How to choose a watermelon - ripe and sweet in sound and color. Roskoshestvo compared early watermelons from the supermarket and from the market How to spawn watermelons

Juicy, sweet and tasty watermelon is exactly what anyone who wants to refresh needs. It is not only tasty, but also contains many vitamins. But it often happens that, having bought a large and beautiful watermelon, you take it home, cut it, and there is pale pink, tasteless pulp. And if you are also “lucky”, you will come across a fruit pumped with chemicals, which can lead to food poisoning. Today we will learn how to choose the watermelon of your dreams: aromatic, sugary and very, very tasty.

We buy in season

The most delicious fruits ripen during the season - and this is August-September. We do not recommend taking it earlier; such watermelons may contain nitrates, since unscrupulous melon growers, wanting to get the harvest faster, pump it with all sorts of fertilizers. It’s better not to take risks and wait for ripening.

Choosing the right place to buy

It is important to choose the right place to purchase watermelon. We buy only in a store or in a tent with an awning. Dust and dirt are extremely harmful to such fruits, so we only take them from places that are relatively clean. Never buy near highways - car exhaust contains many harmful substances. Avoid cut watermelons - don't forget, they are teeming with germs.

We carry out an inspection

We carefully inspect the future purchase from all sides - there should be no cracks or other damage. A good watermelon is slightly elongated, has bright stripes and shines. Rub it with your finger - if the fruit is not yet ripe, you will notice how it smells like hay.

We take you by the tail

The watermelon tail is dry. A ripe fruit stops gaining moisture and dries out quickly. Pay attention to the color - if it is green, then you should not take it, a yellowish color is preferable. There is one more difference - the tail of a ripe fruit becomes brittle and is easy to tear off. With the immature the situation is the opposite. If the tails are removed, then such a seller should be approached with suspicion; he may be trying to disguise a low-quality harvest.

Looking at the yellow spots

In a melon patch, the watermelon usually lies on its side on the ground. In the place where he touches it, a bright yellow spot appears. If it is too light or large, the fruit was probably on the melon field too little. The size of such a spot should not exceed 10 cm in diameter. Ripeness is also indicated by small light spots that form on the crust.

Let's take into account the size

We ignore large and small specimens. Large ones are rarely tasty, small ones are also often unsweetened. The ideal option is a medium-sized watermelon, so the chance that it will be tasty is high.

Listening to the sound

The oldest method of testing for maturity. Hit your fist - a ripe fruit sounds loud and clear, while an unripe fruit will respond with a dull and gloomy sound. You can also squeeze it lightly and listen - ripe watermelons crackle a little.

Checking the floor

The fetus may be a girl or a boy. In the former, the lower part is completely flat, in the latter it is more convex. There is an opinion that girls are much tastier, and they also contain fewer seeds.

Identifying chemicals

When you finally make your choice and bring a beautiful purchase home, don’t rush to try it. When you cut, evaluate the appearance of the piece. The presence of chemicals is indicated by the following factors: very bright pulp with a lilac tint, yellow fibers in it and a glossy surface. Do not forget that any fertilizers are concentrated in the crust, so we recommend feeding children with the core. It’s safer this way, and it’s the most delicious thing in watermelon! If in doubt, ask the seller for the relevant documents. Be careful and don't make the wrong choice.

Who doesn't love watermelons? But how to choose a ripe and sweet watermelon? Most people are obsessed with this delicious and refreshing berry. Sometimes we think that unless you are an experienced connoisseur, buying a juicy, delicious, fully ripe and sweet watermelon is blind luck. However, choosing the perfect watermelon is not so difficult, just know a few of its signs.

The first rule for choosing a ripe and sweet watermelon is it should be firm, with a smooth skin, without any major cuts or dents. Lumps and bumps may mean that the watermelon has not received enough water or sunlight, resulting in dry, white flesh.

Ripe and sweet heavy watermelon

Next, take the watermelon and weigh it with your hands. Harder is always better. Since a good fruit is 92% water, its heaviness indicates that it is good and ripe. If you compare the weight of one watermelon with the weight of another of the same size, then heavier will be better.

Ripe watermelon has a yellow circle

Now twist the watermelon. There should be a creamy yellow spot on it where it lay on the ground and ripened in the sun. And the darker the stain, the better the watermelon will taste. A white spot or its absence means that the fruit was picked before it had time to fully ripen.

