Blacktail Mountain Watermelon
Item Details
Gorgeous green-black round fruits weigh 6-12 pounds. Deep scarlet flesh is super sweet, juicy, and crunchy. Perfect for short season areas; also does well in hot humid climates. Bred by Seed Savers Exchange member Glenn Drowns in the 1970s when he lived in northern Idaho, where summer nights average 43°F.
- 65-75 days
- Organic
- Round fruits grow to 6-12 pounds
- Deep scarlet flesh, dark green-black rind
- Super sweet, juicy, and crunchy
- Perfect for short season areas; also does well in hot humid climates
This variety works for:
- Fresh eating
Nothing compares to the experience of eating fresh watermelon slices on a warm summer day. Watermelon flesh can also be used for cold soups with citrus or in salads with arugula and feta cheese.
To make a refreshing watermelon granita, or frozen ice, blend 4 cups of watermelon flesh that has been cubed and seeded with 1/4 cup of sugar and juice from half of a lime. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and freeze for 1-3 hours. You can then scrape the ice with a fork and serve with mint or basil.
Some people pickle the rinds of watermelons with cider vinegar and pickling spices or with a combination of sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. These pickles are a great addition to appetizer trays at parties.
Growing Instructions
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.
- Direct Seed: 1/2" Deep
- Seeds to Hill: 6-8 Seeds
- Thin: To 3-4 Plants
- Light: Full Sun
Ratings & Reviews
4 reviews
Good overall watermelon
by RwLouisville
Great watermelon plant that I have used 5 plus years. I like it because I get it in the ground about 2-3 weeks earlier than my other warm weather crops. Living mid south this is perfect to start early and harvest nicely. I have found whatever I put in my soil does come into the taste of the watermelon. One year I used a pesticide that had a salty smell and sure enough my melons had a hint of salt in them. Very productive for a small garden space and a lot of seeds can be harvested.
One of the best watermelons you can grow
by The Chef
This is a great heirloom watermelon. They look like black volleyballs growing and the taste is superb. Very sweet watermelon flavor and crispy fine grain flesh.
Sweet and not to big.
by Marc
Great tasting watermelon. They're very sweet as long as you take good care of them. Responds well to organic gardening. Not very drought resistance also doesn't like too much water. So be careful when watering. Requires some skill growing. I would watch a youtube video for help if needed. My first grow was a learning experience. There wasn't an over abundance of seeds, enough to restock. Your not picking out seeds every single bite, which is great. I would recommend growing these.
TRASH
by jimmy johns
it taste disgusting and hard to plant
Seed Savers Response: I’m sorry to hear this variety didn’t do well in your garden. Please reach out to our customer service team for variety and planting suggestions and tips.