What sound should a sweet watermelon have. Ripeness in appearance

Summer is loved for vacations and vacations, warm sea and family picnics, and of course, for watermelons. Juicy, sugary, sweet giant perfectly quenches thirst and hunger, and simply cheers up. Ripe watermelon is rich in vitamins C and PP, fiber and healthy carbohydrates. But everyone has heard about unpleasant cases of poisoning with these berries, so you need to be more attentive and careful than ever when choosing this delicacy. How to choose the right watermelon? What you need to pay attention to, how not to fall for the tricks of sellers, what should be a useful minke whale? You will find answers to these and more questions in this article.

Of course, the fruits grown in our greenhouses and other countries flaunt on store shelves at any time of the year. But first of all, you need to understand that you will not find a ripe watermelon in May or June. And this is perhaps the main rule: do not rush to buy summer berries, because the time for their ripening falls at least at the end of July.

In order to quickly sell their fruits, unscrupulous agronomists enhance the growth of berries with the help of chemicals, using them a week before ripening. But the fact is that the last treatments can be carried out 20-25 days before harvesting, otherwise all the chemicals will get into your body or your children.

Ripeness in appearance

Breeders have bred a wide variety of varieties that differ in the color of the pulp: red, pink, yellow and white. But there is not yet a single variety that would change the color or structure of the peel depending on ripeness. But still there are little secrets when choosing a good watermelon. Thanks to these secrets, you can determine the ripeness in appearance:

• the pattern on the bark should be clear and uniform (blurry patterns may be a symptom of a viral mosaic);
• ripe berries have a glossy, hard skin that is difficult to pierce with a fingernail;
• juice should not stand out from the peel;
• the berry should not have dents.

Popular experiments have shown that a good fruit has large distances between dark stripes on the skin.

Selection of watermelon by size

You can choose a ripe and sweet watermelon by paying attention to the size and shape. But first you need to decide how to choose a watermelon without nitrates. First you need to understand what nitrates are. These are salts and esters of nitric acid, which adversely affect the human body. They accumulate in plants due to frequent treatments. It is especially dangerous if vegetable growers process fruits just before they are harvested.

How to choose a sweet watermelon and not a nitrate one? Identifying a nitrate berry is very easy. The main signals are the ideal shape of the fetus, too saturated color, huge size.

It is clear that it is not necessary to take an unnaturally large fruit. Most likely, such a plant succumbed to chemical treatment. It is best to choose a medium-sized fruit, about 6 kg. Do not discard the small fruit immediately. In most cases it will be a really unripe fruit, but it is possible that this is the variety.

Does the condition of the stalk affect the taste

The condition of the stalk is another factor that does not hurt to pay attention to when choosing a striped fruit. A ripe watermelon has a dry stalk.

But don't rely on this method alone. After all:

• sellers know about this technique and deliberately pluck green berries, the stalk of which will dry out after some time;
• the stem may simply be damaged;
• in this way you can buy an overripe watermelon.

Choosing a watermelon by weight

In Asian countries, there is a strange method for determining the maturity of this gourd. Ripe fruits are actually lighter than water, and therefore those that float can be considered of high quality. Based on this, you might think that watermelon should be light. But if it was a rainy beginning of summer, then perhaps the selected fruit will be empty inside due to various diseases. The question is often asked: why is watermelon soft? Most likely, this fruit is overripe. Soft watermelon is usually heavy and seems to be delicious, but it will actually go to the trash can.

At the beginning of the watermelon season, choose berries weighing 4-6 kg, and already in the midst - 7-9 kg.

Choice of watermelon by sound

Even in old Soviet films, this method of checking watermelon was often shown. The sound can really say a lot about the innards of a sweet berry. But few people know what sound a striped fruit should make after banging or squeezing. If, after knocking on the peel, a booming sound is made, then the fruit is ripe, if it is deaf, it has no place on the table. When squeezed with palms, a good round minke whale will make a characteristic crackle, this will not happen with green.

