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How to Pick a Good Watermelon

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Pick a Good Watermelon

How to Pick a Good Watermelon

Watermelon is my favorite food in the whole world. I have bought hundreds in my lifetime and there is a technique I use that usually results in a good sweet melon. Hope these steps help you.

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Step 1 of 5
When picking a watermelon, I look for dark green stripes.

When picking a watermelon, I look for dark green stripes.

Step 2 of 5
A yellow spot on the bottom is important. It lets you know the melon sat in the field long enough to ripen.

A yellow spot on the bottom is important. It lets you know the melon sat in the field long enough to ripen.

Step 3 of 5
Examine the stem. If it is brown and dry you'll know that it was on the vine until it ripened.

Examine the stem. If it is brown and dry you'll know that it was on the vine until it ripened.

Step 4 of 5
You can thump it if you like, but really - what is it supposed to sound like? Thumping just gives you something to do while you're standing there.

You can thump it if you like, but really - what is it supposed to sound like? Thumping just gives you something to do while you're standing there.

Step 5 of 5
Cut the watermelon and remove the rind before you chill it. It'll taste sweeter than if you put the whole melon In the fridge. Captan K, aka "The Watermelon Man," taught me this many years ago. Enjoy!

Cut the watermelon and remove the rind before you chill it. It'll taste sweeter than if you put the whole melon In the fridge. Captan K, aka "The Watermelon Man," taught me this many years ago. Enjoy!

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Mark Williams

Excellent!

Mark Williams 9 months ago

Sudheer Kumar

Good one.ill try it when i buy.thanks a lot

Sudheer Kumar 9 months ago

Jay Gee

Nice one.. Thanks

Jay Gee 9 months ago

Rhianna Adams-Christie

Mmmm thirsty for watermelon now!!

Rhianna Adams-Christie 9 months ago

Ashley Campbell

Thank u!!! :D

Ashley Campbell 9 months ago

RANI Koeila

Yaa its Good For Health and Truly.....

RANI Koeila 9 months ago

Emily Edwards

I know that if they ate not symmetrical it means that there was a shortage of water or some other nutrient, and that takes away from the sweet taste, so pick ones that are symmetrical!

Emily Edwards 9 months ago

Ann DeBolt

Ashley, the brown stem and the yellow spot are good.

(author) 9 months ago

J S

Thanks ๐Ÿ‘ I never know what I'm doing while I pick fruit, but now I do. At least for watermelon :]

J S 9 months ago

Lana Belushkova

I know another trick, my grandpa taught me. I always look at the opposite side to the steam. If the stem is the the tail, the opposite end is the nose. So if that side is larger than a nickel, it's sweet, if it small like a pin head, it is not as sweet. Try it, see if it works for you.

Lana Belushkova 9 months ago

Ashley Campbell

Great! But just one question, so, the brown stem and the yellow spot.... Are they good or bad? (sorry, I have English as a second language, so I'm not really sure what you mean with that)

Ashley Campbell 9 months ago

Raphael Ndaiga

Nice one Ann : )

Raphael Ndaiga 9 months ago

Ed Russell

Great giude, i gonna try it.tnx :-)

Ed Russell 9 months ago

Reginald Denny

I๐Ÿ’—watermelon

Reginald Denny 9 months ago

Liz P

Great guide! Thank you for sharing~

Liz P 10 months ago

Henry Fok

Also... the nip on the opposite end to the stem should be as small as possible for a sweeter melon. Thx for sharing :)

Henry Fok 10 months ago

Carlos Calderon

Amazing!!! Now I won't have to stare at watermelons like an idiot and just randomly choose one!!

Carlos Calderon 10 months ago

Ann DeBolt

Janice - I don't buy much cantaloupe, but if I do, I go by smell....if it smells really good and cantaloupey, then it'll probably taste pretty good. Mike - you are right about wanting the melon to be heavy - that's supposed to mean that it's full of juice and I was going to include that in the guide but didn't. I still think thumping is a waste of time.

(author) 10 months ago

Rex Wholes

Great guide!

Rex Wholes 10 months ago

Mike Shults

It should feel very heavy for its size and when you thump it, it should sound like an empty stomach

Mike Shults 10 months ago

Janice Wells

Good one Ann! Do you know how to pick out a good cantaloupe? They say by smell, and if you push the end in and is has some give to it. I rarely find those. I let them ripen on the counter for a few days.

Janice Wells 10 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 1.

Tatianna Timor

So it's good to have a yellow spot?

Tatianna Timor 9 months ago

T.k. Tran

This I didn't know. I've always ignored the yellow colored watermelon. :]

T.k. Tran 9 months ago

Darius Rusu

another good trick is to look for a sap or jelly oozing out from the stem, usually all are nice red and sweet inside the sap is the sugar and water ozzing out

Darius Rusu 9 months ago

Miss Apple

Agree, agree, agree.

Miss Apple 8 months ago

Natasha (:

A deep hollow sound results in dark red fruit which re much sweeter than a pinkish color.

Natasha (: 9 months ago

Christopher Carrasco

I agree. A hollow sound tends to result in a woody taste

Christopher Carrasco 9 months ago

Henry Fok

have to disagree with this one... the crisp sound tells you that the melon contains more moisture :)

Henry Fok 10 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 5.

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