How to choose a ripe watermelon. Hybrid variety Kholodok

Summer is the time for cold ice cream and refreshing watermelon fresh juice. But how to choose the right watermelon if these largest berries are so similar to each other? We have prepared several effective ways to help you choose good watermelon. Not only so that you enjoy the taste of the berry, but also so that in the summer you do not have to run to hospitals.

watermelon look

An unripe watermelon can be easily identified by its peel. The stripes of an unripe berry will be dim, fuzzy, somewhat blurry. If the peel is easily pierced with a fingernail, then the fruit is not yet ripe. If it is impossible to pierce the skin of a watermelon with a fingernail, then the berry will be ripe. Also rub the skin of the berry. Fresh fruit always has the smell of freshly cut grass.

Sometimes you want to buy half a watermelon, because the whole one is not eaten in one race. At points of sale for such customers, they are cut in advance and covered with a film. But remember that the counters at the sellers are dirty and the knives used to cut the berries are not washed often. And under the film, a greenhouse effect occurs and the bacteria that are there begin to develop at a very intense speed. That is why we strongly recommend buying watermelons only as a whole.

A cut watermelon is always better to sniff. If you hear a sour smell, then we do not recommend eating it. In such a watermelon, the skin will not be elastic and smooth, but oily.

Ideal condition

If the watermelon seller only cares about the amount of revenue, then you should definitely be careful. The seller can sell watermelons directly from the ground, in unsanitary conditions. Always check if the sellers comply with the conditions proper storage striped berry.

Watermelon - like a sponge - absorbs everything. Buying watermelons that are sold along the road or from the ground is not safe. According to sanitary standards, it should be at a distance of 20 cm from the ground. To do this, pallets are placed on the ground at retail outlets, and only then watermelons are laid out on them.

If the watermelon still comes into contact with the ground or the outlet is located near the road, then very harmful dirt, heavy metals and bacteria also appear in the composition of the watermelon. If there is at least one small crack, then this will only speed up the process of getting harmful substances into the berry. And this can cause damage to a healthy person. internal organs, headaches, nausea, allergic reactions etc. So we advise you to choose a watermelon without scratches and cracks on the skin.

Size doesn't matter

Many buyers are afraid to buy berries large sizes. In most cases they are right, but there are exceptions. We will tell you how to choose a watermelon, guided by its size.

There is such a variety of thick-skinned watermelon called Crimsen Glory. Without the use of nitrates, it reaches a weight of 10-17 kg. This variety is specially bred in the Crimea so that it can be transported over long distances. hallmark this variety will also have a thick skin, an oblong shape and bright light stripes.

But an ordinary Kherson watermelon should not reach such sizes. It looks darker than the previous variety. And by weight, it is not more than 10 kg, unless, of course, nitrates were used when growing Kherson watermelon. The optimal weight for this variety is 5-7 kg.

Also small sizes should be watermelons of early ripening varieties "Photon" and "Skorik". Their weight reaches no more than 6-7 kg. They sing quickly and therefore do not grow to large sizes. These 2 varieties are not as juicy and sweet as the rest, but you can enjoy them already in mid-July.

tailed berry

Often buyers focus on dry ponytails. The tail dries out within three days. But a dry tail is not at all an indicator that the watermelon is ripe, tasty and healthy. It's just a sign that it was ripped off at the right time. So how to choose a ripe berry, focusing on the tail?

The watermelon should still have a tail. If there is no tail, then this only means that the seller cut off the green tail so that you do not guess about the immaturity of the fruit. The presence of a green tail is an indicator that the watermelon was plucked and put up for sale before it had time to become ripe. A ripe berry will have a dry tail.

Yellow or white dot?

Many believe that the presence of a white spot on the side of a watermelon is a 100% guarantee that the fruit is ripe, and therefore very tasty. Moreover, the larger the spot and the whiter it is, the more likely it is that the watermelon will be riper. But this is a very common misconception. How to choose a watermelon for spots or their absence?

A tasty, sweet and ripe watermelon should have a yellow spot. bright color and no more than 5-10 centimeters in diameter. If you do not find spots on the side of the berry, then this should make you wonder how this fruit was grown. After all, it is known that watermelons are grown on melons and at the same time they lie on the ground, so a speck should be a must. But if the stain white color- He's unripe.

Sound Tests

Every homegrown expert on “how to choose the right watermelon” will argue that the fruit needs to be tested for sound. Or in simple terms- click on the berry. But is this method correct?

