Watermelon

Overview

Watermelon is a farming crop in Starsand Island, classified as a Fruit and unlocked at the Junior Farmer tier. It grows on standard Farmland during Summer, takes 4 days to mature, and produces 4 Watermelons per harvest. With a base sell price of 131 Coins each, Watermelon is one of the most profitable crops at the Junior tier, matching Pumpkin (Autumn/Winter), Pineapple (Spring), and Winter Melon (Winter) in gold-per-day output.

Watermelon is one of only four crops eligible for the Gmax (giant) mutation. When planted in a 3x3 grid, all nine plants have a chance to merge into a single oversized Gmax Watermelon. Harvesting the giant variant yields Watermelon Fragments, a unique material used to craft the Watermelon furniture set at the Worktable. Growing a Gmax crop is also a requirement for the Intermediate Farmer certification, and since most players reach Junior Farmer during their first Summer, Watermelon is often the first Gmax crop they attempt.

Quick Stats

How to Obtain Seeds

Watermelon Seeds are purchased from Graminova at the Happiness Seed Shop for 200 Coins per bag. Graminova stocks Watermelon Seeds year-round, but the crop itself only grows during Summer. Planting outside the Summer season will cause the seeds to wither and die, so buy and stockpile seeds in advance if needed, but only plant them once Summer begins.

To unlock Watermelon Seeds in the shop, you need to reach Junior Farmer by completing the Apprentice Farmer trial. Once unlocked, the seeds remain available permanently.

At the Senior Farmer tier, you gain access to the Grinder, which lets you process 2 harvested Watermelons into Watermelon Seeds. This removes the need to buy seeds from the shop entirely, increasing your effective profit since each harvest can partially fund the next planting cycle for free.

Growing Watermelon

Watermelons grow on standard Farmland. They do not require a Trellis, Paddy Field, or Planting Box. The growing process follows the same steps as any farmland crop.

1. Till the soil: Use your Hoe on a patch of Farmland to create a planting spot.

2. Plant the seed: Select Watermelon Seeds from your inventory and place them in the tilled soil.

3. Water daily: Water the crop each day using your Watering Can, or set up Sprinklers to automate the process. Water stays on a tile for about one full in-game day before drying out.

4. Wait 4 days: Watermelon takes 4 full days to reach maturity. Growth time starts from the moment you plant, not at the start of a new day. The crop does not regrow after harvesting; you will need to replant seeds for each new harvest.

5. Harvest: Walk up to the mature plant (you will see a harvest icon with sparkly yellow effects above the crop) and interact with it to collect 4 Watermelons.

Using Ripening Fertilizer can speed up the growth time. Ripening Fertilizer I instantly advances growth by 8 hours, Ripening Fertilizer II by 13 hours, and Ripening Fertilizer III by 25 hours. Applying Ripening Fertilizer III nearly cuts a full day off the 4-day growth cycle.

For increased yield, Yield Fertilizer I boosts harvest quantity by 50% and Yield Fertilizer II by 150%. With Yield Fertilizer II, a single Watermelon plant can produce 10 Watermelons instead of the standard 4, dramatically increasing revenue per tile.

Sell Prices and Profitability

Watermelons sell for 131 Coins each at the General Store. A standard harvest of 4 Watermelons brings in 524 Coins. After subtracting the 200 Coin seed cost, that leaves a net profit of 324 Coins per harvest, or 81.0 Coins per day over the 4-day growth period.

This puts Watermelon in a tie with Pumpkin (Autumn/Winter), Pineapple (Spring), and Winter Melon (Winter) for the highest gold-per-day among Junior Farmer crops. Together, these four crops cover all four seasons, allowing you to maintain a consistent 81.0 Coins/day income year-round by rotating between them. See the Crop Profitability Rankings for a full comparison across all tiers.

Increasing Sell Value

There are several ways to get more out of your Watermelons beyond selling them raw.

For late-game profit optimization, building multiple Jam Makers and running them continuously with Watermelons during Summer is one of the most reliable passive income strategies. Save the finished jams for the Merchant Ship's weekly visit to maximize returns.

