Simple arithmetic on how to choose a watermelon
Sellers promise juicy and sweet fruit, but in reality it turns out green and tasteless. Such disappointment can be avoided if you know exactly how to choose a watermelon according to its external characteristics and other features. A short excursion into the world of flora will show the characteristic features of a ripe, juicy, and most importantly, sweet product.
How to choose a watermelon at a glance
Although it belongs to the Pumpkin family, it is still a common berry. Why? The whole reason is the presence of a large number of seeds inside it, as well as juicy pulp.
"War paint" watermelon
The camouflage technique is designed to be invisible. However, in the case of watermelon, the situation is very different. It is the color of the peel that can tell about the degree of maturity of the fruit.
Ideal coloration should be:
- rich and bright;
- contrasting;
- with a pronounced pattern.
If black dots or puncture holes are visible on the surface, then the berry has been chemically attacked. Introduced into it saltpeter or harmful compounds.
The glossy shade of the rind also speaks of the ripeness of the watermelon. The presence of a waxy coating or dullness indicates that the selected specimen is still green. Among other things, the structure of the peel helps to understand how to choose the right watermelon. Its special rigidity is practically equal to the elasticity of wood. At the same time, the surface of the berry is easily scratched, but it is very problematic to pierce it with a knife. At the same time, the damaged area emits a pleasant aroma of fresh greenery.
However, it is worth remembering that the fetus must be "safe and sound", without:
- cracks;
- scratches;
- dents;
- rotten spots;
- cuts.
Such defects serve as a kind of "gate" for the penetration of all kinds of bacteria and microbes. Since the pulp of the berry is sweet, that is, sticky, particles of dirt and dust are attracted to it like a magnet. Therefore, if in the store half of the cut fruit is covered with cling film, this does not guarantee the hygiene of the package.
The mysterious secret of the watermelon pattern. The greater the distance between the dark and light stripes, the tastier and sweeter the pulp of a juicy berry will be.
When the size of the watermelon matters
Now you need to focus on choosing the size of the fruit. Of course, it should be borne in mind that much depends on the variety of the crop, as well as the place of its cultivation. Still, farmers recommend buying medium-sized specimens: from 4 to 9 kg. This “golden mean” rule always works when the buyer does not know how to choose a watermelon. With gigantic specimens, the client is at risk. In most cases, such berries indicate a high content of chemicals. In addition, they could be plucked while still green, so that during transportation they had time to ripen.
Too small fruits are suitable only for salting for the winter, since they do not have the necessary juiciness, as well as sweetness.
Earthen spot of watermelon or the importance of natural "make-up"
The light spot on one side of the fruit is also called the "cheek" or "flank". It can also tell a lot about the peculiarities of growing a crop. In addition, with its help, the buyer immediately understands how to choose a ripe watermelon.Too light shade of the "cheek" indicates an unfavorable climate in which the berry ripened.
The ideal barrel has 3 characteristics:
- diameter - from 6 to 11 cm (depending on the variety);
- quantity - no more than one;
- color - deep yellow or orange.
Business is often a cruel master. Therefore, many farmers collect under-ripened goods. Such watermelons no longer ripen on melons, but in poorly ventilated and often unsanitary conditions.
The "barrel" will help to determine the way of storage of the fruit, for which it is not acceptable:
- uneven color;
- too light shade;
- contour without clear lines;
- unnatural and large spot.
A white earthy spot indicates the low taste of the berry. Too large "barrel" sizes indicate that the product was kept in a cool, basement room.
Crops grown in this way are often devoid of juiciness and sweetness. In addition, they pose a threat, as they have not received enough ultraviolet rays for photosynthesis. To improve the appearance of the watermelon, suppliers will no doubt use chemical additives. Therefore, the buyer needs to look for traces of injections in such specimens.
What will the dry tail of a watermelon tell about?
A dried stalk is an obvious sign of ripeness. Why can such a conclusion be drawn? In a fully ripe fruit, nutrients, as well as moisture, cease to flow. As a result, the stem begins to dry out. The berry separates under its weight. Nevertheless, the described process serves as a wonderful theory, but there is one minor detail.
As noted earlier, farmers very often cut the fruits until the crop is fully ripe. Within 3 days, the tail has time to dry. This is how unripe goods with a dry stalk appear on the counter. After such a discovery, many began to worry about another question, how to choose a ripe and sweet watermelon, given this marketing "scam".