Really, ripe watermelon makes a dull sound. But an overripe watermelon can also make a dull sound when it clicks. And it is undesirable to buy and consume an overripe berry, because it is dangerous for your health and can lead to poisoning. An overripe fruit begins to sour inside, unfavorable microflora, bacteria develop in it, and toxins can even be released. It is better to throw away such watermelons and in no case eat them.

chemical attack

If you do not have a nitrate meter at home (a device that measures the amount of nitrates in foods), then, unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the presence of nitrates in watermelon “by eye”. But you can accurately determine the conditions under which it was grown, if it is cut. Very often, sellers have halves of watermelons on the counter. By carefully examining the cut watermelon, you can determine the presence of chemical treatment and the rest of the berries in this batch.

Permissible norm of nitrate content in watermelon is up to 60 mg/kg. If you see at least one of the signs of nitrate, then do not rush to buy this fruit. A large crack right in the middle of the pulp can indicate a high concentration of nitrates in a watermelon. This means that with the addition of nitrate fertilizers, the fruit has significantly increased in size, and has become larger than nature intended.

Also pay attention to the surface of the pulp: glossy and smooth - watermelon with nitrates, sugary - you can safely take the berry. The presence of nitrates is also indicated by the appearance of fibers in the fruit pulp. yellow color. In addition, if you notice that the seeds in one berry are of a different color, then this is another sign of chemical processing. Besides, different colour pulp in one watermelon is all the same presence of nitrate additives.

Documents ahead

When choosing a watermelon, it is important to remember that the berry is stored for 2-3 weeks. But the implementers go to different tricks to make the fruits look beautiful much longer. For example, they are treated with alibaster, lime or paraffin. These harmful substances through the skin they get into the pulp and, when using such a watermelon, into our body.

To save yourself from various diseases, even when buying, do not hesitate to ask the seller for documents on a watermelon. The documents must indicate the date of collection of a particular batch of watermelons. And if 3 weeks have already passed since the harvest, then the fruit, looking normal, is definitely treated with harmful substances.

Boys and girls

Among the watermelons, there are also boys and girls. They can be distinguished by external signs. In boys, the lower part of the fetus is convex and smaller in size than in girls. The "ladies" have a flat lower part with a large brown circle - the so-called "watermelon".

Watermelon girls are always sweeter than boys. Also, girls have much less bones inside.

Keeping our helpful tips, now always choose only the sweetest, ripest and delicious watermelon. At home, store watermelons in the refrigerator, but remember that if the fruit lies there for a long time, then a lot of bacteria will appear in it. And, before the direct use of the berry, do not forget to thoroughly rinse the peel. Leave the middle of the pulp for the kids to eat, as the bacteria first appear on the edges of the watermelon. Moreover, the middle is the most tasty part fetus. Bon appetit!

« Himself - scarlet sugar, caftan - green velvet. This riddle is easily guessed by all kids. Juicy, sweet and velvety watermelon pulp pleasantly refreshes on a hot day, quenches thirst and is a source of vitamin C, iron, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, pectin and fiber. However, how many times have we brought home a big beautiful watermelon, gathered at the table with the whole family, cut it and ... were disappointed. Instead of scarlet pulp, splashing with juice, something pale pink and completely tasteless appeared before our eyes. It is even more offensive when, after tasting a quite decent-looking watermelon, symptoms of poisoning appear - headache, nausea and vomiting. This reaction is caused by the nitrates contained in watermelons, which appeared in the process of growing the fruit due to the use of a large amount mineral fertilizers.

How to choose a good ripe watermelon

It's not difficult at all if you know a few simple rules. So, we will learn to choose the perfect watermelon, fragrant, sugary, melting in your mouth and without nitrates!

Rule 1 Look at the calendar.

The most delicious ripen in season, that is, from the second half of August to the end of September. Early watermelons are rich in nitrates, as some producers, in an effort to harvest more quickly, feed gourds with nitrogen fertilizers and growth stimulants. If you want to enjoy watermelons without the health consequences, be patient!

Rule 2 Meeting place can not be Changed.

It is very important where you buy watermelon. Melons should be sold either in a store or in trade tents with an awning, on special decks located at a height of at least 15 cm from the ground. The fact is that the tender watermelon pulp is a suitable breeding ground for microorganisms that enter through inconspicuous cracks along with dust and dirt. All gourds instantly absorb dangerous substances from the environment, so never buy them near highways, because car exhaust contains harmful substances and heavy metals. For the same reason, do not take cut watermelons, which are literally teeming with germs. In this case, even certificates will not help - an initially flawless watermelon can be very dangerous to health.

Rule 3 Meet by clothes.

Carefully inspect and feel the watermelon from all sides - the watermelon peel should not even have small cracks, dents, soft spots, scratches and other damage through which bacteria and microbes easily penetrate. Well, if the watermelon has a spherical or slightly elongated shape, uniform and even color - this is a huge plus for the watermelon image. Bright and contrasting stripes are a sure sign of the ripeness of a watermelon, as is a shiny “wooden” rind that cannot be pierced with a fingernail, but is easy to scratch. Rub the watermelon rind with your finger - the unripe fruits will clearly smell of fresh hay.

