King and Queen winter watermelon – Organic

This very rare watermelon is distinguished by an exceptionally hard, light green, almost white rind and red, crunchy, juicy flesh. More resistant to autumn cold than other varieties of watermelon, the harvest may be later. In addition, the solidity and thickness of the bark of its fruits allows it to be preserved until December. To preserve them properly, wash the fruits at harvest and dry the peel in the sun and then store them in a dry, ventilated place. Always handle fruit gently and do not store damaged fruit. It is therefore particularly interesting to cultivate in the cold climate of Quebec. Perfectly round melons measure up to 25 cm in diameter and often weigh more than 5 kg.

In her book Melons for the Passionate Growers published in 2002, Amy Goldman praises this melon which, according to her, was offered by the seed growers Aggeler and Musser Seed Company as early as 1923. The description offered in their catalog spoke of a a very unique luxury product that they highly recommended. Very similar to the type of melon that early Midwestern immigrants grew, 'King and Queen Winter' has been adopted by Mennonite communities in the American Midwest, who turn it into watermelon pickles. These pickles appear on the list of foods to preserve from the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, where the heirloom variety 'Winter King & Queen' is mentioned as being the most popular. This melon is said to have gone by the names 'Winter Melon', 'Chritsmas Melon' and 'King and Queen of Winter' over the years.

Number of days for harvest: 90 to 100