Divide watermelon juice equally into four glasses filled with ice. Florida is famous for its citrus, and rightly so, but plenty of other fruits and. Though weather conditions pushed back the harvest date, the company expects to have a good season. These little watermelon cups are the perfect side dish or appetizer for your summer parties. This gorgeous fruit wears an extremely thin skin that will zip right off so it can be effortlessly enjoyed. Hey all, just a quick question, we are huge watermelon fans in this house but it seems 9 out of 10 supermarket melons are dry and gritty and dont have the wonderful fresh watermelon taste. The 2016 state profile for florida by the usdas national agricultural. Florida crops in season florida department of agriculture. Mardel watermelon association 4,062 photos product. Hall says consumers rising interest in nutrition is good news for watermelon growers. Florida watermelon set for early, plentiful harvest packer. A watermelon sits among leaves in a watermelon field.
Billy personally handles all sales and has done so for the entire 26 years of operation. Orlando tangelos make the perfect juicy snack for every occasion. Surprisingly, the bulk of watermelon roots are found in the top 12 inches of soil. During the 2010 production season, watermelon was the states seventh. Finding locally grown fruits and vegetables is a little easier if you know when they are in season, what store to find them in, and how to spot locally grown food easily.
Florida produced more than 780 million pounds of watermelon last year 22% of u. Watermelons have crisp, juicy flesh thats perfect for summer eating. Billy personally handles all sales and has done so. Apr 07, 2020 according to the 2017 usda census of agriculture, levy county has the largest acreage of watermelons in the state, with gilchrist a close second. Prices for south florida watermelons started at a robust 40 cents per pound but have since dropped to 12 cents amidst a deflated market during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to mark warren, university of floridaifas extension agent. There are two general types of watermelon festivals 1 community festivals, usually organized by a church, school, local chamber of commerce or a town and 2. Jun 24, 2016 watermelon is just one of the fresh commodities available from florida this season. Perfect growing conditions this year could start florida melons up to three weeks early, with good volume and quality throughout the season.
South florida gardeners plant watermelon before march 1. Enjoy the sweet flavors of summer with this watermelon salsa recipe made with sweet florida watermelon disclosure. This page has a table below that tells when each fruit or vegetable is normally ready to be harvested in florida. In a 2016 university of florida watermelon fungicide trial, the entry treated with foliar applications of rhyme fungicide with a nonionic surfactant had disease severity ratings of only 18. Jun 21, 2016 you can head over to the fresh from florida recipe page and find recipes for every in season florida produce all year long. North florida watermelon farmers bracing for unpredictable season. Prices for south florida watermelons started at a robust 40 cents per pound but have since dropped to 12 cents amidst a deflated market during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to mark warren, university of floridaifas extension agent in levy county. Aug 03, 2016 growing watermelon in north florida august 3, 2016 no comments by prestige landscapes blog, gardening, tips florida, gardening, holidays when planting watermelon you can plant seeds or transplants just be careful with transplants as watermelons have sensitive roots.
Clean the watermelon before cutting with soap and running water. Whats in season florida produce calendar infographic. According to the 2017 usda census of agriculture, levy county has the largest acreage of watermelons in the state, with gilchrist a close second. Whats in season in may 2020, and other timely information. Watermelon seeds cloud the juice and transform it into colloidal texture the day after. Many present shipments from mostly prior bookings andor previous commitments at lower prices. The disease control provided by rhyme fungicide protects yields. Watermelon gardening solutions university of florida.
Apr, 2010 open face watermelon sandwiches yield 4 servings. Watermelons trending in central florida growing produce. Usdanass 2019 state agriculture overview for florida. Full of a,b6,c, citrulline and its the lycopene leader buy a. The florida watermelon association represents the growers, brokers and associated companies of the watermelon industry in florida.
Pour sparkling water over the juice until glass is filled. Florida watermelon farmers face uncertainty due to covid19. This is definitely true for texas, california and georgia. In florida, its watermelons, watermelons everywhere central. Add watermelon, honey, and lemon juice to a blender and process until smooth. Florida watermelons are grown in the western parts of the state from north collier county to columbia county watermelon from florida is available from late march until mid. Now 39, willis is the sole proprietor of jfkw farms, growing 150 acres of watermelons and 65 acres of tomatoes.
Watermelon citrullus lanatus is a plant species in the family cucurbitaceae, a vinelike flowering plant originating in west africa. Apr 18, 2012 florida watermelon shipments begin early. Some of the applicants in laras group had already spent seasons laboring in u. The average watermelon plant you can grow in your garden is diploid, meaning it has a complete set of chromosomes 2n. In florida, its watermelons, watermelons everywhere. Floridas summer sun takes a toll on traditional crops familiar in more northern gardens. Bsw ships watermelons from south florida, trenton which is where the main facility is located, south georgia, south carolina, north carolina, indiana and missouri.