Rule 4 It's all about the tail.

The watermelon tail must be dry - when the watermelon ripens, it stops taking moisture from the ground and dries up. If the tail is green, then the watermelon is plucked before full ripening, although the green tail turns yellow over time in long-harvested unripe fruits. There is an important difference between a mature and immature tail - in a ripe watermelon, the tail is fragile and breaks easily, while in an unripe fruit it is more sluggish. If the tail is cut off, bypass such watermelons - most likely, the sellers decided to disguise poor quality harvest.

Rule 5 Those mysterious yellow spots.

Since it lies on one side for a long time, a bright spot of a rich yellow or orange hue forms at the point of contact with the ground - it is called a “cheek”. Too light, large or unevenly colored surface should alert you, because this is a sure sign that the watermelon was not on the melon. The optimal size of the “cheek” is 5–10 cm. There is another sign of ripeness - small light spots that appear on the entire surface of the watermelon peel after the production of chlorophyll has stopped.

Rule 6 Big or small?

The correct answer is medium. Large watermelons, despite their tempting appearance, are often grown using nitrates, and small fruits most often unsweetened. Sometimes there are exceptions - small watermelons can be sugary and tasty, while large watermelons can be watery, unsweetened and pale pink.

Rule 7 Sound and ripe.

Tap the watermelon with your fist - ripened fruits make a clear and sonorous sound, and unripe watermelons respond dumbly. You can put your ear to a watermelon sea ​​shell, and squeeze it slightly - a ripe watermelon will crackle slightly.

Rule 8 Girl or boy?

It turns out that watermelons have a gender. In female fetuses, the bottom is completely flat with a large brown circle, while in male fetuses it is convex and with a very small circle. Know that the sweetest and most delicious are “girls”, besides, they have much less seeds.

Rule 9 Watermelon "passport".

If you have found the best watermelon and are ready to buy it, ask the seller for a quality certificate, which can be considered a kind of watermelon “passport”. The certificate should contain the following data: the “homeland” of the watermelon, its age, that is, the harvest time, nitrate content and other characteristics, on the basis of which you can make a final conclusion whether or not to be a watermelon on your table. If the seller shows you a photocopy of the certificate, take a closer look at the seal - it must certainly be in color, not black and white. If you suspect false documents, do not take risks - health is more expensive.

Rule 10"Exposure" of nitrates.

Finally, you bought the "right" watermelon, brought it home, and cut it up. Do not rush to taste, first make sure that the fruit is not nitrate. The following points should alert you - incredibly bright watermelon pulp with lilac shade, yellow fibers in the pulp and a smooth gloss on the cut of the watermelon instead of a grainy surface. Remember that nitrates are concentrated closer to the crust, so always leave a juicy core for babies - it is just the tastiest.

Enjoy aromatic and sweet pulp, make juices and summer desserts from it, which are very fond of children. And you can also arrange watermelon fasting days and losing weight is tasty, easy and healthy. We wish you a pleasant watermelon pore and juicy fruity mood!

Sweet, ripe and nitrate-free? There are many tricks and tricks to distinguish a healthy berry from a juicy ripe pulp.

Second half of summer real holiday for watermelon lovers. You can enjoy your favorite berry at least every day: eat sliced ​​pulp, prepare cocktails and various desserts. But the fruit brought home from the market or the store is far from always tasty and healthy: the pulp may be unripe or unsweetened, and an excess concentration of nitrates can cause a violation of the blood composition and cause severe poisoning.

There are several rules, adhering to which you can choose a watermelon not only ripe and sweet, but also without the content of nitrogen fertilizers harmful to the body.

With the beginning of the season, watermelons can be found in supermarkets, markets, in tents located right under the open sky. Taste and beneficial features berries largely depend on storage conditions, so before you go for a watermelon, it is important to choose the right place to buy.

Sanitary conditions in shops and specially equipped storage facilities are much better than in spontaneous markets and tents. Experts strongly do not recommend purchasing watermelons from sellers who offer to choose fruits from heaps dumped on the roadsides right on the ground. Despite the thick peel, the berries are able to absorb many harmful substances deposited from exhaust gases, and various pathogens can penetrate through small cracks.

If you still decide to choose a watermelon in an outdoor tent, pay attention to the following:

• from above, the fruits should be covered with a canopy;
• all watermelons must be on a special flooring at least 20 cm high;
• the best option is to have side walls in the tent that protect the berries from dust and dirt.

Before choosing a watermelon in the market, in a store or other point of sale, the buyer has the right to demand certificates confirming the quality of the goods. The document indicates the timing and place of collection, the presence of nitrates and other data that will allow you to make a choice. In the absence of documentation, you should not risk your health, even if the price is lower than that of other sellers.