Secrets of a successful choice

Choosing a watermelon is a delicate matter, for some it can even be a kind of ritual. And for people associated with vegetable growing, choosing a good watermelon is generally a matter of honor.

How to choose a good watermelon and not lose face? The main thing to remember about the following factors:

• ripe watermelon occurs during the period of its natural ripening - the end of July;
• the counter must be clean;
• there should be no cracks, dents, punctures on the peel;
• the skin should not be matte, but glossy;
• when ripe, watermelon has a yellow earthy spot, not white;
• when tapped, a ringing sound should come out;
• when compressed, a crack should be heard;
• unripe watermelon of medium size, weighing from 4 to 9 kg;
• a dry stem does not always signal ripening.

Video "How to choose a ripe and tasty watermelon"

In this video you will hear useful tips for choosing a ripe watermelon.

August is the time of the long-awaited watermelons. And the most pressing question of the season is how to choose a ripe and delicious watermelon? The seller can assure you in June that he has a super-early variety of berries. The purchase will indeed turn out to be with juicy and bright red pulp, only nitrates and other chemistry clearly helped to ripen such a watermelon. Therefore, until the end of the season, it is better not to succumb to the temptation. Natural gourd berries will be on sale only in August.

Perhaps, choosing a sweet fruit is a whole science. How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon and choose a berry without nitrates? Let's study it together.

How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon

By appearance

That watermelon is good, in which the stripes are bright and the peel is shiny. Pay attention to external damage to the fetus. If it is cracked or rumpled, then bacteria could already penetrate into the pulp. This watermelon is dangerous to health. Clothing should be so hard that it is difficult to scratch it with a fingernail. And one more thing: prefer a round watermelon to an oblong one.

According to the size and color of the earth spot

Look for a watermelon that has a yellow spot on its side - this is the place where the berry came into contact with the ground. The color should be reddish, yellow or light brown. But a white earthen spot indicates that the watermelon is not ripe. Spot size should ideally be between 5 and 10 cm.

On a dry stem

The tail of a watermelon is like the umbilical cord of a newborn: through it the fetus receives nutrients. In fact, when the watermelon is ripe, it should fall off the fruit itself and dry up. Therefore, the green stalk of a store-bought watermelon should alert you - the fruit is clearly not ripe. The tail of a ripe berry will be brittle, check without leaving the cash register!

By weight

Many people think that large watermelons are the most delicious. And they are right. A large mass of watermelon speaks of its ripeness. In some varieties, the weight of 10-17 kg is considered the norm. But there is a reasonable limit to everything: the abnormally huge watermelon is most likely grown with the help of artificial feeding. Look for the golden mean.

By sound

Many people know the old-fashioned way - to lightly knock on a watermelon. This is the main sign of a ripe watermelon. If the sound is sonorous when tapped, and the rind of the watermelon springs a little from the impact, feel free to buy! But a dull sound, on the contrary, should alert you - the watermelon is most likely unripe.

How to choose a good quality watermelon

Few calories and lots of nutrients. This is about the watermelon that was grown correctly. In the age of modern technology, we buy gourds with fear - the reason for this is the chemicals that create artificially ripe watermelons, and also get rid of pests on melons. How to calculate excess nitrates? Look at the peel. Black and brown spots over the entire surface give out the presence of nitrogen salts. Did the fruit look cute? Check it out at home after cutting. If the color of the pulp is unevenly red and with purple spots, then there is an excess of nitrates in the watermelon. This will also be indicated by multi-colored bones (black and white in one berry) as well as yellow streaks from the peel to the pulp.

There is another secret: the pulp on the cut of the “correct” watermelon will be with grains, as if sugar, but the watermelon with nitrate content has unnaturally glossy insides.

To fully verify the safety of a sweet purchase, spend a simple experiment at home: dip a piece of watermelon pulp into a glass of water and crush the pulp. Turbid water indicates the naturalness of the berry, the water turned red - an indicator of the presence of nitrates. This is the best way to test watermelons.

