Fruit Seeds

Our range of fruit seeds in the UAE focuses on fruits that genuinely do well in local home gardens and small farms: papaya, watermelon, melon and strawberry, plus a couple of squash varieties. All can be raised from seed and will crop within a season, or within about a year for papaya.

What’s in the range

• Papaya: Red Lady Star papaya F1, Dwarf King 1 Foot papaya seeds and Vihaan Sayali JR11 F1.
• Watermelon: Euro Garden Sugar Baby watermelon and Crimson Sweet, including organic seed.
• Melon: Canary yellow melon and Franchi Organic Retato Degli Ortolani.
• Strawberry: premium strawberry seeds, climbing strawberries, Alexandria and Red Paradise.
• Squash and more: butternut pumpkin, Black Beauty summer squash and Mai Sherry F1 cherry tomato.

When to sow fruit seeds in the UAE

• Papaya: sow in warm weather, February to April or September, as seed germinates slowly in cool soil. Established plants grow on through summer with good watering and shelter from strong wind.
• Watermelon and melon: sow in September–October or January–February so fruit ripens before the peak heat of June.
• Strawberry: start seeds in trays in September and October; plants crop in late winter and spring and usually struggle in summer.

Tips for growing fruit from seed

Papaya hates waterlogging, so plant on raised mounds of sandy loam mixed with compost. Hybrid papayas are bred for reliable fruiting; with open-pollinated seed, raise a few extra seedlings, as some plants will be male and will not fruit.

Melons and watermelons need full sun, room to spread and steady watering. Drip lines from our Irrigation & Watering range keep the leaves dry and reduce mildew. Strawberries prefer a rich, slightly acidic mix in pots or grow bags. Once flowering begins, feed fruiting plants with a potassium-rich water-soluble fertilizer.

For more productive crops, see our Hybrid Seeds F1 and Vegetable Seeds, or browse all Seeds.

Shoppers here often also look for vegetable fertilizers, garden irrigation timers and drip pipe and F1 hybrid seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does papaya take to fruit from seed?

In good UAE conditions, papaya usually starts fruiting within about a year of sowing.

Can I grow watermelon in summer?

Plants may grow, but extreme heat reduces fruit set and sweetness. Sow in autumn or late winter for better fruit.

Are strawberries hard to grow from seed?

They are slow to start, so sow early in autumn and keep the trays evenly moist in bright shade until seedlings are well rooted.