{"product_id":"watermelon-ҫekirdegi-oyali","title":"Watermelon, 'Ҫekirdeği Oyali'","description":"\u003cp\u003e(\u003cem\u003eCitrullus lanatus\u003c\/em\u003e) I don’t think I ever would have guessed, with all our beans and corns, our many species of flowers with their intricate seed designs and adaptations, that perhaps the most beautiful seed in our collection would come from ... a watermelon. This Turkish variety, whose name translates roughly as “hand-carved,” was sent to us by Mehmet Öztan, who named the variety and introduced it in the US. His seed company ‘\u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twoseedsinapod.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eTwo Seeds in a Pod\u003c\/a\u003e’ specializes in Turkish heritage varieties and is full of rare treasures like this. The seeds start primarily black with a subtle design of white cracking that gets more and more pronounced as it dries. After posting a picture on social media, we heard from a grower in Extremadura in Western Spain who stewards similar landrace watermelons with this type of seed (both yellow and red flesh), and we’ve heard there might be a similar Japanese variety. Mehmet’s was collected in Izmir in westernmost Anatolia, but its specific Turkish place of origin is not known. While the seed may be the star, the fruit is certainly a very worthy co-star, with wonderfully sweet pink-red flesh, excellent texture, and a convenient 3-4# icebox size. But, with this degree of botanical seed splendor, it feels almost irrelevant that it came from a delicious watermelon. It stands entirely on its exquisite beauty, not just one of potential. And if I ever needed another reason to rant against the joylessness of seedless watermelons (which believe me, I don’t) well...here you go. \u003cbr\u003e85-90 days. UO\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePacket: 15 seeds\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[split]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGrowing Info\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSOWING:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSow indoors 3-4 weeks before your last frost date. Keep soil moist before emergence, growing at 80-90F, reducing to 75F. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTransplant out 2-3 weeks after your last frost date when the soil has sufficiently warmed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDirect sow after 2-3 weeks after the last frost when soil is 70F+.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNote:\u003c\/em\u003e Provide ample and even water when transplanting, and take care not to disturb roots. \u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePLANTING DEPTH:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e1\/2\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSPACING:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e18-24\" spacing in rows 5' apart.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEMERGENCE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e5-10 days @ soil temp 75-85F\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eLIGHT:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFull sun\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFERTILITY:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMedium. Prefers well-drained, evenly moist, and well-balanced fertile soil with a pH of 6.5-7. Avoid the addition of excess Nitrogen to the soil. Phosphorus and potassium are key for a healthy fruit set. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eADDITIONAL NOTES:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBe \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003egentle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e while transplanting to keep the root system undisturbed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsistent warmth and water are essential. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRow cover may be used for extra warmth and possibly earlier fruit set. Remove as plants begin to flower. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep transplants through fruit set well-watered. Cut back water a week or so before ripe to avoid bland-tasting fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Uprising Seeds","offers":[{"title":"Pkt","offer_id":37724975366318,"sku":"WAT-CO-pkt","price":4.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 seeds","offer_id":44240229138665,"sku":"WAT-CO-50s","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100 seeds","offer_id":49934203977961,"sku":"WAT-CO-100s","price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0504\/6203\/2046\/products\/img_e2719.jpg?v=1606176845","url":"https:\/\/www.uprisingorganics.sbs\/products\/watermelon-%d2%abekirdegi-oyali","provider":"Uprising Seeds","version":"1.0","type":"link"}