1. The most natural watermelons appear on sale only in mid-August.
2. It is better to buy watermelons in the store. If you go to the market, then bypass the side of the seller, whose watermelons are right on the ground.
3. Do not buy watermelons on the highway. Vehicle exhaust fumes are not the best way to affect the safety of the product.
4. Refuse to buy a cut watermelon, even if the half is carefully tightened with cling film. Under it, bacteria actively develop. And whether the one who cut him observed hygiene is generally unknown.
5. Press the fruit from above and below: if you hear crackling, then the watermelon is delicious and ripe.

We wish you delicious watermelons and a pleasant summer!

The onset of the watermelon season in the second half of summer is eagerly awaited by both big and small gourmets. It just so happened that in our country, where most of the territory belongs to the zone of risky agriculture, it is this southern culture that enjoys mass popularity and love. Juicy, sweet watermelon pulp not only perfectly quenches thirst on hot days, it gives pleasure in taste, pleasant emotions and is a source of many useful substances.

Ripe watermelon contains ascorbic and folic acid, magnesium, iron and potassium, dietary fiber and pectins.

That's just how to determine what is hidden under the green dense peel? How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon so that, once on the table, the cut berry does not disappoint, revealing to the audience a tasteless pale pink flesh?

If watermelons are grown on your own plot, you don’t have to worry about their quality, but sometimes purchased fruits, in addition to a pale appearance, present much more unpleasant surprises. Failure to comply with agricultural technology, the rules for the use of fertilizers and the storage of watermelons entails the danger of poisoning. Therefore, it is important not only to be able to distinguish a ripe berry from a green one, but to know how to choose the right watermelon that is safe for health.

Beginning of the watermelon season

You can buy watermelon in the supermarket today at any time of the year. Treated with preservatives or grown in greenhouses, sweet fruits from remote corners of the world easily reach Russian shelves. Is it possible to compare them with watermelons grown in the open field, in a summer cottage, under the hot summer sun? Based on the timing of the ripening of giant berries, we can conclude.

The first ripe watermelons on melons can appear only in July, and the mass collection of these gifts of summer begins in mid-August and lasts until October.

Moreover, the earlier the watermelon hits the counter, the greater the risk of containing nitrates and other compounds that are dangerous for the body, causing increased growth in fruits. So do not rush, because it is much easier to choose a good watermelon when their mass ripening starts.

How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by the appearance of the bark?

Today, at the disposal of farmers and summer residents there are many varieties and hybrids of watermelons with a variety of patterns and colors of the bark. Breeders suggest growing fruits not only with bright red or pink flesh, but also with yellow and even white. At the same time, not a single scientist was able to create a plant, by the type of berries of which one could immediately determine the ripeness of a watermelon in the garden.

And yet there are a number of signs on how to choose a ripe watermelon. When choosing a fruit, pay attention to the condition of the peel, the brightness of the pattern and the presence of all kinds of damage. With all the richness of the existing colors of watermelons, the pattern on the bark should be clear, and the color of plain berries should be uniform. Watermelons with an uncharacteristic or blurry pattern are best set aside. After all, this can be a sign not only of the immaturity of the berry, but also a symptom of a disease, for example, a viral mosaic.

• Watermelons, which is not yet the time to leave the melon, have a matte bark.
• In a ripe fruit, the peel becomes glossy and hardens to such an extent that it is difficult to pierce it with a fingernail, but you can only scratch the top painted layer.
• In addition, in an unripe watermelon, the damaged bark secretes juice and emits a characteristic herbal smell.

According to folk observations, from striped watermelons, you need to choose the one in which the distance between the dark stripes is wider.

And some, even dry-looking defects and traces of scab on the surface of the bark can signal scab or anthracnose damage, which leads to underdevelopment of the pulp and a deterioration in the quality of the watermelon.

How to choose the right watermelon for the size and color of the earth stain?

Fruits grown on melons necessarily have a characteristic spot on the peel - the place where the watermelon comes into contact with the ground. In this area, the peel received less sunlight, less chlorophyll was produced here.

