By Clint Thompson
As soon as North Florida watermelon producers can get their plants in the ground, the sooner they can harvest their crop amid a tight marketing window. So, it has been no surprise to see so many farmers start their planting seasons earlier and earlier in recent years.
But that has been the case and will likely happen again in 2026, according to Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Regional Specialized Extension agent in Live Oak, Florida. He talked about early plantings during the recent Suwanee Valley Watermelon Institute in Fanning Springs, Florida.
“That’s the name of the game for this short, small window that we have. The growers are definitely pushed to try to get the crop planted as early as possible,” Hochmuth said. “I don’t know that I have a good suggestion; just to try to take a look 7 to 10 days ahead and make sure that at least everything looks good for the next 7 to 10 days. But the market pushes them really hard to be willing to take that risk.
“It used to be that it was almost unheard of to plant in early March, and now we’re planting mid-to-late February. It really shows you the push that the early price makes them do.”
Threat of Freeze Event
The threat of a late-season freeze event might cause some watermelon growers to delay plantings. But there are precautions producers can take if they feel the crop is threatened by cooler temperatures.
“The other piece might be that if they are going to plant exceptionally early and they know there’s going to be a high risk, have a backup plan with some way of covering them. There are folks that use Styrofoam cups, paper plates, in the event of a freeze event where you know you’re going to lose the crop. If they’re going to push it early, be prepared to protect the crop if need be,” Hochmuth said.