Avoid shiny ones

One thing to always keep in mind when choosing a ripe and sweet watermelon is Avoid fruits with shiny skin. This usually means they are not ripe. An ideal watermelon will have a dull-looking rind.

Not too soft

To select a ripe and sweet watermelon, place your thumb on the opposite end from the stem and press gently. The peel should be slightly wrinkled, but if it wrinkles too easily, put it back; your watermelon is overripe and will have a dry consistency.

ringing sound

Place the watermelon on a flat surface and tap it well. When you click on it, you should hear a ringing sound, like a tenor, not a bass. This may sound silly, but this is not grandma's advice; A dull, deep sound indicates that the watermelon is beginning to split inside - a sign of overripeness.

However, be careful not to make the sound too high-pitched, as this may indicate that the watermelon is unripe.

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We always associate August and September with watermelons. But to buy a ripe, sweet and naturally grown watermelon, you should follow a few tricks. For example, take a tape measure with you to the store and measure the fruit, then you will not be mistaken with your choice. And before serving, dip a piece of pulp into clean water at room temperature to avoid trouble.

We are in website We love sweet watermelons very much. Therefore, so that you never make a mistake when choosing a berry, we have collected useful tips for you from Internet users and added a bonus in which we will tell you how to choose a truly tasty and ripe watermelon.

1. Yellow crust is a sign of high concentration of nitrates

Although some people believe that the holes through them are traces of insects, and not from nitrate needles, still try not to take such a watermelon. Even if the berry is good, some of the pulp will be spoiled.

3. Don't eat watermelon with a large cavity inside.

Tears in the pulp indicate that the fruit is overripe or contains growth hormones. Overripe watermelon can be slightly bitter, and watermelon with growth hormone can cause poisoning. Therefore, it is better not to eat such berries.

4. Before eating watermelon, dip the pulp in water

To check watermelon for nitrate content and avoid poisoning, dip a piece of pulp into clean water at room temperature. If the berry is dangerous, the water will turn a rich pink color. It is better not to eat such fruit.

5. Watermelon shouldn't feel light when you pick it up.

Sometimes even a beautiful, smooth rind, a yellow spot and a dry tail do not guarantee that the watermelon is tasty. Be sure to weigh it before purchasing: it should be dense and heavy. If the store doesn't have scales, trust your feelings. A ripe berry should be quite heavy when you pick it up.

Bonus: how to choose a delicious watermelon

1. Choose fruit without dents

A ripe and sweet watermelon should be shiny, smooth and without visible damage. Small dents may be the result of bruises. In such places, the spoilage process occurs faster, and there is a chance that most of the fruit will be thrown into the trash.

2. You should not be afraid of holes and shallow holes in the peel.

Many Internet users write that these depressions are traces of the needles of melon growers, who prick watermelons with nitrates. If the depressions are not through, you should not be afraid of them: these are traces left by wireworm larvae. They do not affect the quality and taste of the berries.

3. When choosing a watermelon, look for small beige marks on the rind.

These beige “scars” on the smooth skin of the watermelon are places where bees tried to “taste” the pulp. Internet users checked and decided that such watermelon is often very sweet.

4. A ripe watermelon weighing 4 kg should have a circumference of 61.9 cm or more

According to the magazine "Young Technician" in 1986, a ripe watermelon weighing 4 kg should have a circumference of 61.9 cm or more. Internet users checked the information from the Soviet publication, and it turned out

Watermelon is a favorite summer treat for many people. Its juicy, tasty pulp perfectly refreshes, quenches thirst, and also supplies the body with useful substances. The fruits contain large amounts of acid: ascorbic, folic, and the berry is rich in microelements.

All fans of this bright representative of the pumpkin family are looking forward to the onset of watermelon season. Watermelon can be found on shelves from mid-July to October. Now it’s worth understanding in detail how to choose the right watermelon.

Selection by yellow spot on side

A ripe fruit should have a yellow earthen spot; it may also have an orange tint. This indicates that the watermelon is ripe and ready to eat.

A white spot indicates that the berry was picked early from the garden. The diameter of the mark ranges from 5-10 cm. If the size is exceeded, then the fruit has ripened in the wrong conditions. It will not be as ripe and sweet.

