting. Given the size these fruit reach, up to 9kg, support may help prevent vines from being damaged under the weight. Judge ripeness by a dulling of the skin along with:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eGround Spot – The underside of the watermelon where the fruits rests on the ground is known as the “ground spot”. This spot should turn from a creamy\/white colour to a nice buttery yellow when the melon is mature. The colour should be a deep yellow not a creamy yellow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- [if !supportLists]--\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eTendril – the tendril on the vine directly opposite where the fruit stem joins the vine is a good indicator of ripeness. If the tendril is green the melon is not ripe. If the tendril is withered, dried and brown the melon is mature.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;\"\u003ePatches of webbing on fruit and a hollow sound when tapping fruit are thought by some to be other indicators of fruit ripeness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kings Seeds NZ","offers":[{"title":"20 seeds","offer_id":49212446867764,"sku":"V8437.pkt","price":4.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100 seeds","offer_id":49212446900532,"sku":"V8437.100sdsW","price":10.65,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 seeds","offer_id":49212446933300,"sku":"V8437.250sdsW","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 seeds","offer_id":49212446966068,"sku":"V8437.500sdsW","price":40.75,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1000 seeds","offer_id":49219121971508,"sku":"V8437.1000sdsW","price":65.3,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0729\/0555\/6276\/files\/V8437-W.png?v=1784972151","url":"https:\/\/www.kingsseeds.co.nz\/products\/watermelon-charleston-gray","provider":"Kings Seeds NZ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}