How to select the perfect watermelon

While trying to find the sweetest watermelon is always difficult, experts do have a few recommendations.

watermelon_AdobeStock_7425002.png

Adobe Stock

If you walk by the watermelons on a summer day, you’ll probably see people picking them up, thumping them, or tapping them to try to get the perfect fruit.

While trying to find the sweetest watermelon is always difficult, experts do have a few recommendations.

The easiest way to identify a possible ripe watermelon is by its shape and weight. You want the fruit to be heavy, symmetrical, and smooth.

When examining a watermelon, check the spot where it has been resting. A yellow-white spot means ripeness, and white or pale suggests it could be immature. You can also test the ripeness by scratching the surface. If the outer layer peels with little resistance, showing a green-white rind, the fruit is ripe.

Many have also read about using hollowness to test the ripeness. Some experts believe a hollow sound indicates ripeness, while others say it is unnecessary.

On the inside, more red flesh and dark seeds are good indicators of ripe watermelon, as white seeds indicate the fruit is immature.

Additionally, if a watermelon is not as mature as it should be, not all hope is lost. A watermelon can ripen more quickly at room temperature in a few days.

You can find more watermelon resources here.

Related Stories
Women from across the farm sector gathered in Washington to discuss leadership, advocacy and industry opportunities
The report highlighted the role rural development programs play in supporting housing, infrastructure and essential services.
The award recognizes wheat varieties that deliver strong results throughout the milling and baking process
Volunteers stepped in to help producers rebuild after damaging storms swept through parts of central Nebraska.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Mike Stranz joins us to discuss farm safety net reforms, NFU’s proposed IMSET program, and the challenges facing family farmers nationwide.
The investigation does not prove wrongdoing, but it raises federal scrutiny of a major cost center for crop producers.
For decades, U.S. agriculture has planned around feeding a growing world. Experts say that trend could reverse course in the next 30 years.
Farm Bureau economist Dr. Faith Parum says agriculture still needs to see U.S. products actively moving into China.
The proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern would create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad connecting the East and West coasts under a single carrier.
USDA Elevates “Plant Not Plastic” Initiative and Supports Buying American Cotton Act
Rural Lifestyle & Entertainment Shows
FarmHER + RanchHER on RFD-TV is working to change how people perceive a farmer by sharing the stories of the women who live and lead in agriculture.
RFD+ EXCLUSIVE | This hour-long show explores the trains and locomotives that aided the growth of travel, further settlement, and the development of a variety of American industries and agricultural ventures.
Analiese Gregory is taking one of the biggest risks of her life: she’s left her successful career as a restaurant chef and bought a century-old cottage at the bottom of the world, in pristine Tasmania, Australia.
Strong rural traditions, religion, cowboy boots, and technology collide in “Cowboy Church” — and taking part is as easy as turning on the TV! Airing Sundays on RFD Network.
Discover the untold stories of farm families across the United States as they face tough decisions, adapt in unexpected ways, and fight to secure a future — for the next generation to carry on the farm. This unscripted documentary-style TV show follows the lives of ambitious farmers from diverse backgrounds across the US, highlighting the challenges, triumphs, and unique stories of these farmers as they navigate the world of agriculture.