Gardens at Mathews

Watermelon ‘Tender Sweet Orange’

Photographs of this planting through the 2026 season, oldest first.

The photographs

A young watermelon with deeply lobed grey-green leaves rooted in bare soil at a slit in black woven ground fabric, a white label upright at its base, lit by flash at night.
Week of 8 JuneA young watermelon with deeply lobed grey-green leaves rooted in bare soil at a slit in black woven ground fabric, a white label upright at its base, lit by flash at night.
A young watermelon plant lying flat on black woven ground fabric, its deeply cut grey-green leaves fanning out from a single crown in low sun.
Week of 29 JuneA young watermelon plant lying flat on black woven ground fabric, its deeply cut grey-green leaves fanning out from a single crown in low sun.
A watermelon plant sending lobed grey-green runners out in all directions over black woven ground fabric, a small white label at its crown and rough grass along the top edge.
Week of 6 JulyA watermelon plant sending lobed grey-green runners out in all directions over black woven ground fabric, a small white label at its crown and rough grass along the top edge.
A small round watermelon striped light and dark green resting on black woven ground fabric, its vine and tendrils around it and a dashed teal-and-white line running across the fabric alongside.
Week of 20 JulyA small round watermelon striped light and dark green resting on black woven ground fabric, its vine and tendrils around it and a dashed teal-and-white line running across the fabric alongside.
A small pale green watermelon on a bristly vine lying in grass and clover, the clover flowers gone brown around it.
Week of 20 JulyA small pale green watermelon on a bristly vine lying in grass and clover, the clover flowers gone brown around it.
Two striped watermelons lying in grass and clover under the ragged leaves of their vine, the larger one propped against a paved edge at the top.
Week of 27 JulyTwo striped watermelons lying in grass and clover under the ragged leaves of their vine, the larger one propped against a paved edge at the top.

What happened

Crop
Watermelon
Variety
Tender Sweet Orange
Transplanted
11 June 2026
First harvest
29 August 2026
Number picked
1
Total picked
9.65 lb
Status
harvested

All the pictures · The season