In texas, the watermelon season is from june to august. Healthy harvest farms llc february 15, 2017 the weather has been excellent for watermelon growing so far, we should have florida melons ready to harvest early april. There is evidence from seeds in pharaoh tombs of watermelon cultivation in ancient egypt. Steve nichols, manager of the lakelandbased global produce sales, says that is because the season starts here for u. Study the seasonal produce guide printable, and check out the other tips on why its important to eat locally and seasonally. May 31, 2018 in a 2016 university of florida watermelon fungicide trial, the entry treated with foliar applications of rhyme fungicide with a nonionic surfactant had disease severity ratings of only 18. North florida watermelon farmers bracing for unpredictable. Watermelon planting dates range from december 15 to april 15, depending on the variety planted and the growing region. When is watermelon season in texas, florida, california and georgia. Sep 24, 2018 the 2018 florida watermelon season posed challenges for most growers that resulted in lower yields and higher fruit prices. The 2018 florida watermelon season posed challenges for most growers that resulted in lower yields and higher fruit prices.
Apr 15, 2016 florida is a good place to be if you want to grow watermelons. Camila guillen, ufifas ufifas as fruit and vegetable farmers in south florida decide what to do. Although watermelon is a popular treat in the summertime, the watermelon season will slightly vary from different states. Although watermelon is available year round, domestic watermelon is in its peak season from may through august. An awardwinning food writer and cookbook author, molly watson has created recipes focused on local, seasonal ingredients.
Growing watermelon in north florida prestige landscapes llc. Add fresh mint leaves and youre ready to enjoy a nice tall glass of florida watermelon fizz. Bob hochmuth, regional specialized extension agent for vegetable crops at the university of florida uf institute of food and agricultural sciences north florida research and education center in suwannee valley discussed. Watch emerils florida episodes online season 4 2016 tv. Weve created an inseason produce calendar for florida so you can easily see when its the right time to find the freshest cantaloupe or watermelon, or if youve missed citrus season. Mardel watermelon association 4,062 photos productservice. Watermelon production sort of moves up the country as it becomes spring, he says. Consequently when watering, try and apply only as much water as the root zone top 12 can hold. This event gets bigger and better each year, making it a great time to plan a. If you purchased one with seeds remove them before making the juice. Fresh from florida watermelons can be found in grocery stores across north america. Floridas watermelon season starts in april, peaks in may and june, and.
In 2018, the state brought in 30,462 h2a workers, second only to georgia, according the u. Jun 01, 2010 hey all, just a quick question, we are huge watermelon fans in this house but it seems 9 out of 10 supermarket melons are dry and gritty and dont have the wonderful fresh watermelon taste. With crops in the ground, florida watermelon farmers face. It is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, having more than varieties watermelon is a scrambling and trailing vine in the flowering plant family cucurbitaceae. In fact, water comprises 92 percent of the watermelon fruit. Published on jul 1, 2016 my husband took me to florida for my first time picking watermelon which is a family tradition every summer.
Florida is a good place to be if you want to grow watermelons. As the largest watermelon grower, packer, and shipper in the u. Watermelons are a short season and potentially temperamental crop. Florida gardens are unique in that many growers have their offseason in the summer. We went for 10 days where we picked thousands of watermelons. Higher prices save florida watermelon season vsc news. Plan to celebrate the summer harvest season at fleamasters annual watermelon festival, may 2527, 2018. Let the strained watermelon mixture drain into a medium sized bowl. Ingredients 14 mediumsized florida watermelon, seeds and rind removed 1 handful fresh florida mint leaves, chopped 8 ounces goat cheese 12 loaf of your favorite crusty bread, sliced thin olive oil kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Rhyme fungicide now available for use in watermelon. Research in florida has shown that the presence of six smooth pigweed plants between watermelon plants throughout the whole season will reduce watermelon yield by 100%. Georgia melons are mature in early june through midjuly, which means most of the melons on the market around july 4 are going to be georgia melons.
Mancozeb or mankocide premix can effectively manage the disease if applied early in the season based on weather conditions, 23 applications may be needed early in the season. At one time, i was the only commercial watermelon producer in hillsborough county, says willis, who left the farm briefly after high school for a stint in the nursery business, but returned to farming in the mid1990s. Summer meals are so much better with our favorite produce picked from from a local farm. Apr 07, 2020 a watermelon sits among leaves in a watermelon field. Games, competition, sweet florida watermelon at fleamasters fleamarket save the date. Print this months shopping list of fresh florida fruits and vegetables and look for them in your grocery store. Growing watermelon in north florida august 3, 2016 no comments by prestige landscapes blog, gardening, tips florida, gardening, holidays when planting watermelon you can plant seeds or transplants just be careful with transplants as watermelons have sensitive roots. The watermelon season in florida has already soured and a huge chunk of the states crop has yet to be harvested. This watermelon salsa post was sponsored by fresh from florida as part of influencer. Perfect for an outdoor celebration or summer barbecue. However, watermelon plants maintained free of emerging smooth pigweed for four weeks suffer no yield loss as a result of competition from smooth pigweed plants emerging after. Imported watermelon is in its peak season from march through may. Some of following crops, however, can withstand the heat.
Kick off watermelon season with sweet and salty salad. Several kinds of melons grow well in florida, including casaba, honeydew, watermelon, and cantaloupe. Watch emerils florida episodes online season 4 2016. More than 20% of the states watermelon crop is produced in these two counties. As fruit and vegetable farmers in south florida decide what to do with. This years florida watermelon season is running two weeks earlier than normal. Camila guillen, ufifas ufifas as fruit and vegetable farmers in. This event gets bigger and better each year, making it a great time to plan a trip to fleamasters or plan to sell at the market. Every summer we look forward to fresh from florida produce.