Determining the ripeness of the fruit by the appearance of the peel

At the moment, there are many varieties of this delicious berry. They vary in color and peel thickness. To choose a tasty watermelon, you should pay attention to the damage to the skin and the brightness of the stripes. There is no need to buy berries if the pattern is blurry and the color of the monochromatic fruits is uneven.

An unripe watermelon can be identified by the following criteria:

• If the bark is matte, it means that the fruit left the garden bed ahead of schedule;
• Damaged bark of an unripe watermelon emits a characteristic odor vaguely reminiscent of a herbal aroma;
• It is difficult to pierce the skin of a ripe berry with a fingernail. It becomes hard and smooth.

Striped watermelons are considered ripe if the distance between the dark stripes is much wider. During transportation, the fruit may be damaged and cracks may form on it. It's not worth buying.

It is also better to refrain from purchasing if the watermelon skin is soft. It may be slightly fermented inside.

The watermelon “tail” will tell you about the ripeness of the fruit

Many buyers wonder how to choose a delicious watermelon based on the condition of the tail. Experienced consumers pay attention to its appearance and condition. For ripe berries it will be dry and break well.

If there is a watermelon on the counter with a green tail that can be easily bent, this specimen is not yet ripe; it was picked early from the garden. Often, unscrupulous sellers cut off the tails, then this fact should alert the consumer.

Method for determining maturity by sound

Many experienced buyers use a proven method such as tapping. In order to determine whether a watermelon is ripe or not, you need to lightly tap the peel with your fist.

If the fruit rings well, then you can safely buy it. A dull sound may indicate an unripe berry.

How to tell a boy from a girl

When purchasing, it is customary to separate watermelons by gender. A female fetus will have a flat bottom. The girl will be sweeter and much tastier than her brother.

The boy watermelon has a more convex bottom and a small circle at the bottom. The boy also has much fewer seeds.

The color of the flesh is important

A cut watermelon is often displayed on the window display. The beautiful, rich color of the pulp attracts buyers. However, it is worth remembering the basic rules so as not to fall for the tricks of sellers.

If the selected watermelon has a purple tint inside, it was fertilized with a large amount of nitrates during ripening. It's better to put it aside. Preference should be given to watermelon with rich pulp. Then there will always be ripe, juicy fruit on the table at home, and most importantly, safe.

How to check a watermelon using the “folk” method

This testing method is only suitable for strong men. First you need to take the fruit with both hands and squeeze tightly. If it is ripe enough, it will begin to crack slightly, and an unripe berry will not make sounds.

Where is the best place to shop?

Often watermelons are sold directly from the ground. They lie in a heap, violating all sanitary standards. It is better to buy your favorite delicacy in supermarkets or specialized pavilions. Storage conditions there are much better than in spontaneous markets.

The main thing to remember is that such crops should be sold in a display window located at a height of more than 15 cm from the ground.

Good afternoon, dear readers!

From the school botany course we know that a juicy fruit with a peel and hard seeds inside, formed from the ovary of a flower, is called a berry. Our watermelon fits this description quite well. Therefore, we will call it a berry.

There are several folk methods for choosing a good watermelon. Many of them rely on the recommendations of melon growers and breeders, as well as on the observations of experienced gardeners and great lovers of this miracle berry.

Size

This is exactly the case when size matters. The number of varieties is huge and continues to grow thanks to the efforts of breeders. Among the fruits of the same variety and one batch, we choose not the largest and not the smallest. Moreover, in appearance it should seem heavier than it actually is.

This effect is one of the signs of ripeness. Well-ripened flesh is light enough that if you put a watermelon in a bathtub filled with water, it will float. And an unripe fruit will drown.

Peel

Any “correct” watermelon should have a shiny, smooth skin without a matte coating. It should be firm and not bend when pressed with a finger. These signs help to identify a healthy berry, untouched by the rotting process.

Color

The peel of watermelons comes in very different shades and degrees of saturation thanks to the same breeders. For example, the Sugar Baby variety is uniformly green with subtle dark and thin stripes.

A variety such as Charleston Gray does not have pronounced stripes; the color is light green with a darker mesh over the entire surface.

Most varieties have the striped color we are accustomed to. It should be contrasting, regardless of the tone. Blurry streaks may indicate immaturity, disease, or the presence of nitrates. A typical representative is the beloved Astrakhan variety.

Cheek

Each watermelon has a light spot on its side, called a “cheek,” with a diameter of 7 to 12 cm. As we remember from the botany course, chlorophyll is not produced in the shade, which means that our berry lay on this side in the garden.