At a certain temperature and humidity, watermelons can be stored for a long time, but it is impossible to provide such conditions at street sales outlets. It means that average term storage is no more than 2-3 weeks. After that, the berries begin to sour and lose their taste. If it is not possible to set the harvest time, you can check this by tearing off your fingernail small piece skins: u fresh watermelons you can smell only the mowed grass, and not a large number of moisture.

Some producers and sellers, in order to keep the crop longer, process it with a mixture of chalk or a solution of alabaster and paraffin. The duration of storage at the same time increases by 1.5-2 times, but the quality of the berries is significantly reduced: frequent use eating the pulp of such watermelons can result in the formation of sand in the kidneys.

The most useful are watermelons grown on open ground. Since this melon culture is thermophilic, the first ripe fruits appear not earlier than the second half of summer. At first, berries imported from the Central Asian countries go on sale, a little later - from the southern regions of the country. Optimal time to buy your favorite treat, it starts from the second decade of August and lasts until the last days of September. During this period, the highest chances to choose watermelon are not only delicious, but also without nitrates.

By appearance

Experienced lovers of sweet fruits first of all pay attention to the color and other external characteristics of the peel. Knowing some tricks will allow you to establish the ripeness of the pulp even without a preliminary sample. What you should pay attention to and how to choose the right watermelon according to appearance?

Many are interested in the question: is it possible to determine the presence of nitrates in the pulp by appearance? Unfortunately, it is impossible to establish the content of an increased amount of harmful substances without cutting the fruit, except perhaps with the help of a special device.

Knowing the signs of excess nitrates will help to avoid poisoning. Before eating a cut watermelon, carefully inspect it:

• a good watermelon has pulp, on the cut of which sugar grains are clearly visible;
• a dangerous concentration of nitrates may be indicated by the presence of voids in the central part of the fetus;
• a ripe watermelon has black pits, the combination of immature seeds and ripe red pulp is a bad sign.

By sound

When watermelon ripens, the pulp changes its density - it becomes more porous. This feature makes it possible to determine the ripeness by the sound that the berry makes when tapped. To do this, you need to knock on the crust with your knuckle. The louder the sound, the riper berry. You can check several watermelons in this way and compare the result.

How else can you choose a watermelon by sound? There is another method for determining ripeness, which is more suitable for men. The fetus is clamped between two palms opposite each other. They should be placed in the middle between the tail and the bottom. When squeezing the palms of a ripe fruit, the peel will emit a characteristic soft crackle. This method requires a certain physical strength, but its reliability is quite high.

The main taste characteristic by which the quality of the crop is assessed is the amount of sugar in the pulp. At the same time, the sweetness of a berry is not always directly related to its ripeness: it happens that a red fruit with ripe seeds may not be sweet at all.

What affects the taste of watermelon and what indicators of sugar content are considered optimal? With the mass cultivation of gourds, the suitability of fruits for consumption is determined when the sugar concentration reaches 10% or more. To determine this indicator, use special device- refractometer. On melons in different places, several fruits are selected, cut and the sugar content of the pulp in the central part of the fruit is measured.

However, not all manufacturers offer a product with the recommended characteristics. What is the reason for the decrease in taste? There are several factors that affect the taste of the pulp.

First of all, the choice of variety is important. Despite the large number of different types of gourds, breeding work does not stop, due to which new improved hybrids appear. Not all characteristics are improved as a result of crossbreeding, and often an increase in disease resistance or an increase in yield affects the palatability. When choosing a variety, the growing conditions, as well as the structure and composition of the soil, should be taken into account.

Even properly selected seeds may not give the desired yield if the cultivation technology is not followed or adverse weather factors are not followed. For a normal sugar content, the following conditions are necessary:

• Sufficient lighting. The more sunny days during the period of plant growth and fruit formation, the sweeter the harvest will be.
• The presence of moisture. Sufficient soil moisture ensures good germination of crops and normal growth gourds. But during the ripening of the crop, excess moisture can have the most negative effect on their taste: if after dry days it rains heavily, the plants can continue to grow and pull some of the substances accumulated in the fruits back into the leaves and stems.
• Nutrition. Watermelon is highly sensitive to the presence of mineral fertilizers in the soil. When planting plants on poor soils, regular plant feeding is necessary, which makes it possible to get a richer harvest and increase the sugar concentration by as much as 2-3%. Some unscrupulous growers seek to increase yields by oversupplying nitrogen in the soil. It is able to cause intensive cell growth, in which their number remains the same, and the size exceeds the norm several times. The increase in volume in this case occurs due to the accumulation of water and the deterioration of taste. With an increased amount of nitrogen, the pulp may acquire a specific bitter taste.

