Growing in Orbost

Best time to plant watermelon in Orbost

Citrullus lanatus

Sow watermelon in Orbost in Oct to Dec.

A sprawling, frost-tender vine grown for its large, sweet, juicy fruit. It needs a long, hot season, plenty of room and steady water while the fruit swells.

When to sow in Orbost

Orbost, VIC is in the cool zone. The zone also plants in Sep, but Orbost's frost dates make those months risky for a frost-tender crop.

Broadly matches local guides, with some differences.

Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.

Frost in Orbost

Frost usually arrives in Orbost around mid June and finishes by mid August. In about 1 year in 10 it comes as early as early June or as late as mid September, so frost-tender crops are planned around those dates.

From its Bureau of Meteorology station, 1991 to 2020, counting a night at 2°C or lower as a frost. Frost hollows and hillsides can shift these dates by weeks, so ask the growers at your garden too.

On a shared plot: needs a lot of room

Vines wander well beyond a small bed. Train them back into your plot, and ask your coordinator if space is tight.

Growing details

How to start
Sow directly in the bed
Sowing depth
25-38mm
Plant spacing
90-120cm
Row spacing
125cm
Germination
10-14 days at 27-32°C
Time to harvest
85 days
Frost
Frost tender
Sun
Full sun
Life cycle
annual

These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.

Watermelon elsewhere

Watermelon across Australia