It makes sense to pay attention to the color of the cheek - you can use it to determine ripeness. The yellower the cheek, the higher the likelihood that our watermelon will be successful.

Sound

One of the first actions we perform when we pick up a watermelon is tapping its surface. It’s not enough to just listen to how it sounds – you need to understand how to determine the internal contents by sound. A ripe watermelon rings loudly, while an unripe one makes a dull sound.

Tail

The stalk, which attaches the watermelon to the stem, dries out and breaks easily by the time it is fully ripe. If the tail is simply limp, most likely it dried out during transportation, and the fruit itself was harvested ahead of schedule.

It often happens that the tail is generally cut off right to the base. In this case, it will naturally not be possible to determine its ripeness.

Floor

This was a discovery for me. It turns out that our wonderful berry has a gender. But it seems that this division is conditional, and from a botanical point of view, all fruits can be considered girls. Because male flowers open first and serve only for pollination. Inside they have only stamens on which pollen ripens. Following them, after 10–14 days, the female ones, which have a pistil, bloom. After pollination, the ovary forms on them. However, if such a division exists among people, we will talk about it a little.

The signs by which one can subsequently distinguish a “boy” from a “girl” come down to only slight differences in the shape of the “butt” - the place where the flower was once attached. Flat, with a noticeable round spot - in “girls”, and more convex, with a recessed small dot - in “boys”.

It is believed that “girls” are sweeter and have fewer seeds. However, the studies conducted do not confirm this. There is no difference in the chemical composition, juiciness or taste between the “genders” of watermelons.

Visual inspection

Before purchasing, be sure to inspect the applicant from all sides and check for external damage. There should be no dents or cracks, cuts or rotten spots.

Through them, pathogenic microorganisms easily penetrate inside the watermelon and multiply there with pleasure. In addition, we also do not need dirt, dust and heavy metals absorbed by the pulp from the environment.

If the inspection was successful and the watermelon looks whole and attractive, you can buy it.

Pulp

In order for the pulp to be sweet, certain conditions must be met during the period of growth and ripening:

1. Good lighting. You need as much sunlight as possible; if there is a shortage of it, the fruits will be tasteless.
2. Moisture. The seedlings should receive it in abundance, and the fruits during the period of their formation and ripening, on the contrary, in moderate quantities.
3. Mineral fertilizers. Watermelons are very sensitive to the concentration of minerals in the soil. The most preferable option is the natural saturation of the soil with the necessary microelements after growing green manure - special plants intended for further processing and mixing into the soil.
4. Harvest time. Watermelon is not able to ripen during transportation and storage. At whatever stage of ripeness it is cut, it remains so throughout its entire shelf life.

You and I, as consumers, cannot influence the growing process, but we will try to figure out by external signs how high-quality the pulp of the selected specimen is. To do this, you need to carefully consider it.

Flesh color

The pulp of watermelon, depending on the variety, ranges from pink to bright red. For exotic lovers, varieties with yellow and white flesh have been bred. In any case, its color should be uniform, of equal intensity, without spots. If the color is noticeably lighter near the skin or the flesh appears purple, this may indicate excess nitrate content.

Slice

The pulp of a good watermelon seems to consist of sugar grains, and this is clearly visible when cut. If the cut surface is smooth, this is a possible sign of an excess of nitrates and an accurate indicator that the pulp will not be sweet.

Cracks in the core should also alert you. This suggests that during the ripening period, the watermelon was actively fertilized with nitrates, and it grew unevenly, in spurts.

Sometimes whitish fibers are visible in the pulp when cut, which means sharp temperature changes during the ripening period. Of course, this does not affect the taste in the best way. And if the veins are yellow, this is a sign of the presence of nitrates.

You can check the selected fruit for excess nitrates at home using a simple method: mash a piece of pulp in a glass of water; if the water turns pink, there are definitely nitrates.

Seeds

A ripe watermelon has “calibrated” seeds - even, of the same size, dark brown in color. Sometimes it happens that one berry contains both dark and light seeds, and even of different sizes. This may be a sign of immaturity or overfertilization.

Smell

If we cut into a coveted watermelon and feel a sour smell, it means it is spoiled. Most likely, this specimen is overripe. Is it possible to eat overripe watermelon? In no case. Fermented pulp is an ideal environment for the activity of pathogenic microflora, which can cause severe food poisoning. It is better to refuse such a meal and not risk your health.

