’Jubilee’ bush watermelons bring exceptional sweetness on a compact, bushy form. Versatile across garden scales, including in pots and small spaces, the dwarf variety makes growing the hallmark fruits of summer achievable. Garden expert Katherine Rowe explores the merits of ‘Jubilee’ bush to highlight the warm season. ’Jubilee’ bush watermelons celebrate the flavor of summer. The dwarf melons boast superior sweetness on compact vines. Made for hot weather, the relative of a favorite southern heirloom stands up to heat and humidity for refreshing rewards on long summer days. An excellent melon for hot climates, ‘Jubilee’ bush is also a space-saving option with shorter vines and smaller fruits than the classically large oblongs. They’re a fit for containers and raised beds, and can grow vertically to free up ground space. ‘Jubilee’ bush expands the options for growing sweet, juicy fruits across climates and garden situations. Savor the delicious taste of summer by planting now and enjoying them later in the season. What are ‘Jubilee’ Bush Watermelons? ‘Jubilee’ bush is a prized watermelon variety for its flavor, manageable size, and ability to withstand heat and humidity with good production and disease resistance. Its high sugar content makes it a sweet selection among bush types, which aren’t always as sweet, juicy, and tender as their full-size counterparts. ‘Jubilee’ bush has lineage in the favorite heirloom ‘Jubilee’, a result of several crosses introduced by the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station in the early 1960s. ‘Jubilee’ is tops for its large, flavorful melons and resistance to wilt and anthracnose, setting it up for good yields in humid conditions. Like all melons, ‘Jubilee’ bush is in the Cucurbitaceae family along with squashes and cucumbers. Watermelons are long-maturing, soaking in the warmth and sun of summer days as they fill and sweeten. Characteristics ‘Jubilee’ bush produces light green, oval fruits with dark striping. The bright red flesh has a fine, crisp texture to complement the sweet taste. Ready for harvesting in about 90 days, ‘Jubilee’ bush produces three to five fruits per plant. The oval melons weigh 10 to 13 pounds, as compared to the 35-pounders of the standard ‘Jubilee,’ which reach over two feet long. The manageable vines spread three to five feet with resistance to common cucurbit diseases of Fusarium wilt and anthracnose. Native Area Citrullus lanatus is native to North Africa, with wild ancestors in southern Africa and the Kalahari Desert. The drought-tolerant species weren’t necessarily sweet, but they contained water for hydration. The fruits made their way to Egypt, where cultivation began for improvements in water content and sweetness. The ancient watermelons even appear in tombs in painted depictions and as physical seeds. The crop later presents in historical references in Israel, Ancient Rome, China, and Europe. The fruits traveled through colonization and the slave trade from Africa, making their way to North America. Cultivation dedicated to disease-resistant, table quality crops heightened during the last century and continues to innovate. Warm, sun-drenched growing conditions remain essential for their development. Planting In the ground, direct sow watermelon seeds or seedlings into low mounds to improve air circulation, drainage, and minimize damp conditions that lead to disease issues. Mounding also reduces root and vine competition for moisture, nutrients, and sunlight. Two to three vines planted in low, 16-inch tall mounds give vining stems room to run while elevating the crowns. Allow six to seven feet between mounds for vines to run.

