Icebox Watermelon Variety Trial 2004: Organic Production in Western Washington

Introduction Icebox watermelons weigh between 6 and 15 pounds (2.7 6.8 kilograms) and are growing in popularity in the United States. Sugar Baby was the first icebox watermelon variety in the United States, and was discovered in a field of picnic watermelon in Oklahoma by M. Harden in 1955 (Wehner and Barrett, 1996). It was not until 1986 that the next icebox watermelon varieties were released (Maynard, 2004). Today, many new icebox varieties have been developed and released in the United States. Icebox watermelon come in a variety of shapes and colors, and their smaller size is ideal for small families and for storage in home refrigerators. With a rise in interest in organic produce, local production and direct marketing, farmers in Washington are looking to diversify crop varieties to meet these demands. The purpose of this study was to determine which varieties of icebox watermelon are most suitable for organic production in our region. Icebox watermelons offer organic and conventional farmers throughout Washington a means of producing high quality watermelons locally.