One season with a warm-soil gate
Use the date only after frost and soil agree
The planting chart supplies the Middle Georgia range. The watermelon guide adds three conditions: no frost danger, warm sunny days and 65–70°F soil.
Outdoor planting
March 20 – May 1
Middle Georgia chart window for seed or transplants.Fall planting
Not recommended
The current UGA chart does not support a second statewide crop window.Indoor dates can be regional
Count back from local frost, then wait for warm soil
UGA gives approximate transplant-start timing by region, while outdoor planting still depends on current conditions.
North Georgia
Start transplant seed around late March to early April, about 4–5 weeks before the last frost.
Move outside only after frost danger passes and soil reaches 65–70°F.Middle Georgia
Use March 20–May 1 as the outdoor chart range.
A calendar date is insufficient if soil remains cool.South Georgia
Transplant seed may start around the end of February.
The outdoor date still needs warm, sunny weather and the soil threshold.A demanding warm-season start
Check warmth, space and drainage together
A frost-free date is only one gate; a cold seedbed or cramped site is also a reason to pause.
- The danger of frost has passed and the forecast is consistently sunny and warm.
- Soil at planting depth is 65–70°F.
- The site receives 8–10 hours of sunlight and drains well.
- There is roughly 8 feet on all sides for a standard hill, or a smaller-space cultivar has been chosen.
Two supported starting paths
Direct-sow in hills or count back 4–5 weeks
For direct seed, prepare hills
Sow four or five seeds per hill about 1 inch deep with 8 feet on all sides.
Thin after germination
Keep two seedlings per hill rather than letting all five compete.
For transplants, count back 4–5 weeks
Start one or two seeds per pot and provide strong light.
Harden before the final move
Introduce plants to outdoor conditions, then transplant only after the soil and frost checks pass.
What changes the planting date
Warm soil is the hard stop; maturity sets the late edge
UGA lists about 70–90 days to harvest. Later plantings also face more insect pressure, so the end of the chart is not equivalent to its middle.
Soil below 65°F
Do not direct-sow yet
Cool soil raises the risk of poor emergence and damping off.65–70°F and frost-free
The planting gate is open
Proceed when the site and chosen starting method also fit.Near May 1
Check 70–90 days to harvest
A later variety has less margin and may meet more insect pressure.After the chart closes
Do not create a fall answer
No fall window is recommended in the current Middle Georgia chart.Space boundary
Eight-foot hills are part of the timing decision
If the garden cannot accommodate the cited layout, choose a compact cultivar or another crop before starting seedlings. Planting first and solving space later is not a workable sequence.