To determine the ripeness of a watermelon in a garden or on a counter, pay attention to the size, condition and color of such a spot:

• The bark here should not be damaged or be softer than in other areas.
• There are no stripes on the ground patch. This suggests that the watermelon was not disturbed during growth.

A spot, on average not exceeding 7–12 cm, should ideally be yellow, if the shade is closer to white, it is better for the watermelon to lie in the garden for another couple of weeks.

Is it possible to choose a sweet watermelon by a dry stem?

Are there any other tips on how to choose the right watermelon? You can often hear the recommendation that you can choose a delicious watermelon by taking a berry with a dry tail. But what if the watermelon on the counter has no stalk at all, or by all indications, a ripe berry in the garden does not want to separate from its native lash?

Indeed, in a fetus that has reached full maturity, the tail begins to dry:

• Knowing this, unscrupulous traders pick green watermelons, and the stalks dry during transportation and storage.
• In addition, the tail could dry out due to twisting or breaking of the whip long before the watermelons ripen.
• Also, trusting a dry stalk, you can bring an overripe watermelon to the table.

Therefore, you should not completely trust this sign.

It is much more reliable to pay attention not to one of the signs of watermelon ripeness, but immediately to their totality.

So, for example, in a sweet berry, ready for harvest, the stalk becomes smooth, characteristic hairs fall off it, which are present while the watermelon is immature. If watermelons grow in the country, you can determine the ripeness of a watermelon in the garden by other features. For example, melon growers are well aware that the tendrils at the place where the stalk of the watermelon is attached to the lash are sure to dry out when it is time to pick a ripe berry. In addition, at the place where the flower once was, by the time of ripening there is no trace of the bract.

How to choose a good watermelon by weight?

And in China and other Asian countries, when collecting watermelons, they use another interesting feature of these berries. Mature watermelons, due to the specifics of the internal structure, are lighter than water and always float on the surface. Based on this, one more sign can be deduced on how to choose a ripe watermelon. Of two fruits of equal size, the one that is lighter will be sweeter.

However, there is an exception here too. If at the beginning of summer there was cold, rainy weather, it is possible that this influenced the formation of watermelons, and voids did not form inside them. Such fruits, even when ripe, seem less juicy, and closer to the core, the tissues noticeably coarsen.

As for the actual weight of the watermelon, at the beginning of the season, when buying a sweet treat, it is more reasonable to give preference to medium fruits. And already in the midst of the watermelon season, you can feast on real giants weighing from 7 to 15 kg.

How to choose a good watermelon by sound?

You can often see how, when determining the ripeness of a watermelon, buyers or sellers tap on the peel or squeeze the fruit with their palms:

• In response to a knock, a ripe sweet watermelon makes a booming sound, but if the fruit is not yet ready to hit the table, the echo will be deaf and unclear.
• When squeezed, a good watermelon may crackle slightly, a green fruit does not produce such an effect.

If the listed methods for determining the quality of the fetus did not fully answer the question of how to choose a ripe watermelon, the video will help you understand everything clearly.

The main thing, when choosing a high-quality, tasty watermelon, is not to forget that success is possible when all the features considered are taken into account.

Summer residents who grow watermelons in their own beds do not worry about the quality of the fruit. They know for sure that, following the rules of agricultural technology, only useful sweet berries will be harvested from melons without excess amounts of nitrates, pesticides and dyes.

How to choose a watermelon of proper quality?

But how do you choose a good watermelon on the counter of a store or in a vegetable stand? Can all sellers be trusted, and how to protect yourself from poor-quality fruits?

Approaching the counter, you need to pay attention to the conditions of injury and laying out watermelons. In the conditions of street trade, for the sale of melons, special pavilions are necessarily organized, equipped with pallets and canopies to protect watermelons from contact with soil and sunlight. In the store, watermelons are also laid out on pallets or in baskets and do not come into contact with the floor.

Since the pulp of a watermelon instantly absorbs the slightest pollution, settling dust, and the pathogenic flora reproduces perfectly on sweet pulp, it is by no means possible to buy watermelons at roadside points, or choose fruits with cracks and cuts.