Another reason for the discrepancy between the expected taste is the untimely harvest. Watermelon, unlike the vast majority of fruits, is not able to ripen after harvest. On taste characteristics also affected by the conditions of transportation and storage.

So how can you choose a watermelon with sweet pulp? Unfortunately, external signs there is no definition of the taste of the pulp. You can find out how tasty and sweet the fruit is only after taking a sample.

Many prefer to choose the most large berries, mistakenly believing that they are the most ripe. In fact, too big size may be a sign of artificial increase in fruit by applying a large amount of nitrogen fertilizers.

The optimal weight depends on the variety: most of the most popular in middle lane variety types, this indicator is at the level of 5-6 kg, in large varieties and hybrids ("", "", "Palladin", "") fruit weight can reach 10-12 kg. When choosing from one batch, it is better to buy not the largest or most small watermelon, and give preference to medium copies.

At present, the opinion that a light skin tone is a sign of insufficient maturity is not true. This is due to the achievements of modern breeding, thanks to which in Lately a large number of the most diverse species appeared with a shade of peel from light green to dark green, approaching black.

Experts advise paying attention not to how dark or light the watermelon is, but to the contrast between the stripes on the peel. The more pronounced the difference between adjacent stripes, the tastier the pulp.

Before choosing a watermelon, it is recommended to inspect the stem. Should the tail of the watermelon be completely dry, or is it not an indication of ripeness at all? A ripe berry stops consuming moisture and gradually the stalk at the point of attachment to the stem dries up. A dried tail is one of the signs of maturation, but only if it is fragile and breaks easily.

If the stem is just sluggish, it can be said with great certainty that the crop has been harvested. ahead of schedule, and the drying of the stalk occurred during transportation. a clear sign unripe fruits are correctly cut ends of the ponytails.

Another wide known way choice is to assess the surface condition of the peel. It is believed that after maturation watermelon peel starts to shine. How true is this and should the surface ripe fruit to be smooth and shiny?

When ripe, the hardness of the peel increases, and its upper layer acquires a pronounced waxy sheen. During the period most suitable for eating watermelon, this shine is preserved, but when overripe, the skin becomes matte again.

However, this feature is not true for all varieties: many recently bred hybrids have a waxy coating from the very beginning of fruit formation. It is also worth choosing a berry taking into account the tricks of sellers, who specially rub the surface of the crust to a shine.

At the point of contact with the ground, a so-called “cheek” is formed - a light spot, which can have a hue from white to orange. The presence of such a speck is the norm if its diameter, depending on the total weight, does not exceed 5-10 cm. Light areas of much larger sizes indicate a low quality of the crop.

By the color of the "cheeks" you can determine the degree of maturation. In unripe berries, it is white with visible stripes, but a clean, completely yellow or orange spot on a watermelon indicates that it is already ready to eat.

Sometimes, when cutting the fruit, it is found that the pulp has an uneven structure and is pierced with dense light veins. What do such white threads inside a watermelon mean? The appearance of seals is a plant response to stress caused by a sudden change in growing conditions. Basically, such threads appear with sudden changes in temperature.

If there are streaks in the pulp, before eating it, you should pay attention to the color of the threads: a yellowish tint is one of the signs high content nitrates.

Often, buyers try to choose a watermelon according to the shape and size of the lower part, which remains in place of the fallen flower. It is believed that girls have a wider “mole” and are distinguished by sweetness, but the taste of a boy who has a small convex bottom is much worse. How true are these signs of the sweetness of a watermelon?

The dimensions of the lower part depend solely on the size of the flower and have nothing to do with the "sexual" division of the fruit. A good watermelon does not have to have a wide and flat bottom. At the same time, the size of the “mole” can tell about the number of seeds inside: the so-called “boys” have few of them and they are small, but the pulp of the “girls” contains many large seeds.

Is it possible to eat early watermelons

The first watermelons on the shelves of shops and markets can be found already in July. Among lovers sweet berry there is an opinion that early watermelons contain an increased amount of ammonia fertilizers. How true is this and is it possible to eat the first harvest?

It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. The ultra-early varieties developed by breeders are able to produce crops much earlier than mid-season representatives of the crop. Additional opportunities were opened by the technology of growing plants in closed ground. It is possible that the earliest fruits are grown in compliance with the nutritional requirements and do not pose a threat to health. You can determine the presence of nitrates from a quality certificate or using a manual nitrate meter.

Knowing the secrets and tricks listed above will help you choose a watermelon that will delight you with a refreshing sweet, juicy and healthy pulp.

Greetings, our dear readers. The heat is unbelievable this year. This is bad for some, good for others, but they say watermelons will be very sweet. Let's find out how to choose sweet watermelon, really ripe and preferably harmless.

