Few people can imagine summer without a sweet watermelon. But there’s nothing worse than taking a large watermelon home and, after cutting into it, discovering that it’s tasteless, mealy, or overripe.
The good news is that there are a few simple tricks that can help you identify a high-quality watermelon straight from the store or market.
Over the years, experienced growers and sellers have used several reliable signs to reveal the sweetness, ripeness, and juiciness of a fruit, many of which go completely unnoticed by the average consumer.
Look at the stem
One of the most reliable signs is where on the plant the watermelon is attached.A ripe watermelon has a dry, brownish, and slightly woody stem or residue. This fruit has ripened naturally in the field and has had time to accumulate maximum sugar content.
Conversely, a green, fresh stem indicates that the grower cut the melon too early and that it ripened the plant. Such fruits are usually less sweet.
Check for a yellow spot at the bottom
Every melon has a spot where it was lying on the ground.
This spot should be creamy to buttery yellow in color.
The deeper the yellow spot, the longer the melon has ripened in the sun. A light or almost white spot often means the fruit is unripe.
Pay attention to the shape of the melon
The best melons are usually symmetrical.
Avoid fruit with deformities, stones, bumps, or irregular growth patterns. These signs may indicate problems during growth or fluctuations in water supply.
A regular round or oval shape usually indicates a high-quality, evenly ripened melon.
Tap the melon
Even experienced sellers know this trick.
Gently tap the rind with the palm of your hand.
A ripe melon sounds deep, hollow, and resonant.
Unripe melon sounds sharp and metallic, while overripe melon sounds dull and indistinct.
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