How to recognize a ripe watermelon?

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Nothing is more disappointing in summer than catching an unripe and tasteless melon. Maybe even if the planned day at the outdoor pool falls into the water. But you can’t do anything about the weather. But you can protect against a sour watermelon.

To find the perfect fruit, there are some tips and characteristics. And yes, the knock test known from Grandma is also one of them. But what does a hollow or dark sound mean? And who wants to knock through 20 melons in the supermarket as a woodpecker knocks through a tree? We have a few tips on how to find a ripe, whole melon.

Pay attention to the skin of the watermelon. This is where you’ll find all the clues about whether the fruit is ripe. One clue is the colour of the rind. This should be bright green and, above all, matte. A shiny surface often means that the fruit is not quite ripe.

Yellow spot
Another recognizable indication of a ripe watermelon is the field spot. This is that more prominent, often yellow spot on the rind of the melon. This comes from the fact that the melon has been in the field here. The more intense the stain, the longer the fruit stayed in the area – and the riper the watermelon. If there is no such spot or it is still white, the fruit is not ripe.

For many, the brown net patterns found on the rind are a reason not to buy the melon. Yet these very spots are an indication of a ripe and sweet watermelon.

Sound
The first tip for finding the perfect watermelon. Knocking on the fruit should sound dull and deep, similar to knocking on the door. Then the fruit should be ripe.

Other characteristics
To be quite specific, a ripe melon has other characteristics: the fruit’s stem should be brown and not green. The latter indicates that the fruit was harvested too early. Furthermore, round watermelons are generally more intense and sweeter than their elongated counterparts. A video on Tiktok also explains that hefty melons are especially ripe and sweet.

It’s also essential to store watermelon: experts advise keeping the whole melon at room temperature, so it will also keep for one to two weeks. Once cut open – and hopefully ripe and sweet according to the tips above – watermelon belongs in the refrigerator.