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Charleston Gray Watermelon
Citrullus lanatus
Red, delicous, and crisp oblong melon with thick skin, the Charleston Grey is a classic summertime treat. It was introduced in 1954 by Charles Fredric Andrus, of ARS’s U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC as a variety that is easy to stack and ship. This has made it a favorite of the iconic Watermelon Man - Black long haulers who continue to bring up truckloads of watermelons from Southern farms to Northern customers.
Our dear friends Mr. Aundrae and Mrs. Sheila Cassell grow this special melon for our catalog as a tribute to their ancestors. Mr. Aundrae's relatives grew various watermelons on Galberry Road, in Chesapeake, VA where family roots date back to his great-great-great grandmother.
While his great grandfather moved to Philadelphia, Aundrae's grandparents would make yearly trips back down Virgina. His grandfather's car trunk would be loaded full of Charleston Gray watermelons which made the front of his big black sedan rise high in the front until he delivered all the watermelons to family and friends in the Philadelphia area. Aundrae adds "my wife and I fondly grow the Charleston Gray watermelon, which evokes joyful sunny memories of summertime past."
Days to maturity: 85-95
Seeds per pack: 20-25
Germination rate: 90% on 2/16/2026
Planting / harvesting notes
Direct sow in warm soil after the last frost, or seed indoors 3-4 weeks beforehand and transplant. Space 12-18" apart in rows that are 6-8' apart. Keep ground slightly moist until germination, but do not overwater. Watermelons love heat and well drained soils.
Seed keeping notes
Watermelons are insect pollinated and need 1/2 mile between different varieties of C. lanatus to prevent unwanted cross-pollination. It is difficult to know when a watermelon is truly ripe. In Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth, she recommends waiting until the small tendril opposite the melon's "peduncle" (stem attachment) changes from green to brown and dries out. You can also look for color changes in the skin, and listen for a thud when the fruit is tapped. Seeds are ready for harvest when the melon is ready to eat. Dry them out in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight.
