RATTLESNAKE GIANT WATERMELON is a delightful Southern heirloom that can weigh up to 75 pounds and is aptly named for the rattlesnake markings on its green body. Becoming hard to find as home gardens shrink, so I am happy to be able to offer it. The oblong striped fruit averages 25-45 lbs, but can become much larger. 90-100 days. 10 seeds.

ONE OF THE TEN BEST FOODS: Watermelon is so healthy and good for you that you may want to incorporate it into your diet on a much more frequent basis. Not only is it a delightful thirst quencher on a hot summer day, and fun to spit out -- and save -- the seeds (I don't know of any seedless heirloom watermelons), it is packed with powerful nutrients that help fight asthma, cancer, diabetes and arthritis! High in vitamins C, A, B6, B1, potassium, magnesium, and beta carotine, yet watermelon has no cholesterol and virtually no fat. A whole cup is only 48 calories. AND, watermelon contains an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, which benefits the heart, circulatory and immune systems.

GROWING TIPS: Pick a sunny protected location and prepare the soil for a heavy feeder. Regular watering also important. Whether planting directly or as seedlings, check the days to maturity because watermelons need lots of summertime and space to produce. They are not frost hardy. Although plastic mulches are all the rage these days, I am still untrusting of them and whether they may leach into the soil. I prefer a straw mulch - needed to keep the weeds down and moisture in once the rambling leafy vines start growing. Do not be dismayed when the earliest flowers do not produce fruit. This is because the early ones are the male flowers. Later female flowers will bear fruit, but watermelons do need honey bees for pollination, so plant flowers nearby that will attract them all season and please do not use pesticides in your garden that are harmful to bees (even some organics can hurt bees). The more time you spend in your garden, weeding watering and feeding, the fewer pests you will have because your plants will be strong and viable with all that attention and you will be alert to problems before they get out of hand. It takes some practice to know when to harvest watermelons. Watch the ground spot - it will change color. Usually from pale green or white, to cream or yellow. If you are really practiced, you will be able to tell the sound of a ripe melon by tapping it.

CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM GARDEN SEEDS & PLANTS offer hundreds of heirloom and vintage open-pollinated varieties. Most have histories dating back centuries and are tried and true producers. Some are rare, or threatened with extinction. When you grow a plant from heirloom seed and save that seed, you are participating in a practice that goes back for generations. Our grandparents and their grandparents grew these varieties. Often the seeds were prized possessions carried to the New World when they emigrated.

Ever notice how most seed catalogs require you to buy (and pay for) much more seed than you could ever possibly use in a season? If you have a budget for garden seeds, this limits your choices! Although seeds can be viable for longer than one growing season, it requires that they be stored at a consistent temperature and humidity. Few of us do this. CherryGal sizes its seed packets for the home gardener, because we know you may want to grow 5 different lettuces, or three different corns, and don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage to do so! But at the prices most stores and catalogues charge, if you sample 20 different vegetables, herbs and flowers you will be spending $50 - $70! But, the same seeds at CherryGal.com will probably run around $25. CHERRYGAL SEEDS ARE A TREMENDOUS BARGAIN! Another important reason to grow a large variety of plants is that one of the chief culprits in honey bee colony collapse disorder seems to be that their immune systems are weakened by the prevalence of mono-cropping. In other words, bees pollinating only one variety crop have a diet equivalent to eating only bread. Growing an abundant variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers will help sustain our precious honeybees!

All seeds offered are FRESH stock, with high germination rates, tested by the growers and myself. Varieties are specially selected for home gardeners. If you want the flavor you remember from grandma's kitchen garden or the beauty of her cottage flowers, choose CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS.

ABOUT OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS . . . All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are heirlooms (dating at least 100 years) or vintage (mid-20th Century or older) varieties, with an occasional modern variety included which I believe merits special attention. All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are OPEN-POLLINATED. This means saved seed will be true to the parent. Don't be dazzled by the never-ending array of hybrid seeds promoted by gardening suppliers. First, seeds from that produce will not grow true to the parent -- you have to keep buying the hybrid seed (get the picture?). Second, most hybrids are developed for market – not home -- growers with an emphasis on extended shelf life, storage and shipping qualities -- NOT flavor, texture and all those other elements that home growers seek.

All CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS come from reputable growers (most of them small farms) and wherever possible ORGANIC suppliers (so noted). By buying CHERRYGAL SEEDS you are supporting the growing worldwide movement of SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and with a little practice you will be able to save even more money in the future by growing open-pollinated varieties and saving seed for next year. Please Note: CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are guaranteed to be fresh stock, but are not guaranteed as to results (sorry - we wish we could, but there are too many variables in gardening) so please do not ask to return. However, we think you will be pleased and would like to hear about your gardening success!

SHIPPING: I endeavor to ship my seeds as quickly as possible - usually within 24 - 48 hours. During peak seed season (January - June) this timeframe can stretch to a week or more because of heavy volume of sales. I do the best I can and fulfill orders in the order received. If a variety is on back order with a supplier and not likely to available for a week or longer, you will be advised and given the opportunity to substitute or cancel with refund. I package my seeds for shipping in a manner appropriate to the amount and type of seed - larger orders and larger seeds require more packaging. Whether you choose first class mail or priority shipping, your seeds will ship using a delivery confirmation number which will be supplied to you. Our checkout system is keyed to the US Postal System. For small seed orders, I recommend choosing FIRST CLASS mail at checkout. Larger orders (over 13 ounces) can ship either parcel post, though you may find PRIORITY MAIL actually to be less expensive. (I gave up trying to figure out the US Postal System rates a long time ago).

Lastly, I appreciate all my CherryGal.com customers, but have a special affinity for my seed customers. If you have a problem, please email me, using the contact links that are all over the website. Calling is likely to be a frustrating experience, as I do not have the staff to answer the phone and gave up my message system a long time ago because I was spending too much time answering messages instead of shipping and finding/growing wonderful things for my customers. But your email will be promptly responded to.