Gmax (Giant) Watermelon

Watermelon is one of four crops that can mutate into a Gmax (giant) variant when planted in a 3x3 grid of nine seeds. If the mutation triggers, all nine plants merge into a single oversized Gmax Watermelon that occupies the entire 3x3 space. The giant crop drops Watermelon Fragments, regular Watermelons, seeds, and Gmax Tokens when harvested.

How to Grow a Gmax Watermelon

1. Prepare a 3x3 plot: Till nine adjacent Farmland tiles in a 3x3 square.

2. Plant 9 Watermelon Seeds: Fill every tile in the grid with Watermelon Seeds. All nine must be the same crop type.

3. Water and tend all 9 plants: Keep every plant watered and clear any weeds that appear. All nine plants must reach full maturity at roughly the same time for the mutation chance to activate.

4. Wait for the mutation: When all nine plants are fully grown, the game rolls a random chance for the Gmax mutation. If it succeeds, the plants merge into a giant Watermelon overnight. If it fails, you harvest nine regular Watermelon plants instead (still profitable).

5. Harvest with an Axe or Hatchet: Gmax crops cannot be picked by hand. Use your Axe or Hatchet to chop the giant Watermelon. It takes several swings. The Gmax Watermelon drops Watermelon Fragments, a large quantity of regular Watermelons, Watermelon Seeds, and Gmax Tokens.

Boosting Gmax Chances

The base Gmax mutation chance is not guaranteed on every attempt. To improve your odds, use Gmax Fertilizer III (unlocked at Intermediate Farmer, costs 320 Coins for 5 bags). Applying Gmax Fertilizer III to any single tile in the 3x3 grid boosts the mutation probability by 15%. Only one tile needs the fertilizer for the bonus to apply to the entire grid. Gmax Fertilizer cannot be combined with other fertilizer types on the same tile.

For the best results, set up a 6x6 planting area (four overlapping 3x3 grids) and apply Gmax Fertilizer III to the center tile of each grid. This gives you four chances at a mutation in a single Summer cycle.

Watermelon Fragment and Furniture Set

Harvesting a Gmax Watermelon is the only way to obtain Watermelon Fragments. These fragments are used at the Worktable I crafting station to build the complete Watermelon furniture set. Each piece requires Watermelon Fragments alongside regular Watermelons and other materials.

All eight furniture pieces are crafted at Worktable I and each takes 5 seconds to build. The full set requires a total of 26 Watermelons, 24 Watermelon Fragments, 7 Copper Ingots, 11 Softwood Planks, 5 Hardwood Planks, and 6 Linen. You will need to harvest multiple Gmax Watermelons to collect enough fragments for the complete set.

Gmax Watermelon and Farmer Certification

Growing a Gmax crop is a requirement for the Intermediate Farmer certification. This trial tasks you with successfully producing a giant crop. Since Watermelon is the Summer Gmax crop and many players reach Junior Farmer during their first Summer, it is commonly the first Gmax attempt. If the mutation does not trigger on your first try, plant multiple 3x3 grids to increase your chances within the season.

The other three Gmax-eligible crops are Pineapple (Spring), Pumpkin (Autumn), and Winter Melon (Winter). Any of them can satisfy the Intermediate Farmer trial, but if you are pushing toward certification in Summer, Watermelon is your only option.

Processing and Cooking Recipes

Watermelon is one of the more versatile crops when it comes to processing. It can be turned into Fruit Pulp, Jam, Seeds, or Juice through different crafting stations.

Processing Recipes

The Separator is especially useful for turning surplus Watermelons into Fruit Pulp, which is a key ingredient in livestock feed. Each Watermelon produces 11 Fruit Pulp, one of the highest pulp yields among all crops. If you keep animals on your farm, dedicating part of your Watermelon harvest to Pulp production will help you maintain a steady feed supply.

Watermelon Jam is a strong profit option. The Jam Maker takes 2 Watermelons and 3 Sugar to produce one jar, and finished jams sell for considerably more than raw Watermelons. Building a room full of Jam Makers and running them throughout Summer is a popular money-making strategy.

Cooking Recipes

Chilled Watermelon Juice is a drink made at the Juicer. It is categorized as a Drinking item with a rarity tier of I. The Juicer can also be used with the Island Cooking Tool for portable cooking while exploring. For a complete list of every drink and dish in the game, see the Cooking Recipes page.