It is better to refuse to buy watermelon if the seller cannot present documents certifying the quality and safety of melons. Such certificates and certificates indicate the place of cultivation of the batch, the date of harvest and the expiration date. A certificate from a specialized laboratory assures that there are no substances harmful to health in watermelons.

Ten rules for choosing a ripe healthy watermelon - video

Watermelon is a favorite summer berry for many people. Juicy pink fruits, which cause a pleasant feeling of heaviness in the stomach, are a real symbol of summer, heat and the holiday season. However, we do not always manage to buy a sweet and healthy product, especially if the climatic region turns out to be an unfavorable environment for growing them. In this case, it is very important to know how to choose the right watermelon, and what you need to pay attention to first.

Watermelon is a seasonal product

Do not forget that both vegetables and fruits are seasonal products. You can get a quality harvest only at certain times of the year.

Melon crops, which include watermelon, are heat-loving plants, and even in the southern Central Asian countries they ripen no earlier than the second half of summer. In the meantime, they will grow in our climatic conditions (by the way, not the hottest), while they are delivered to the place of sale, sweet watermelons can be seen in the markets not earlier than mid-August.

Of course, sellers can assure you of the absolute quality of their product, arguing this with some kind of “super early variety”, but in reality, such watermelons often turn out to be a greenhouse product grown on fatty fertilizers.

It is possible that such products will indeed turn out to be sweet and ripe, but the amount of nitrates will certainly be impressive. A real field watermelon ripens not earlier than the end of August and can delight you with its taste throughout September.

Did you know? Archaeological excavations confirm the fact that people grew and consumed watermelons 2000 years ago. In Europe, the berry, quite possibly, came after the battle of Poitiers in the 1st century AD, with the invasion of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.

Availability of documents, choice of place of purchase

Surely you have come across photographs from Turkmenistan, in which ripe watermelons simply lie in a heap on the ground. Those people who believe that this is how they should be sold are very mistaken.

Here's another tip for you: never buy a product off the ground. The cleanliness of our roads and road dust is clearly inferior to those of some Turkmen hinterland, which means that it is more correct to buy watermelons from store shelves.

Goods from the markets, like goods from supermarket shelves, come from the same places, only the sanitary conditions of storage in the pavilions and the store are an order of magnitude higher than in the markets. All melons and gourds must be sold either in stores or in stalls with awnings, placed on trading decks at a height of at least 15 cm from the ground.

Important! No need to think that a thick peel completely protects the entire watermelon. Of course, dust will not get to the pulp, but harmful microorganisms may well get inside through microcracks.

It is better not to pay attention to the watermelon rolled in the roadside dust, leaving it to the sellers.

If you have already found the best place and have chosen a suitable watermelon, then before buying, you can ask the seller for the appropriate quality certificate. Such a document should indicate the place where the watermelon grows, the timing of the harvest, the content of nitrates and other characteristics, based on which the quality of the selected product can be judged.

In the event that the seller shows you a photocopy of the certificate, take a good look at the seal - it must be in color, not black and white. If there is the slightest doubt about the authenticity of the document, it is better to buy a watermelon elsewhere, because health is more expensive.

Pay attention to the size of the watermelon

There is an opinion that the larger the watermelon, the sweeter it is, and this is absolutely true. Only representatives of certain varieties reach more than 10 kg, but they will weigh so much only if they are fully ripe.

Therefore, if you are thinking about how to choose a delicious watermelon, we advise you to give preference to large specimens, since the likelihood that it is really ripe will be higher.

Important! Given the peculiarities of our climate, you need to beware of too large watermelons, because even such giants cannot ripen on melon, which means that there is a possibility that the berries were fed artificially.

What to do if small watermelons are not so sweet, and the quality of large ones is in doubt? The correct answer is to choose an average size weighing 5-7 kg.

How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by the tail

Watermelon "tail" can be compared with the umbilical cord of a baby, because it is through it that moisture and nutrients enter the fetus. But as soon as the berry ripens, it is no longer needed and begins to dry.

