Best Long Vine Watermelons for Large Gardens

If you have plenty of garden space and a love for sweet, juicy fruit, long vine watermelons are a fantastic addition to your summer garden. These traditional varieties are known for their vigorous growth, full-sized fruit, and unbeatable flavor. But be warned—they need room to roam.

As someone who’s been gardening for decades and growing watermelons in wide raised beds and open mounded rows, I can tell you: these long-vine types will sprawl 10 to 20 feet in every direction if you let them. But the payoff is worth it—there’s nothing quite like harvesting a heavy, sun-ripened melon from a robust vine you’ve tended for weeks.

Below are some of the best-performing long vine watermelons for home gardeners with large plots.

Table of Contents

🍉 Calsweet

Days to Maturity: 90–92
Fruit Size: 25–30 lbs, about 17 inches long
Rind: Light green with dark green stripes
Flesh: Bright red, sweet
Spacing Needed: At least 6 feet between hills; vines spread 10–12 feet

Calsweet is a dependable variety that delivers big, classic-looking fruit. The vines are aggressive growers, so give them room to sprawl. I recommend growing this variety along the edge of a bed or field where it can extend freely. Its sweetness and storage quality make it great for both fresh eating and summer gatherings.

🍉 Charleston Gray

Days to Maturity: 85–100
Fruit Size: 30–35 lbs, up to 24 inches long
Rind: Thin but tough; light greenish-gray
Flesh: Red, crisp, excellent flavor
Spacing Needed: 6–8 feet between hills; vines may stretch 12–15 feet

This is a Southern classic that I’ve grown repeatedly with success. The vines are vigorous and thrive in hot, sunny climates. Charleston Gray handles sunburn and extreme heat better than many others—a real advantage in dry or southern zones. Let it sprawl in open ground or a dedicated melon patch.

🍉 Crimson Sweet

Days to Maturity: 80–97
Fruit Size: 25–30 lbs, about 12 inches long
Rind: Thick and hard; light green with dark stripes
Flesh: Bright red, very sweet, fine texture
Spacing Needed: 5–6 feet between plants; vines spread 10–12 feet

Crimson Sweet has a reputation for excellent disease resistance and super-sweet flesh. I’ve had great results with this one even in wetter years. The thick rind makes it a solid choice if you need a melon that can be transported or stored a bit longer after harvest.

🍉 King of Hearts (Hybrid)

Days to Maturity: 80–85
Fruit Size: Medium-large; oval shape
Rind: Thick, medium green with lighter stripes
Flesh: Bright red, sweet, crisp
Spacing Needed: 5–6 feet between plants; vines spread 8–10 feet

This hybrid produces high-quality fruit with fewer seeds, making it a great choice for family gardens. It’s not as long-sprawling as Charleston Gray, but it still needs space. The fruit holds up well and has a wonderfully crisp texture—excellent chilled.

🍉 Sugar Baby

Days to Maturity: 68–86
Fruit Size: 8–10 lbs, 6–8 inches long
Rind: Thick, dark green (nearly black at maturity)
Flesh: Bright red-orange, fine texture
Spacing Needed: 4 feet apart; vines spread 8–10 feet

Though often labeled as an “icebox” melon, Sugar Baby still grows on long vines. I’ve grown this successfully both in raised beds and ground mounds—it’s compact for a watermelon, but still needs room. The flavor is rich, and the small fruit is easy to chill whole. Great for small households with a bit of extra space.

Tips for Growing Long Vine Watermelons

From years of trial and error, here are my top tips for managing long-vine varieties:

Plan for space: Give each hill of watermelons 6–8 feet of separation. A single vine can sprawl 12–20 feet!
Use mounded rows or raised hills: This improves drainage and keeps vines warmer early in the season.
Water deeply and infrequently: Watermelons thrive with consistent moisture but suffer from soggy soil.
Mulch early: Straw or black plastic keeps weeds down and warms the soil.
Hand-pollinate if needed: Especially early in the season or in cooler climates, hand pollination ensures fruit set.

Final Thoughts

If you have the space, long vine watermelons are a satisfying and flavorful crop to grow. Whether you’re looking for a classic like Charleston Gray or a sweet hybrid like King of Hearts, these melons reward patient gardeners with massive, juicy fruit that tastes far better than anything from the store.

Choose your variety based on your climate, space, and taste preference—and enjoy watching those vines run wild.