To begin with, I only learned how to choose watermelons last year, I think. Too bad it's just the end of the season. Well, this year I never made a mistake and chose the right one. So the technique works and I share them with you.

In fact, a lot of things can be found on the Internet about how to identify a ripe watermelon. But they don't always work. Certainly easier themes who grows these watermelons in the region. I think it's always sweet. But what about those who live in Siberia, like ourselves, or in the Far East?

If, for example, watermelons appear in the Kuban already in June, and even sweet ones, then in Siberia and further north, they appear at the end of July, then August and in September you can still buy.

Only those that appear in July, we don’t buy the very first ones at all. There are either no ripe ones, or there are so many nitrates that the hair just stands on end on the arms. We will also tell you how to distinguish a natural watermelon, stay with us until the end.

Sale season.

This is where I look first. We will never take watermelons before mid-August. The fact is that choosing a sweet watermelon earlier is almost impossible. Only from mid-August you can buy sweet berries.

Watermelon Selection Methods

By this time, they have time to collect the sun and all the vitamins. Those that appear earlier are either immature and bland, or full of nitrates.

But there are precocious varieties, you say. Yes, there are, but it takes time to transport them, also consider. This will depend on the type of watermelon. For example, this year I was on vacation in June in the Kuban. Bought at the end of June early ripe variety. Just a meal. Sweet and very ripe.

The appearance of the crust.

Choosing a sweet watermelon is easy enough by looking at the appearance of the berry.

Here A few key features of a delicious watermelon:

• the stripes forming the pattern must be clear;
• the peel is glossy;
• the crust is hard, it is impossible to damage it without effort;
• when the colored layer of the peel is damaged, it appears recognizable smell fresh grass.

Signs indicating immaturity or disease of the fetus:

• the pattern is broken or uncharacteristic, the stripes are blurry;
• dullness of the peel;
• the crust can be easily damaged even with a fingernail.

Choose watermelon with more space between the stripes, as they are considered to be sweeter.

Does the size of the watermelon affect the quality?

Let's just say there are many varieties. There are varieties when the weight of a watermelon reaches 20 kg. Therefore, choose a medium watermelon. In this regard, the rule of the golden mean always works.

In most cases, large watermelons are said to be grown using nitrates. But small watermelons are often unripe.

Again, it all depends on the type of watermelon. If you do not understand the varieties, just choose a medium size.

Yellow spot on the side.

This spot is not a sign of unripe watermelon or disease. Just a watermelon lay in this place on the ground and the sun, of course, did not get there.

Yellow spot on watermelon (large)

It is also easy to determine the ripeness of the berry by this speck. It should be as yellow as possible.

But buying a watermelon with a white circle on its side, you run the risk of running into a tasteless product.

The size of the spot also requires attention. Know that a large stain indicates that the watermelon for a long time matured in not too warm conditions. Because of this, the fruit loses its taste and becomes less juicy.

Watermelon damage.

Mindfulness will help you choose a sweet watermelon. The berry should not have any damage, even small ones:

• cracks;
• dents;
• incisions;
• rotted areas (even very small ones!).

The fact is that the juicy and nutritious pulp of a watermelon is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, which, together with air and roadside dust, can get inside in abundance.

Eating watermelon with such a surprise can lead to poisoning and gastrointestinal upset. The same applies to cut watermelons, so don't try to save money by buying whole watermelon but only half. Such frugality can cost you dearly.

Sometimes we are offered to cut a watermelon to taste the ripeness. See that the knife is clean from the seller and if you bought such a watermelon, then you need to eat it quickly. Do not keep it for a long time, even in the refrigerator.

The ringing and crackling of watermelon.

They constantly say that you need to knock on a watermelon and then you will understand whether it is ripe or not. Yes, only few people remember how a ripe watermelon should actually sound. I guessed this myself more than once.

Remember: ripe and juicy watermelon makes a sonorous, booming sound, and unripe - deaf.

An overripe watermelon also sounds dull, in which there is already too much moisture and it has begun to sour. It is also better to refuse such a purchase. Thus, a voiced sound is good, a deaf sound is bad.

In addition, to be sure, you can put pressure on the watermelon, squeeze it with your hands, it should crunch a little. Yes, just do not overdo it, you can crush it))) A slight crackle indicates the ripeness of the berry.

Watermelon girls are sweeter.

choose the "gender" of the watermelon

Watermelons are also divided by gender. This division has nothing to do with biology and exists only to simplify the selection process. Indeed, watermelons-girls in practice turn out to be more juicy and sweet. There is an assumption that this is due to the characteristics of pollination.

Choosing is quite simple, look at the speck, in the place where the flower once was:

If the spot is flat and rather large, then it is a girl. In male watermelons, the spot is convex and smaller in size.

