GreenlyWhen to plant watermelons in Wellington: from 17 December
In Wellington, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 29 October; plant into a greenhouse from 26 November; plant out into open ground from 17 December. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window. For plants and seeds, the places nearby include Red Barn Supply Company (farm supply, 9 km); addresses and opening hours are below.
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Watermelon in Wellington: soil, season and weather
In Wellington the soil, not frost, sets the date: the last frost is over around 17 August, but the top 7 cm of soil reaches 18 °C — the minimum on the watermelon card — only around 17 December, 122 days later. Wellington has no autumn frost in the median year, so frost does not end the season.
| Last spring frost | 17 August |
|---|---|
| Top 7 cm of soil at 18 °C | 17 December, 122 days after the last frost |
| Into an unheated greenhouse | from 26 November; November outside: 10.4 °C at night, 15.3 °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 14 February |
| Daylight | 14:34 on 19 November, 15:09 on 17 December |
| Watering outdoors when fruiting (card) | every 5 days; the driest month, January, has 8 rainy days |
The same dates in Wellington hold for Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini and Pumpkin.
Watermelon in Wellington: care after planting
Planted on 17 December: in the first weeks water every 5 days.
Feeding, by the card’s schedule from that day:
- 17 December — 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 Wellington during the watermelon season
No month of the season averages above the watermelon card's 18–35 °C by day; the warmest, January, averages 18.7 °C. Months that stay below 18 °C even by day on average: March–May and December (13.3–17.1 °C). Nights average below 18 °C in every month of the season, from 9 °C to 13.1 °C.
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days | Daylight on the 15th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 17.1 | 11.9 | 95 | 13 | 15:08 |
| January | 18.7 | 13 | 45 | 8 | 14:49 |
| February | 18.7 | 13.1 | 82 | 8 | 13:41 |
| March | 17.1 | 12.1 | 79 | 9 | 12:25 |
| April | 15.2 | 10.4 | 104 | 10 | 11:00 |
| May | 13.3 | 9 | 111 | 12 | 9:51 |
ERA5 2016–2025, Open-Meteo
Watermelon in nearby cities
Around Wellington, Napier is 44 days earlier and Nelson 3 days later.
| City | Distance | Date | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blenheim | 73 km | 11 December – 19 February | 6 days earlier |
| Palmerston North | 125 km | 4 December – 11 March | 13 days earlier |
| Nelson | 125 km | 20 December – 11 March | 3 days later |
| Napier | 269 km | from 3 November | 44 days earlier |
| Christchurch | 305 km | 1 December – 24 February | 16 days earlier |
| Rotorua | 372 km | 10 December – 14 February | 7 days earlier |
Where to buy watermelon plants and seeds near Wellington
Buy plants ready to set out from 17 December (from 26 November for an unheated greenhouse); seed for raising your own is sown from 29 October. Within 15 km of Wellington OpenStreetMap lists 2 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop, 2 plant nurseries and 3 markets (collected 20 October 2026).
- Red Barn Supply Company — farm supply
Takarau Gorge Road 106, 6037 Wellington · 9 km · redbarnsupply.co - Harbourside Market — market
Cable Street 75, 6011 Wellington · Sun 07:30–13:00 · 0 km - Newtown Fruit & Vegetables Market — market
Mein Street, 6021 Newtown, Wellington · Sat 07:00–14:00 · 2 km - Riverbank Market — market
Sat 06:00–14:00 · 14 km
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
- How to grow watermelon
- All frost dates and weather of Wellington
- Shops and markets: Wellington
- Selling a surplus in New Zealand
- Moon planting calendar for November 2026
- How we calculate the dates
Questions
When to plant watermelons in Wellington?
In Wellington, watermelon: sow for seedlings from 29 October; plant into a greenhouse from 26 November; plant out into open ground from 17 December. There is no autumn frost here, so the frost dates set no end to the window.
When to sow watermelons for seedlings in Wellington?
Sow for seedlings from 29 October.
