GreenlyWhen to plant watermelons in Messina: from 21 May
In Messina, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 2 April; plant into a greenhouse from 30 April; plant out into open ground from 21 May. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window. For plants and seeds, the places nearby include La Baita Verde (garden centre, 11 km); addresses and opening hours are below.
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Watermelon in Messina: soil, season and weather
In Messina the soil, not frost, sets the date: the last frost is over around 25 January, but the top 7 cm of soil reaches 18 °C — the minimum on the watermelon card — only around 21 May, 116 days later. Messina has no autumn frost in the median year, so frost does not end the season.
| Last spring frost | 25 January |
|---|---|
| Top 7 cm of soil at 18 °C | 21 May, 116 days after the last frost |
| Into an unheated greenhouse | from 30 April; April outside: 10.9 °C at night, 17.6 °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 19 July |
| Daylight | 13:29 on 23 April, 14:23 on 21 May |
| Watering outdoors when fruiting (card) | every 5 days; the driest month, July, has 5 rainy days |
The same dates in Messina hold for Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini and Pumpkin.
Watermelon in Messina: care after planting
Planted on 21 May: in the first weeks water every 5 days.
Feeding, by the card’s schedule from that day:
- 21 May — 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 Messina during the watermelon season
No month of the season averages above the watermelon card's 18–35 °C by day; the warmest, July, averages 29.3 °C. Nights average below 18 °C in May (14 °C) and October (16.1 °C).
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days | Daylight on the 15th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 21.1 | 14 | 72 | 10 | 14:14 |
| June | 26.5 | 18.6 | 40 | 6 | 14:48 |
| July | 29.3 | 21.5 | 26 | 5 | 14:35 |
| August | 29.1 | 21.9 | 41 | 7 | 13:40 |
| September | 25.9 | 19.4 | 84 | 12 | 12:28 |
| October | 22 | 16.1 | 78 | 12 | 11:15 |
ERA5 2016–2025, Open-Meteo
Watermelon in nearby cities
Around Messina, Catania is 26 days earlier and Potenza 24 days later.
Where to buy watermelon plants and seeds near Messina
Buy plants ready to set out from 21 May (from 30 April for an unheated greenhouse); seed for raising your own is sown from 2 April. Within 15 km of Messina OpenStreetMap lists 2 garden centres, 3 plant nurseries and 7 markets (collected 20 October 2026).
- La Baita Verde — garden centre
SS113dir, Orto Liuzzo · 11 km - Mercato di Sant'Orsola — market
Mon–Sat 06:00–14:00 · 2 km - Mercato Sant'Orsola — market
Mon–Sat 06:00–14:00 · 2 km - Mercato rionale di Giostra — market
Viale Giostra · 3 km
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
- How to grow watermelon
- All frost dates and weather of Messina
- Shops and markets: Messina
- Selling a surplus in Italy
- Moon planting calendar for November 2026
- How we calculate the dates
Questions
When to plant watermelons in Messina?
In Messina, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 2 April; plant into a greenhouse from 30 April; plant out into open ground from 21 May. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window.
When to sow watermelons for seedlings in Messina?
Sow for seedlings from 2 April.