Such a watermelon will be sweeter, provided it is ready to eat.

Is a dry tail a sign of ripeness or not?

It is believed that when a watermelon, ripening, can no longer take nutrients and moisture and under its own weight is separated from the bush. In general, the theory is correct, but it turns out that in practice the watermelon can be separated from the food paths before being cut.

The tail dries out in 3 days, so it may well lie on the counter green watermelon with a dry tail.

If you still do not want to give up this method, pay attention to the tip of the tail. Even with a dried stalk, you can determine whether it was cut or broken off naturally.

The structure and color of the pulp.

And this can only be determined when you cut the watermelon. But sometimes on the counter you can find half a watermelon wrapped in cling film. By the way, it does not allow bacteria to get inside.

Then, of course, it is easier to study the product, but even if you just opened a watermelon at home, still pay attention to the color, structure of the pulp and the bones themselves.

The color should be pinkish. The scarlet color signals a large amount of nitrates or that he has overripe. In any case, such a berry should not be taken.

The structure should be porous, granular. They also talk about such watermelons - sugar.

Also pay attention to the bones, they should be black or dark brown. If they are white or there are a lot of them, then such a watermelon is not ripe or it has a lot of nitrates.

How to choose a sweet watermelon, ripe and delicious, we talked. In the complex of the above tips, you can easily choose the right berry. But there are also a few other things to be aware of.

Don't buy watermelons from the curb!

Then, instead of pleasure, you can get serious poisoning. There are a lot of harmful substances from cars. Naturally, they fall on the watermelon, and they are deeper and then poisoning will result.

It is also worth paying attention to the point of sale and not buying from dubious sellers. Not infrequently, we hear recommendations that you need to ask for a certificate for watermelons. This is correct and feel free to ask him.

If it is, read the data indicated in it: the place of collection, the harvest time, the content of nitrates and other characteristics. Based on them, you will be able to make a final conclusion whether to choose one or another product from a particular seller or not. If you are offered a photocopy of the certificate, then it must be in color, and the text must be clear.

Choosing the right sweet watermelon will help attentiveness, but not only to the berry itself, but also to the place of sale.

In the market or shop, pay attention to the following:

• does not fall on watermelons sunlight(canopy, shop premises);
• removal from the roadway;
• storage pallets are located at a height of at least 20 cm from the floor or the ground and do not show any damage;
• availability of a certificate of the Epidemiological Surveillance Service for each consignment of goods for the market;
• Availability required documents on the purchase of goods from trusted suppliers.

In addition, to protect children from nitrates or poisoning, the following should be done:

• nitrates accumulate in the peel and the pulp next to it, so do not try to give the kids the pulp from the middle and do not give the skin;
• before use, pour boiling water over the watermelon and rinse it well with running water.
• if not difficult, pour plain water into a transparent glass. Put a piece of pulp there, preferably not from the center of the watermelon. The water should not be colored near the pulp, if only a little pinkish from the watermelon juice. If there is a lot of colored water around the pulp, it itself becomes pale, then there are a lot of nitrates in such a watermelon.

check for nitrates

Some popular varieties of watermelons.

Choosing a sweet watermelon is not so difficult, but the above methods are common, of course you can’t go wrong. But it's worth knowing a little about popular varieties that hit our tables.

1. Watermelons Kherson. Kherson sugar watermelons never grow too large, their weight does not exceed 10 kg. If you are shown a twenty-kilogram giant and they say that he is from Kherson, do not believe it. It is either of a different variety, or grew on some nitrates. The appearance of watermelons of this variety is classic: bright light stripes, an oblong shape, soft pinkish flesh and a rather thin peel.
2. Astrakhan. How separate variety it was bred in 1977 through the efforts of one of the country's leading breeders at that time. This fruit has a spherical or slightly oblong shape. The pulp of a ripe berry is juicy, fragrant, coarse-grained. Its color is bright red. The color of the Astrakhan fruit is green. The pattern on the surface consists of spike-like stripes that have a dark green tint. Average weight varies between 8-10 kg. During the dry season, voids may appear inside the fetus, but no effect on taste qualities they don't provide.
   
3. Crimean Crimson Gloria. Watermelons of this variety can be really big. The weight of one copy on average can vary from 10 to 17 kg. In addition, watermelons of this variety are able to withstand long-term transportation. They are also grown in the south of Russia. In appearance, they resemble Kherson ones, but they are distinguished by a thick skin and a large weight.
4. hybrid chill. The peculiarity of watermelons of this variety is that they can be stored for a very long time, until the New Year. It is only necessary to provide the fetus with comfortable storage conditions. To do this, place it in a dry, dark place. However, representatives of this variety appear on the market only in early September, as they ripen late.
5. Skorik. Watermelons of this variety are early and appear on the shelves among the first. You can distinguish them by the dark green uniform color of the skin and low weight - no more than 7 kg.
6. Photon. It also applies to early varieties and differs from Skorik only in that it has a light skin with pronounced stripes.

