GreenlyWhen to plant watermelons in Calama: from 9 September
In Calama, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 22 July; plant into a greenhouse from 19 August; plant out into open ground from 9 September. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window. For plants and seeds, the places nearby include vivero terra nostra (garden centre, 6 km) and vivero nicolas (garden centre, 6 km); addresses and opening hours are below.
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Watermelon in Calama: soil, season and weather
In Calama the soil, not frost, sets the date: the last frost is over around 10 August, but the top 7 cm of soil reaches 18 °C — the minimum on the watermelon card — only around 9 September, 30 days later. Calama has no autumn frost in the median year, so frost does not end the season.
| Last spring frost | 10 August |
|---|---|
| Top 7 cm of soil at 18 °C | 9 September, 30 days after the last frost |
| Into an unheated greenhouse | from 19 August; August outside: 6.6 °C at night, 21.9 °C by day; card 18–35 °C |
| Days in the bed to the first harvest (card) | 59 |
| First harvest, if planted in this window | from 7 November |
| Daylight | 11:16 on 12 August, 11:49 on 9 September |
| Watering outdoors when fruiting (card) | every 5 days; the driest month, September, has 0 rainy days |
The same dates in Calama hold for Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini and Pumpkin.
Watermelon in Calama: care after planting
Planted on 9 September: in the first weeks water every 5 days.
Feeding, by the card’s schedule from that day:
- 9 September — feed: balanced (NPK)
Pests and diseases of watermelon to watch for:
Dates count from the first planting day of the window above; a later planting moves them by as many days.
Weather in Calama during the watermelon season
No month of the season averages above the watermelon card's 18–35 °C by day; the warmest, December, averages 25 °C. Nights average below 18 °C in every month of the season, from 7.8 °C to 10.9 °C.
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days | Daylight on the 15th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 23.6 | 7.8 | 0 | 0 | 11:57 |
| October | 24.4 | 8.4 | 0 | 0 | 12:35 |
| November | 24.8 | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | 13:11 |
| December | 25 | 9.5 | 1 | 0 | 13:30 |
| January | 24.8 | 10.5 | 2 | 1 | 13:22 |
| February | 24.5 | 10.9 | 6 | 1 | 12:50 |
ERA5 2016–2025, Open-Meteo
Watermelon in nearby cities
Around Calama, Sucre is 19 days earlier and Potosí 80 days later.
| City | Distance | Date | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Salvador de Jujuy | 418 km | 22 September – 15 March | 13 days later |
| Salta | 442 km | 26 September – 20 March | 17 days later |
| Tarija | 445 km | 11 September – 3 March | 2 days later |
| Potosí | 460 km | 28 November – 5 December | 80 days later |
| Oruro | 535 km | 19 October – 19 January | 40 days later |
| Sucre | 539 km | 21 August – 21 March | 19 days earlier |
Where to buy watermelon plants and seeds near Calama
Buy plants ready to set out from 9 September (from 19 August for an unheated greenhouse); seed for raising your own is sown from 22 July. Within 15 km of Calama OpenStreetMap lists 2 garden centres and 2 markets (collected 28 October 2026).
- vivero terra nostra — garden centre
Ojo de Opache cascada ojoopache, calama · Mon–Sun 09:00–21:00 · 6 km - vivero nicolas — garden centre
Ojo de Opache 13, calama · 6 km - Feria Modelo — market
Antofagasta 1938, Calama · Mon–Sat 08:30–18:00 · 1 km - Terminal Agropecuario de Calama — market
Almirante Grau 1158, Calama · Mon–Sat 06:00–14:00 · 2 km
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
- How to grow watermelon
- All frost dates and weather of Calama
- Shops and markets: Calama
- Selling a surplus in Chile
- Moon planting calendar for November 2026
- How we calculate the dates
Questions
When to plant watermelons in Calama?
In Calama, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 22 July; plant into a greenhouse from 19 August; plant out into open ground from 9 September. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window.
When to sow watermelons for seedlings in Calama?
Sow for seedlings from 22 July.