To do this, you just need to closely examine the cut of the stem:
- if it is even, then it was cut off with a knife;
- torn edge - broken off naturally;
- part of the tail at the base is more dried out than at the edge - it ripened on its own.
Still, some advise not to attach much importance to the external features of the stalk. This feature should be just an additional information, and not the main characteristic of the ripeness of the product.
Pulp analysis for scrupulous buyers
The suggested options for how to choose a sweet watermelon may seem like insufficient reason to buy to some. For this reason, experts advise looking inside the unusual berry by slicing at the top. In addition, many are not going to buy a whole watermelon, they only need halves, which are often sold in supermarkets.
In this case, you should take a closer look at:
- shade of pulp;
- fiber structure;
- cut surface;
- porosity.
An intense red color, sometimes with a purple undertone, is a clear sign of the product's nitrate content. When cut, the edge of a ripe fruit will surely sparkle with sugar grains, and not "sparkle" with a smooth glossy surface. The pulp fibers should be white, without unnatural yellowness. The ideal shade of watermelon is deep pink. Otherwise, there is a "chemical mutant" on the counter.
The more porosity and graininess of the pulp, the sweeter and tastier the berry will be.
An unusual symphony or how to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by sound
This is the most effective and popular method for recognizing the ripeness of a striped fruit. Tapping is performed with the palm, fist, knuckles, or flick of the index finger.
In any case, it is easy to determine the quality of the product by sound:
- sonorous, with a slight resonance speaks of the ripeness and juiciness of the berry;
- a deaf person characterizes the high sugar content in the fruit, which means its incredible sweetness;
- strongly muted indicates that the pulp is still green or already overripe.
You need to check the ripeness of the watermelon correctly. The fruit is placed on one hand. The other palm is used to make a “barrel” clap. A ripe berry gives off vibrating vibrations to the hand and is distinguished by a rolling sound.
Under the blow, ripe specimens always spring. Therefore, it is sometimes recommended to compress them. When pressed, the fruit must crunch. This effect is achieved due to the fact that the moisture in the pulp is distributed between the fibers. As you know, it is water, in this case berry juice, that has unique acoustic properties. Therefore, the ripeness of the fruit is most often determined by the knock.
Difference of watermelon "by gender": boy or girl
It is noteworthy, but the taste of watermelon depends on belonging to a certain "sex". “Female” specimens differ from “male” ones in their special juiciness and sweetness.
Several unique signs will help to recognize a "girl" among the many options:
- the shape of the fetus is slightly flattened at the poles;
- the place where the peduncle used to be is even and flat;
- The "ass" is represented by a large dried up circle.
When buying a watermelon, it should be borne in mind that almost 80% of the harvest comes from "boys" Therefore, finding a "girl" on the market is a rarity.
The lower part of the boy watermelons has a concave funnel-shaped edge. The dried circle looks more like a point that doesn't stand out too much against the general background. In size, "girls" are an order of magnitude smaller than "boys". In addition, very few seeds are present in female berries.
Season of the sale of watermelon - the leading aspect of the choice
the sale of this seasonal product directly affects its quality. Since watermelon is a southern crop, the fruits begin to ripen in August. This is how the active sales season begins from the middle of the month. If the sale is carried out at the beginning of summer, then we can safely say that the product consists of 70-80% chemicals. Such specimens may and will be relatively sweet, yet you can forget about their benefits.
The end of the sales season falls at the end of September. But how then to choose a delicious watermelon in October? By this time, farmers have finished collecting the remains of the crop, which is considered environmentally friendly, because there is practically no chemistry in it.
For the perfect October watermelon, the following features are characteristic:
- green tail;
- yellow "cheek";
- unripe fruit.
When buying a watermelon, you should know that breeders have successfully bred early crop varieties. However, you should always make a discount on the transportation time from the southern regions. As a result, the appearance of striped fruits in June or July is too dubious.
With these 8 signs of choosing a sweet and ripe watermelon, shoppers can always benefit. In addition, they will never waste their money and protect their family from low-quality products.
Whoa! How many useful tips on how to choose a watermelon)) I used to use only one)) I knocked on it and looked at the dryness of the stalk, now I will be more aware! Thank you so much))