We also offer you to watch a useful video on this topic.

Now you know exactly how to choose a sweet watermelon, just be careful. And that's all we have, leave your comments below, join us in Odnoklassniki and support us on our channel Yandex.Zen. Enjoy your meal.

How to choose the right sweet watermelon - proven methods. updated: August 10, 2018 by: Subbotin Pavel

There is hardly a person who does not like watermelon. This is an essential part of summer.

However, sometimes it happens that the content of the striped berry upsets. In order not to be upset, you need to learn how to choose a watermelon correctly. In this article, we will tell you how to do it. You will learn how to choose a watermelon - and in the summer you will be able to apply your knowledge to the delight of yourself and your loved ones.

How to choose a watermelon?

First of all, choose a place and a seller. Watermelons should never lie on the ground. The seller is obliged to carefully place them on a tray high enough above the ground.

Next, choose the watermelon that you like outwardly. Fortunately, there are a great many of them on the tray, and everyone can choose the fruit to their taste. However, try to choose a watermelon of the correct spherical shape, slightly elongated. It is better if it is a fruit weighing 7-12 kilograms. These are often of good quality. Small watermelons are likely to be unsweetened, and in large ones you risk “finding” a sea of ​​nitrates.

Also pay attention to the weight of the fetus. Ideally, even big watermelon should seem easy. This means that it is ripe and, most likely, juicy and sugary.

It has long been noted that watermelons, which have the most contrasting color, are sweeter than their pale counterparts. Therefore, try to choose bright fruits with even light spots on the side. Such watermelon most often turns out to be bright red in color and very sweet in taste.

Special attention should be paid to the tail. If it is still green, then the watermelon was most likely picked underripe and will taste rather bland. Ideally, the tail should be dry, such watermelons are brought at the end of August. The pulp of such a fruit will be ripe, juicy and very sweet.

The watermelon rind, on the contrary, should be smooth and bright. It should not have any cracks or dents. Such a fruit is likely to be sour or completely tasteless. Do not waste money and nerves on such a dubious purchase.

Also, to complete the process, tap on the watermelon. The sound from the blow should be sonorous, as if the fruit could split. Such a watermelon will delight you with the sweetness and juiciness of the pulp. If the sound from the blow turned out to be dull and muffled, the fruit is not yet ripe, you should not buy it.

And finally, never, under any circumstances, let the seller cut your watermelon. The knife may be dirty. In addition, while you carry such a fruit home, bacteria and dirt can get into the incision. You don't have to risk your health.

There are many ways to choose a ripe and sweet watermelon. However, not all of these methods are always accurate. So, many are convinced that a high-quality watermelon must certainly crack slightly if you squeeze it with your hands. However, this is not quite true. The fact is that the liquid in good watermelons can shake up during transportation, and the fruit will not crack, although it will remain ripe and tasty inside.

You should not buy a watermelon in the immediate vicinity of the freeway, as the peel of the fruit quickly absorbs all harmful substances. The point of sale must be provided with a table and an awning from the sun.

If incomprehensible spots and dents are visible on the peel of a watermelon, most likely it was grown on “feeding”, which can form harmful nitrates in the human body. In such watermelons, the flesh is bright red with a slight purple tint. In addition, the fibers, which should be white, turn out to be an unpleasant yellowish color.

In a good watermelon, the cut surface should be slightly rough, grainy. The harmful fruit has a smooth and flat surface cut.

yellow clusters in watermelon pulp dangerous: they often contain a large amount of harmful nitrates. Consumption of a product containing nitrates can lead to poisoning. The main symptoms of the latter are fatigue, headache and diarrhea. The temperature may also rise. The consumption of nitrates is especially dangerous for children under one year old (since the natural protective barrier begins to form only after a year) and nursing mothers.

How to choose a watermelon?

However, if you choose your watermelon carefully, you will not have to face such unpleasant problems. The watermelon itself is very useful, it is a pity that we cannot eat it all year round.

By the way, surprisingly, watermelon is considered a berry, not a fruit, and not a vegetable at all. Arrived from South America He was loved by everyone and everyone. The pulp of watermelon contains many useful substances. So, it is rich in such vitamins as: C, A, B1 and B6. Watermelon contains beneficial carotenoids: beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein.

In addition, watermelon perfectly quenches thirst and cools during the heat. Its juice tones, the pulp improves digestion and metabolism.

The main thing, according to the editors of the site, carefully approach the choice of this sweet exotic berry, - and all will be well.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen