How To Pick A Perfect Watermelon

To pick a watermelon, you should first examine it through these steps

Field Spot

• Size: A large field spot means the watermelon ripened longer on the vine, often leading to better flavor.
• Color: Creamy yellow or orange indicates ripeness; white or light green means it’s not yet ripe.

Stripes

• Color: Look for deep, dark green stripes with contrasting creamy yellow or pale stripes, indicating a sweet watermelon.

Shape

• Round shape: Typically sweeter.
• Oval shape: More water content.
• Ensure the shape is symmetrical and uniform for the best quality.

Skin Texture

• Dull/rough texture: May indicate lack of sweetness.
• Shiny skin: Suggests the watermelon is still ripening.
• Webbing/dry spots: Indicate the melon is likely extra sweet.

When examining the rind of a watermelon, it's important to choose one with a dull, matte finish. This indicates the fruit has fully ripened on the vine.

A shiny or glossy rind is a sign that the watermelon may have been picked too early and could lack sweetness or full flavor. The color of the rind should be deep and rich, often dark green or striped, further indicating good quality.

Yes, watermelon produces some sort of sound. You simply need to give a gentle knuckle on it and listen to the sound it produces.

If you can hear deep and hollow-pitched sounds, the melon you pick is more likely to have ripened fully. But if it whispers a dense and slightly higher-pitched sound, the melon may not have been fully ripened.

Assessing the weight of a watermelon is another effective method for selecting a good watermelon. You should know that a sweet and ripe watermelon is usually heavy for its size. Heaviness in general, comes from the water content of the watermelon.

It is said that the heavier the watermelon the more juicer watermelon. So, whenever you go shopping, make sure to lift it and assess its weight before purchasing it. 

You need to use both of your hands to hold the melon and squeeze it gently. If the melon is not firm enough to bear your gentle pressure, it might not be the one for you. In general, it is a sign of overripen watermelon.

Try scratching its outer surface using your fingernail. You should know a good melon shouldn't be scratched or torn away easily.

The tail of a watermelon is actually a piece of stem that is attached to it after the fruit has been harvested. This tail is a connecting chord that connects the roots of the plants to its leaves, flowers, and fruits, through which water and essential nutrients flow.

A watermelon's tail should be dry. If the stem is still green, it might be an indication of underripe watermelon.

When inspecting a watermelon, pay close attention to the brown, rough webbing or scarring on its surface. This webbing is a positive indicator, often signifying that the watermelon will be sweet and flavorful.

Having scars are the result of extensive pollination, meaning that the more webbing, the better the quality of the fruit.

Timing plays a very crucial role in determining the ripening status of the watermelon, which of course includes the sweetness, texture, and flavor. Whether you're harvesting the sweet melon straight from your garden or purchasing from the market, the time associated with it has an important role to play.

How Long Does a Watermelon Take to Grow?

Watermelon usually takes about 70-100 days to reach its full matured level after the plantation. However, the exact days slightly vary depending on the cultivars you're growing. On average, for home gardeners, the best time to harvest melon has been found in between 70-85 days.

In addition to that, you should know the harvesting period majorly depends upon the type of watermelon you've planted and the gardening conditions you've prepared and fed the fruit.

The straightforward answer to this question is a big no. Watermelons do not continue to ripen once harvested. You should know sweet melon is different than that of bananas or mangoes. You can't expect the melons to ripen after harvesting.

• Look out for the field spot where the fruit touches the ground. This spot is an important consideration and it should possess a yellow color.
• The tail of a watermelon which is basically a stem must be dried in brown coloration.
• Make sure you gently tap on the exterior of the fruit, it should produce a hollow, dull sound.
• A fully ripened watermelon should be firm and rind.
• A dull-looking watermelon is more likely to have been ripened than the one having a shiny rind.

Once harvested the ripened watermelon may get damaged if left as it is for more than a week. However, if you store the whole watermelons away from direct sunlight at room temperature or in air conditioning or temperate weather, they won't get damaged and can be eaten for the next 1-2 weeks.

The National Watermelon Promotion Board of the US has declared 55°F as an ideal temperature for a whole watermelon to be stored. Keeping this in mind, you can store the whole watermelon in the refrigerator which can keep the melon fresh for 2-3 weeks.

1. How to Store Cut Watermelon

If you've already cut the watermelon and are wondering how to keep it fresh, you can try making pie-shaped watermelon slices or cubes and store them in the fridge.

Before sliding them into the refrigerator, you need to make sure they are tightly wrapped in an air-tight food storage container, plastic wrapper, or any eco-friendly alternative you can come up with. This can certainly preserve the texture and flavor of your watermelon for a few more days.

2. How to Store Watermelon Juice

We are pretty sure you love the watermelon juice. Many people prefer making juices of watermelon and drinking it for fresh hydration. But how can you preserve the juice without losing its essence? This might've struck you.

Well, there's nothing to worry about as long as you have a fridge in your house. You can simply pour the juices into a sealed container like an air-tight refrigerator bottle and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Make sure you shake the bottle nicely before consuming it!

