Ever picked out a watermelon, and it turned out to be not appealing at all when you cut it open.
Well here are some tips so you don’t have to go through that again.
1. IT’S GOTTA HAVE A GOOD SHAPE
Look for a uniform shaped watermelon. If you see dents or cuts, DON’T BUY IT. This indicates that the watermelon did not receive consistent amounts of water or was not grown properly. The cuts also may indicate that there may be insects or fungus.
2. IT SHOULD NOT BE SHINY
Usually people like things shiny right, but for watermelons, it should not be the case. It will mean that your melon is underripe. So pick those dull looking ones with strong, consistent stripes.
3. IS IT HEAVY?
A nicely ripped and sweet watermelon usually feels heavy. This indicates that it is full of water and juicer – which is what makes the watermelon awesome!
4. CHECK THE BASE OR FIELD SPOT
A large round yellow spot indicates that it spent adequate time ripening on the vine and will be sweeter. If it is whitish, it means that it was picked too soon before reaching the peak of its ripeness. And yes you guessed, it won’t be so sweet.
5. HIT IT.
Gently of course haha. Tap it slightly to hear if it delivers a deep sound, if it does – your watermelon should be nicely plump and ripe. If it sounds hollow or flat, it means that it was overrated.
6. PRESS IT.
Also gently. This is to check how firm it is. If it is overripe, it will be crushed easily when pressured. Pro tip: Scratch with your finger nail, it should not be able to cut through the skin. Then you can know that it is perfectly ripe.
7. ASSESS THE TAIL
Yes they do have one. A dried stem or tail will indicate that the watermelon is ripe whereas a green one will indicate that it was harvested too early.
THINGS TO AVOID
- Dark spots – Shows signs of fungus and bacteria presence.
- Sour smell – Indicates the flesh is starting to ferment or rot.
Now you know all the tricks! Go ahead and get some delicious watermelon!
