When buying, you want to select the sweetest and most ripe watermelon possible, which is not always possible. Popular tips for determining ripeness often contradict each other, or only work on certain varieties. Let's look at the criteria by which mature watermelons are selected by experienced farmers who grow them, and which well-known recommendations are actually a myth.
Myth 1. The tail should always be dry
A dry tail is not a sign of maturity. A watermelon may well already be very sweet and even overripe, but still have green tops. You can really assess ripeness by the small lamb on the tops, extending a little further than the stalk. You can only select it in the field, since when a watermelon is picked, the lamb remains on the tops.
Myth 2. The stain must be small
A spot on a watermelon forms on the underside where it lies on the ground. It doesn't matter whether it's big or small, light or dark.For a ripe sweet fruit, it can be anything; its size and color depend on the softness of the soil in the field and the type of watermelon.
What really allows you to assess maturity:
1. Smooth peel. A ripe watermelon has a completely smooth rind. If it is rough, then this is a sign of immaturity. When the peel is half smooth and half rough, then most likely the plant was treated with a growth stimulant and ripened unevenly. Lumpiness on the peel appears on overripe watermelons.
2. Heavy weight for its size. When ripe, the watermelon becomes heavy. As it matures, it withers and becomes lighter.
3. Drumming noise when tapped. When you lightly touch the watermelon with your finger, a clear drum hum should sound inside it, like from a subwoofer. A dull sound is a sign of a green fruit. An overripe watermelon has voids inside, so the hum is like an echo from a well.
Using these three tips, you can select delicious sweet watermelons of any variety when purchasing. The dryness of the tail, the size and color of the spots, or the number of veins on the skin do not indicate the condition of the inner pulp.
Having bought a ripe watermelon selected according to these tips and cut it at home, you can see that it has a uniform single or red color, the seeds sit tightly in it, some of them may still be white. It will be juicy and sweet. An overripe watermelon has voids around the seeds, and white veins are visible along the edges of the pulp. It will be tasty and sugary only at the core.