When hot summer days arrive, biting into a homegrown melon is one of the best treats. Join farmer Briana Yablonski to learn how to grow honeydews from seed to harvest. When it comes to melons, honeydew might not be at the top of everyone’s list. However, don’t count these green melons out if you’ve only eaten them as part of a store-bought fruit salad. Homegrown honeydew has a refreshing juiciness and subtle floral flavor that makes it compete with beloved favorites like watermelon and cantaloupe. Honeydew melons grow best in warm climates with plenty of sun and space to spread. But with a little planning and care, even gardeners in cooler regions can enjoy these sweet fruits. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to grow honeydews at home—from seed starting to harvest. What Are Honeydew Melons? Honeydew melons are a type of muskmelon known for their smooth, pale rinds and slightly sweet, light green flesh. They lack the musky fragrance found in cantaloupes and other types, but produce similar trailing vines. While you may be most familiar with the standard honeydew, there are dozens of cultivars with varying skin colors and flavors. All are members of the Cucumis melo species, which also includes cantaloupe and crenshaw types. Unlike their cantaloupe cousins, honeydews don’t emit a strong aroma when ripe, which is how they earned the name “inodorus,” meaning “without scent.” Because they don’t continue to ripen after harvest, proper timing is key if you want to enjoy the melons at the peak of flavor. Characteristics Honeydew melons typically have smooth, slightly waxy skin that ranges from pale green to golden yellow when ripe. The flesh is usually light green, but you’ll also find orange and white-fleshed varieties. The fruit size varies by cultivar, but most of them are between five and ten pounds when mature. Each plant produces long, trailing vines that sprawl multiple feet in every direction. The vines bear yellow flowers, which turn into melons after they’re properly pollinated. Native Area Most historians believe that melons originated in Africa and southwest Asia, with honeydews developing through centuries of cultivation. They made their way to Europe and the Americas through trade and exploration, and became popular in the United States by the early 1900s. Planting Most honeydews take around three months to mature, so it’s important to get them in the ground early enough to ensure they can ripen before cool fall days arrive. However, since these heat-loving plants don’t tolerate cold, wait until after the last spring frost to plant. Honeydews can grow well when directly sown in the garden or transplanted. The best growing method depends on your climate and preferences.

If you dream of growing a pomegranate but live in a cold climate, you can still grow these juicy fruits at home. All you have to do is plant them in a container! Join farmer Briana Yablonski to learn how to successfully grow pomegranates in pots. Have you ever thought of growing a pomegranate at home? While these unique, aril-filled fruits may seem impossible to produce at home, they’re actually quite easy to grow. However, gardeners in cold climates often remove pomegranates from their plant wish list when they realize they can’t survive cold temperatures. However, before you assume below-zero temperatures mean you can’t grow these plants at home, note that you can grow them in containers! Planting the trees in pots allows you to move them indoors during the winter to protect them from cold. Plus, containers make moving your pomegranate from one home to the next easy. Much of the care for potted plants is similar to in-ground pomegranates. However, you also need to be aware of factors like the ideal container size and potting soil, as well as differences in water requirements. Following these steps will help you grow a healthy pomegranate tree in a container. Select a Large Container Although pomegranate trees can happily grow in pots, they won’t grow well in small containers. The plants may survive for a year or two, but they’ll experience stunted growth and a lack of flowers. Therefore, it’s important to select a pot that gives the roots room to expand and flourish. While you may be tempted to choose a smaller container and repot your plant as it grows, it’s better to start with a big container. Repotting is an inherently stressful process, so it’s best to avoid it if you can. Plus, why purchase three different sizes of pots when you can get away with buying just one? Look for a container that’s at least 10 gallons. The container material isn’t too important, and plastic, terra cotta, and glazed ceramic can all work well. However, before you select a container, make sure the bottom contains drainage holes. If you live in hardiness zone 7 and below, you should plan on moving your pomegranate to a protected area during the winter. However, this is often easier than it sounds! When you start with a 50-pound ceramic container and fill it with potting mix, your potted pomegranate can easily weigh over a hundred pounds! Choosing a lighter container or placing the pot on wheels can make moving your plant more manageable. Fill With a Well-Draining Potting Mix After you’ve found a suitable container, it’s time to fill it with soil. You shouldn’t use native soil since this can lead to issues with drainage. However, you should also stay away from seed-starting mixes and those designed for vegetative houseplants. Instead, look for a specially formulated potting mix designed for trees and shrubs. These mixes are similar to those that work well for