Of course, you can freeze watermelon. People around the world have been storing the melon in the freezer, preventing the fruit from getting wasted. Freezing watermelon is found to yield quite delicious results even after a year. Please follow the below-mentioned steps to freeze the melon properly:

• First, you need to make small slices of your watermelon. You can try making balls or cubes.
• Make sure to remove the seeds from the watermelon.
• Now, place the balls or cubes of melon on a baking sheet. Keep in mind to provide enough space between each of the melons.
• Keep the tray in the freezer for a few hours ensuring the melon pieces are frozen. You can easily detect the frozen melons through their firmness.
• Finally, place the frozen melon slices in a storage bag or freezer bag. Keep in mind to label the date on it and store them in the freezer.

Watermelon is a refreshing summer fruit. Being rich in water content and vitamins, watermelon is a perfect hydration for the summer. It is found basking in the sun happily in the summer months, usually between May and September for most parts of the US.

However, the growing season of watermelon can slightly vary based on the geographical location because different regions are expected to experience summer at different times of the year.

1. Sub-tropical Regions

For the sub-tropical regions such as Florida and California, the season of watermelon is found to start as early as April. The summer season brings heat and maximum sunshine in these regions while cooler winter is found to hinder the growth of the watermelon.

That's why it'd be best to harvest the fruit in the early summer months. Watermelon is found to grow during the warmer months when there's plenty of sunshine.

2. Tropical Regions

Well, watermelon is a tropical fruit. Tropical regions in general, experience warm temperatures all year round. Therefore, watermelon harvesting can be achieved in these regions in multiple periods.

Since watermelons are highly likely to get harmed during the rainy season, the drier periods of the year are considered perfect for watermelons although watermelons can grow year-round due to the consistency of the warmth in the tropical regions.

We have learned about the best possible approach to picking the perfect watermelon along with the other necessary understandings. In addition to that, you should know various factors can influence the ripeness of the watermelon.

You must be aware of the variety of factors that can occur before and after the harvest to make sure the watermelon reaches its peak ripeness, offering the best version of it. Scroll down to find out more about the pre and post-harvest factors.

1. Pre-harvest Factors

a. Climate

Watermelons require warm weather to thrive with the ideal daytime temperatures between 70ºF and 85ºF. The consistency of warmth is found to encourage the fruit to grow in its most natural form filled with perfect flavor, texture, and sweetness.

However, if the environmental temperature fluctuates and drops very low, it can significantly slow down the growth, and the ripening process is greatly affected. The result is found to be the same if the temperature exceeds more than required.

b. Soil

Watermelons prefer well-drained soil, especially sandy loam soil which is normally made up of sand along with specific ratios of silt and clay. This type of soil allows for a good drainage facility.

The soil pH is recommended to be between 6 and 6.8 with the inclusion of sufficient essential nutrients. You must understand that a well-balanced soil with good nutrient contents will allow the watermelon to grow healthy and well-developed.

c. Fertilizer

Potassium-enriched fertilizer is preferred to the watermelons. A balanced fertilizer with sufficient potassium content has been found to promote healthy fruit development.

You should know that potassium is an important element that can directly affect the sweetness and overall quality of the watermelons. But keep in mind not to overfertilize the fruit, especially with the nitrogen-based fertilizer which can lead to excessive foliage growth hindering the ripening process of the fruit.

d. Watermelon Variety

You should know different varieties of watermelons around the world have distinct shapes, sweetness, growing periods, and maturation times. Before you decide to grow watermelon in your yard or garden, make sure to choose the variety that suits your local climate.

Your local climate can provide the necessary thriving environment for the watermelon to reach its optimal potential. It has been found that in the region where warmer periods are comparatively low, melon usually reaches maturity earlier than that in the longer warmer climates.

2. Post-harvest Factors

a. Time

Yes, timing is very crucial during the harvesting of the watermelons. You should pick the melon only after it has shown the potential sign of full maturity. Early picking of the watermelons is often underripe with no any appealing flavor and taste.

Similarly, picking too late can cause the fruit to overripe and damage. That's why, proper timing which is projected by the field spot, tap sound, color of the tail, and many more should always be on your mind if you want to taste the real magic of sweet melons.

b. Handling and Transportation

Watermelons are certain to get harmed quite easily if handled roughly. These fruits are favored by a wide number of populations throughout the world which is why, they are always on a tour.

While transporting, loading, or unloading, if by any means the watermelon gets bruises or any kind of skin irritation, it can affect the fruit's shelf life. You should make sure they're handled gently at each stage to preserve their essence.

c. Ethylene Exposure

Ethylene is a gas that has been found to play a vital role in the natural ripening of fruits and it shouldn't surprise you, this gas is produced by the fruits as a hormone to stimulate the ripening process.

Although watermelons do not ripen further once harvested, exposure to ethylene might cause them to deteriorate quickly, decreasing their shelf life. Therefore, you should avoid keeping them nearer to other fruits such as apples and bananas that can release ethylene gas.

d. Storage

How you choose to store your watermelon can also affect the ripeness of the watermelon. There are basically two approaches to storing them, storing the whole watermelon and storing the cut watermelon.

You should know the whole watermelon can be eaten even after several weeks of harvesting if stored maintaining proper conditions. In general, whole watermelons are not suggested to store in the refrigerator. Further, the cut watermelon doesn't last more than a few days even if stored in the refrigerator.