If you have a watermelon with a green "tail" in front of you, then most likely it was plucked before it was fully ripe, although it may also turn yellow from prolonged lying. To check whether the watermelon is ripe or not, try to break its “tail”. In a ripe berry, it will turn out to be quite fragile, while in an unripe specimen it will simply bend.

It is possible that the seller decided to disguise the poor quality of the crop and simply cut off the roots of the product, then this fact should finally convince you to continue searching.

Did you know? It turns out that the skin of a watermelon is completely edible. It is not only pickled, but even jam is made, and the seeds of the berry are fried.

Selection of watermelon by soil stain

Some buyers may be put off by the unattractive yellow spot located on the side of a watermelon, but its presence is quite normal. Moreover, it is by it that the quality of the berry can be determined.

yellow(or, as it is also called, "earth" spot) - this is the place where the watermelon came into contact with the ground when ripe. In a fully ripe berry, it should be brownish-yellow or even orange-yellow, but not white.

If the barrel of a watermelon is too pale, then this means that it was picked too early, and it did not have time to get enough sunlight and light necessary for its good ripening.

Pay attention to the "bee web"

"Bee web"call not very beautiful brown spots on a watermelon, which indicate that the bees often touched the ovary of the fruit during pollination. The more often pollination occurs, the larger the "cobweb" pattern will be and the sweeter the fruit should be. Therefore, this feature should not be regarded as a lack of berries.

Boy or girl who is sweeter

Not everyone knows that watermelons can be divided into species based on gender. So, among this melon family, there are "girls" with a flat bottom and a large brown circle, and "boys", whose bottom is convex, and the circle is small. It has been proven that it is “girls” who are sweeter, and they have much fewer seeds.

Visual inspection and pat test

You can choose a berry by simply patting your hand, but for this you need to know exactly what sound a ripe watermelon has. So, Ripe fruits will "sound" clear and loud, while unripe ones will respond deafly.

You can even put your ear to the watermelon, which will help you better understand the nature of the sound. A sonorous sound will indicate porosity and softness, that is, the ripeness of the berry, and if you hit it, it should spring a little.

In addition, the usual visual inspection from all sides is also important. There should be no small (especially large) cracks, dents, soft spots, scratches or any other damage on the rind of the watermelon through which bacteria could get inside.

Well, if the watermelon has a slightly elongated or spherical shape, complemented by a uniform color. Bright and contrasting stripes are a sure sign of the ripeness of the selected watermelon, which is also evidenced by the shiny wooden rind.

As for the last characteristic, the “clothes” of the watermelon should also be hard enough: you can scratch it, but you can’t pierce it with a fingernail. Try rubbing the peel with your finger - unripe fruits will smell like fresh hay.

Checking the watermelon for a cut, what should be the color of the watermelon

Some sellers allow you to cut a watermelon, so you can visually evaluate the internal characteristics of the selected fruit. A ripe watermelon has a rich red color, but a purple color should alert you, as it indicates a large amount of nitrates.

Uzbekistan has always been the leader in the production of the most delicious and sweet watermelons. Astrakhan and Volgograd regions are also famous for this berry. They are tirelessly followed by China, from where gourds are supplied to many countries. From Kazakhstan, 35% of the total production of watermelons is carried to the European part of Russia. Georgia follows. Warm sunny days and cool nights are ideal conditions for ripening juicy and sweet watermelons. The ripeness of a watermelon is determined by three criteria:

• color,
• sound when the peel is tapped.

The smell doesn't matter. There is a misconception that after picking a watermelon, it stops ripening. However, it often happens that a watermelon that has lain in the refrigerator for a long time becomes overripe. Watermelon gains sweetness only on melon. The side on which the watermelon lay on the melon should have a light yellow spot. A pale green spot on a watermelon indicates unripeness. If you remember a couple of tips for choosing a ripe watermelon from the ten presented, you can easily choose ripe juicy watermelon and do not be disappointed in the choice.