raised beds. Good mixes often contain nutrient-rich compost, peat moss or coco coir, and drainage materials like perlite, sand, or pine bark fines. Once you have a suitable mix, I recommend pouring it out into a large container and thoroughly mixing it with a shovel or your hands. Store-bought mixes often contain large clumps of peat moss or compost, and a good stir ensures a homogeneous mixture. Slowly add water as you mix until it is slightly moist but not damp. Add Your Plant to the Container Fill your container about two-thirds of the way with the potting mix. Remove your pomegranate tree from its current container and gently shake off any loose soil from the plant’s roots. You should also inspect the roots and remove any rotten or discolored portions. Place the plant in the new container so the top of the plant’s root ball is even with the soil line. Avoid burying it too deep since this can lead to problems with rot and growth. Once the plant is in the right place, add more fresh potting soil to fill in the remaining empty spaces. Gently compact the soil with your hands to remove any air pockets. Finally, slowly add water until it is moist. If the soil lowers after you add water, add more to ensure there’s an even layer in the container. Place in a Suitable Location After your pomegranate tree is tucked into its container, it’s time to place it in a location where it receives the proper amount of light. These plants require at least six hours of daily light, but they prefer much more. If they don’t receive enough light, they may become weak and stunted and/or fail to produce flowers and fruit. If your plant is outdoors, choose an open area with full sun. Alternatively, you can place the container on the south-facing side of a building, hedge, or fence. Indoor plants should also receive at least six hours of light, so choose a bright area. Typically, the area next to a south-facing window works well. However, you can also place the potted plant in a sunroom or other room with lots of windows. If you don’t have a bright enough area, use a grow light to provide supplemental lighting. Water Regularly You may have heard that pomegranates trees are drought-tolerant, and while this is true, they can’t survive long periods in a container without water. The best way to keep these plants happy is to allow the soil to dry out slightly, but not all the way, between waterings. When irrigating, it’s important to remember the difference in water needs between potted and in-ground plants. Since the sides of the container are exposed to the air, the soil heats up quicker, and water evaporates faster. Therefore, you’ll need to water your potted plants more often than those growing in the ground. The frequency you need to water your plants depends on factors including sun exposure, temperature, soil type, and container material. However, a good starting point is to water your potted pomegranate one to two times per week. Checking the soil with your fingers is a good way to determine whether or not you should water your plant more often. When the top three to four inches of soil is dry, you should water again. When you irrigate, water slowly to thoroughly soak all of the soil. You can water by hand with a hose or watering can, or you can set up drippers on a timer. Try to keep the foliage dry to prevent fungal diseases. Fertilize Regularly But Sparingly Pomegranate trees aren’t heavy feeders, so you don’t have to supply them with a large dose of fertilizer to keep them happy in a container. However, if you skip fertilizing entirely, the plants will begin to show signs of nutrient deficiencies. This is especially true with potted plants. If you use a nutrient-rich potting mix, you shouldn’t have to fertilize your plant in the first year. However, plan to start adding a balanced fertilizer in year two. An appropriate fertilizer will have an equal amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, so look for a product with an NPK ratio like 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. Add the fertilizer to your plant once per year in the late spring or early summer. Most organic fertilizers slowly release their nutrients over time, so a single annual application is enough to keep your plant happy. Avoid applying too much fertilizer since excess nutrients can be just as big of an issue as too few nutrients. Keep An Eye on the Temperature Pomegranate plants are more cold-hardy than many people think, but they still can’t tolerate extreme cold. Most pomegranate varieties grow best in zones 8-11 and will become damaged if exposed to temperatures below 10°F (-12°C). Therefore, you should aim to move your plant to a protected area once the temperature begins to drop below freezing. Fortunately, most pomegranates don’t require many chilling hours to produce fruit. That means you can bring the plants indoors during the fall without worrying about a lack of cold interfering with their fruit production. If you bring your plants indoors, you can place them in either a cool area like a covered porch or garage or a warm area like your living room. However, unless you’re dealing with a snap freeze, you should avoid moving them from a cold area immediately to a warm area. Instead, let them slowly acclimate to their new home by gradually increasing the time they spend in a warm place. When the danger of frost has disappeared in the spring, you can move the plants back outdoors. Aim to move them outdoors for a few hours one day, then a few more hours the next day. This slow introduction will help the plants adapt to the cooler air and brighter light.