Sugar Baby watermelons are a smaller, more manageable variety of the traditional summer fruit. This cultivar is often referred to as an “icebox melon” because its compact size allows it to fit conveniently inside a standard refrigerator. Developed for home gardens and smaller families, the Sugar Baby is sought after for its exceptional sweetness and refreshing flavor. This personal-sized fruit provides a reliable option for consumers who enjoy watermelon but find larger varieties impractical.
Distinct Physical Traits and Flavor Profile
The Sugar Baby is defined by its compact, spherical shape, setting it apart from the oblong form of many common watermelons. These fruits typically weigh between 6 and 10 pounds and measure approximately 6 to 10 inches in diameter, making them easy to handle and store. The rind is a defining feature, presenting as a solid, dark forest green color that can appear almost black at full maturity. Unlike many striped varieties, the rind is generally uniform in color, sometimes displaying only subtle, darker veins.
Beneath the thin, hard rind is a deep crimson or bright red flesh that boasts a fine-grained, firm, and crisp texture. The flavor profile is characterized by intense sweetness, reflected in its name and a high Brix measurement, often around 10.2. This concentrated sugar level makes it one of the sweetest watermelons available, delivering a classic, refreshing taste. The melon also contains smaller, less numerous tan-black seeds compared to larger, older varieties.
Growing and Harvesting Sugar Babies
Successful cultivation requires a long, hot growing season, typically reaching maturity in about 75 to 80 days. They thrive in full sun and require well-draining, sandy loam soil with a pH range ideally between 5.5 and 7.5. Gardeners usually plant seeds directly into the garden after the final frost, ensuring the soil temperature is consistently above 70°F.
These vining plants require significant space, though their compact fruit size makes them suitable for trellising or container growing in smaller settings. Consistent irrigation is required in the plant’s early stages to support growth, but water must be reduced significantly once the fruit begins to form. Restricting water later in the season helps concentrate the natural sugars within the melon, preventing a bland or watery taste.
Determining ripeness is important because watermelons do not continue to ripen once picked from the vine. A reliable sign is the tendril closest to the fruit’s stem, which should be completely dried out and brown. The spot where the melon rests on the ground, known as the field spot, changes color from white or pale green to a creamy or deep yellow when ripe. Harvesting involves cutting the stem close to the fruit rather than pulling the melon from the vine.
Tips for Selecting and Storing
Consumers selecting a Sugar Baby melon should first lift the fruit to check for appropriate weight, as a ripe melon will feel noticeably heavy for its size. The rind should also be examined for a dull, not glossy, appearance, which is a visual sign of maturity. A common test is to tap the melon; a ripe Sugar Baby will produce a deep, hollow sound, similar to a drum.
The presence of brown, web-like scarring on the rind is often a positive sign, indicating that the flower was well-pollinated, which correlates with higher sugar levels inside. Whole, uncut Sugar Baby watermelons store best at room temperature in a cool, dry location for up to one week. Once the melon is cut, any remaining portions must be tightly wrapped and placed in the refrigerator, where the flesh will maintain quality for about two to three days.