What is a watermelon? Vegetable or fruit? There is no single answer. The thing is that watermelons, like other vegetables: zucchini, pumpkins and cucumbers, are grown and harvested on the field. However, the sweet taste and aroma is more fruity.

In fact, watermelon is at the same time:

• Vegetable - from the point of view of agronomy,
• Fruit - in terms of cooking,
• Berry - from the point of view of botany, since the fruit of watermelon: pumpkin - refers to berries.

For many, watermelon is a favorite summer sweet since it contains 90% water. For those who do not like the large size of the watermelon, more miniature varieties have been bred with no less sweet taste.

Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C. It contains a lot of dietary fiber and potassium, which regulates blood pressure levels. Watermelons contain more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. So, we present to your attention 1 0 tips for choosing a good, ripe watermelon.

10. Seek a professional

If you can't decide which one to choose, seek professional help. Most vendors will be able to identify a ripe watermelon without difficulty. In order not to be disappointed in the purchase, you can overpay and try the watermelon right at the fruit stand. Pay attention to the pulp - it should be rich red and firm.

9. Tap the watermelon

Most people, when choosing a watermelon, tap it and listen for the sound. If the watermelon is ripe, you will hear a loud crunch. But, unfortunately, it is not easy to determine the ripeness of a watermelon in this way. Take the watermelon with both hands and gently squeeze. If you hear a light, sonorous crunch, then the watermelon is ripe.

8. Choose heavier watermelons

The greater the weight of the watermelon, the riper and juicier it is. When choosing a watermelon, stop at more weighty fruits without tubercles and cones. But keep in mind that overripe watermelons can also be heavy.

7. Look for the yellow barrel

The barrel of watermelon, on which he lay on the melon, should be light yellow in color. This side lay on the ground while the darker side ripened in the sun. If the barrel is pale or completely absent, this means that the watermelon was picked too early and did not have time to ripen.

6. Pay attention to the "bee web"

Look for the so-called cobweb". This is a pattern in the form of brown interlaced threads. A bee, pollinating watermelon flowers, touches the not yet ripe fruit membranes and creates a similar pattern. The more pollination occurs, the more cobweb”, and the sweeter the watermelon.

5. Choose your watermelon by gender

Remember, girl watermelons are usually bigger, sweeter, and have fewer pits than boy watermelons. To determine the sex of a watermelon, pay attention to the butt of the fetus. If the ring is very small, then this is a boy, more - a girl. It is often difficult to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by this trait, so choose based on the presence of seeds. Remember, seed watermelons are often sweeter and cheaper.

4. Check the color of the watermelon

Be sure to pay attention to the color of the watermelon. The unripe fruit has a glossy peel. Ripe watermelons have a bright rind but no sheen.. True, it is often difficult to determine the ripeness of the fruit by the crust.

3. Choose trusted sellers

To buy watermelon, choose grocery stores where you usually buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The more choice in the store, the more likely it is to find a ripe watermelon. The best place to buy watermelons is from fruit stalls along the road where farmers sell them.

2. Avoid watermelons grown under a spray system

Such fruits are usually less sweet and juicy. The thing is that with this method of irrigation, part of the water evaporates and is carried by the wind. Much sweeter are watermelons irrigated by flooding, when special small trenches are dug through which water flows to watermelons. Modern farmers use drip irrigation with strip coverage.

1. Check the watermelon curl

If the watermelon is still on the melon, then its ripeness can be determined by the tendril that connects the watermelon to the bush. If the tendril is green, then the watermelon is not yet ripe. If the tendril is brown and dried out, the watermelon is ripe. Watermelons, like cucumbers, constantly bear fruit. After the harvest, new fruits begin to grow. So, in a ripe watermelon, the tail is dry and dull in color.

A green tail indicates the immaturity of the fetus. Watermelon can be a great nutritious snack, and watermelon juice will brighten up any holiday. Rich in vitamins and refreshing, ripe watermelons are loved by people of all ages. When choosing a ripe watermelon, it is better to follow not one, but at least three tips.