Gifting

Watermelons make a solid gift for several characters on the island. Knowing who loves and dislikes Watermelon helps you build friendship efficiently.

Gifting Watermelons to Graminova is especially convenient since she runs the Happiness Seed Shop where you buy the seeds. Keep a few Watermelons aside each harvest to gift to characters who love them for a significant friendship boost.

Everlasting Watermelon Seeds

At the Senior Farmer tier, you unlock the Eternal Blessings skill from the Farming profession tree. When this skill is active, every regular harvest has a chance to produce an Everlasting Seed instead of a normal crop. Everlasting Watermelon Seeds work like permanent plants: after each harvest, the crop regrows automatically without needing to be replanted or re-seeded.

Once you have an Everlasting Watermelon planted, the seed cost effectively drops to zero for every subsequent harvest. This makes Watermelon's gold-per-day jump from 81.0 to 131.0 Coins/day (since you no longer spend 200 Coins on seeds every 4 days). Over a full Summer season, this adds up to a significant income boost.

Tips for obtaining Everlasting Watermelon Seeds faster:

• Upgrade the Eternal Blessings skill as soon as you reach Senior Farmer. Higher blessing levels increase the conversion chance.

• Plant large batches of regular Watermelons. The more you harvest, the more chances you have to trigger an Everlasting Seed drop.

• Everlasting Seeds can also drop from Islandpedia entries and lucky chests found while tilling soil.

• If you remove an Everlasting Watermelon from its tile, the Everlasting Seed returns to your inventory. You can replant it wherever you like without losing it.

Other Summer Crops

The following table compares Watermelon against other Summer crops available at or near the Junior Farmer tier. For a complete comparison across all tiers and seasons, see the Crop Profitability Rankings page.

Watermelon stands out among Summer crops for its combination of high yield, farmland compatibility (no trellis or paddy field required), and Gmax eligibility. While Corn and Blueberry have higher seed costs and require the Intermediate Farmer tier, Watermelon is accessible much earlier and remains competitive in gold-per-day output.

Tips

• Watermelon pairs with Pineapple (Spring), Pumpkin (Autumn/Winter), and Winter Melon (Winter) to give you 81.0 Coins/day income in every season. Rotate between these four crops as the calendar changes.

• Set up Sprinklers to automate watering. Watermelons have a 4-day growth cycle, and missing a single watering day can delay your harvest and waste precious Summer days.

• Stockpile Watermelon Seeds before Summer begins. Since Graminova sells them year-round, you can buy in bulk during Spring so you are ready to plant the moment Summer starts.

• If you are working toward Intermediate Farmer certification, plant at least two or three separate 3x3 Watermelon grids to increase your odds of getting a Gmax mutation within the Summer season.

• Once you unlock the Grinder at Senior Farmer, process some of your harvested Watermelons back into seeds (2 Watermelons per seed bag). This eliminates the 200 Coin seed cost and raises your effective profit per harvest.

• Save your Watermelons (or Watermelon Jam) for the Merchant Ship visit. The 200% buy price turns each raw Watermelon into 262 Coins, nearly doubling your income.

• Build multiple Jam Makers and keep them running with Watermelons throughout Summer. Watermelon Jam sells for far more than raw Watermelons, and the investment in Sugar pays for itself quickly.

• The Separator converts each Watermelon into 11 Fruit Pulp, which is one of the highest pulp yields per crop. If you raise livestock, designate part of your Watermelon harvest for feed production.

• Gift spare Watermelons to Graminova, Marston, Matilda, Little Panda, Parrot, or Sagewood for a large friendship boost. Avoid gifting them to Cats or Ferrets.

• For the highest total farm income, combine Watermelon farming with Everlasting Seeds and Yield Fertilizer II. Everlasting Watermelons with boosted yield produce 10 Watermelons per harvest at zero seed cost.

Related Articles

• All Crops

• Farming

• Crop Calendar

• Crop Profitability Rankings

• Gmax Crops

• Happiness Seed Shop

• Everlasting Seeds

• Sprinklers and Fertilizers

• Cooking Recipes

• Pumpkin

• Pineapple

• Winter Melon