Watermelon shopping season

When is the best time to buy watermelons? Let's figure it out. Mass planting in open ground begins on average in mid-May. Watermelon ripens, depending on the variety, from 65 to 100 days from the moment the seeds germinate. This means that at the end of July you can safely try the following varieties:

• Skorik;
• Sugar Baby;
• Red;
• Ogonyok.

Considering the geographical breadth of planting zones and the variety of varieties, we will have the opportunity to enjoy our favorite berries until the end of September. On rainy autumn evenings the following will pamper us with their sweetness:

• Chill;
• Icarus;
• Black Prince;
• Delight.

Where do we usually buy watermelons?

There are several traditional places where we usually buy these wonderful berries. Let's look at their pros and cons.

Shop

In stores, the conditions for storage and sale are the most suitable. It is possible to comply with temperature conditions and sanitary standards. Properly equipped display cases or containers facilitate the process of selecting and inspecting fruits. There are sanitary certificates with all the necessary information about the product.

The only thing that stores, especially large supermarkets, “sin” with is selling watermelons in parts: halves, quarters or even slices.

It would seem that for the convenience of buyers it was done quite reasonably - well, you don’t like watermelon enough to buy a twelve-kilogram fruit and devour it for a week, or you have a small family, or you live alone, or you just want to eat a piece at work for an afternoon snack - but not enough Are there any similar situations? But here lies the main trouble.

The reason for dividing the watermelon into parts is unknown to us. Where is the guarantee that the fruit has not gone under the knife and has begun to partially deteriorate? Can we be sure that when cutting a juicy berry, the workers’ tools and hands were clean, and the watermelon itself was thoroughly washed? And, of course, the cling film used to cover the cut creates a greenhouse effect and an ideal environment for the rapid proliferation of bacteria.

Kolkhoz market

Quite a suitable option. This refers to an official city market or weekend fair, where sanitary control is organized, there are storage and sales premises equipped with a roof. The market administration, as a rule, monitors the availability of the necessary documentation for the goods.

Street vending tents

This is the most vulnerable option. Such places are not always equipped with a sufficiently large canopy, and watermelons are exposed to direct sunlight, which sharply reduces their shelf life.

In addition, at night all products remain locked in mesh barriers right here, close to the trading place. And the constant temperature fluctuation between the heat of the day and the coolness of the night does not benefit the fruits.

Retail outlets must be equipped with special floorings with a height of at least 20 cm, which is not always observed. It happens that a bunch of watermelons are dumped directly on the ground or asphalt, and this is categorically unacceptable.

Such collapses are especially dangerous near highways. Most often, batches of watermelons rejected by sanitary inspection are sold there. In addition, exhaust gases, dust and dirt from the road are easily absorbed through microcracks in the peel and accumulate in the pulp. We can completely forget about the presence of any accompanying documents; it is unlikely that they will show them to us in such places.

However, you can safely buy a watermelon if we see that the street trading point is properly equipped:

• located away from the roadway;
• covered with a canopy or awning;
• has a flooring and side walls;
• The product is supplied with the necessary documentation.

Storage rules

Having bought a wonderful berry, you need to remember that its shelf life is limited to 2-3 weeks from the moment of collection. And by the time it gets from the melon plant to the consumer, most of this period will have passed. This means that we must know that it remains fresh for as long as possible and does not lose its properties.

The rules for storing whole watermelons do not apply to cut fruits. Under certain conditions, whole berries can be preserved even until winter, and the opened fruit will live in the refrigerator for a maximum of a couple of days.

Benefits for the human body

When choosing watermelon, we choose health, because this miracle berry has a rich set of substances necessary for health:

• iron;
• ascorbic acid;
• folic acid;
• potassium;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• carotene;
• thiamine;
• fructose;
• glucose.

In addition, watermelon is known for its diuretic and choleretic properties, has a low calorie content - about 35 kcal per 100 grams, is a popular component of diets for weight loss and healthy eating, and effectively quenches thirst.

Conclusion

It’s great that nature gives us the opportunity to enjoy the delicious taste of this berry and at the same time saturate the body with essential microelements and vitamins.

Let's not limit our imagination and imagine what culinary possibilities are hidden inside the striped delicacy. We can not only cut it into slices, but also whip up a cocktail or smoothie, make jelly or jam, and even fry it!