Jun 25, 2025
Avoid getting fooled: Real tips to choose the best watermelon
Siddhartha JanaSweetness isn’t about shape
A watermelon’s shape—round or oval—doesn’t indicate sweetness. Size and color alone also aren’t reliable indicators of ripeness or taste.
Source: Canva
Fertilizers affect flavor
Chemical fertilizers can create large but bland watermelons. Natural potassium absorption from the soil is key to developing sweetness.
Source: Canva
White flesh is about sunlight
White patches inside the fruit result from lack of sunlight, not poor quality. They indicate areas where photosynthesis didn’t occur.
Source: Canva
Beware of artificial ripening
Uniformly shiny, smooth-skinned melons may have been chemically ripened with ethylene gas. Natural ripened fruits have duller rinds with yellow patches.
Source: Canva
Use weight and sound tests
A sweet, ripe watermelon feels heavier than it looks. Tap it—if it sounds hollow, it's ripe. A dull sound often means it's overripe or old.
Source: Canva
Trust the bite test
The real test? A fresh, naturally ripened watermelon has a crisp, juicy bite. Mushy texture suggests poor quality or over-ripeness.
Source: Canva
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