When do watermelons ripen and how to determine their maturity

Watermelon is loved for its unique taste and useful qualities. Its regular use has a positive effect on the health of the heart and blood vessels, normalizes blood pressure, improves digestion, skin and hair condition, relieves inflammation, supports immunity, and helps cleanse the body.

To make the most of a watermelon, you need to be able to choose it correctly. Knowing when watermelons ripen and what ripe fruits look like, you can fully enjoy the berry. We will understand the intricacies further.

What time do watermelons grow

Watermelon is a thermophilic culture. Most varietiesit takes warmth and sun to grow. Colds and an abundance of precipitation, lack of light will not allow the fruits to form and ripen correctly, gain sweetness and reach the sizes characteristic of the variety.

How many ripen

On average, the growing season of a watermelon is 120-150 days. Early varieties will take 60-65 days from germination to mature. Mid-season varieties ripen within 60-80 days. Late varieties will require a minimum of 90 days.

From the moment the ovaries appear until they are fully ripe, it usually takes 30-35 days.

What affects ripening time

The ripening time directly depends not only on the variety, but also on the growing region. In the south of Russia, the climate for striped berries is optimal: long summers, lots of sun, moderate humidity, warmth. The temperature required for proper growth and development of fruits is + 25-32 ° C, although they germinate seed at + 15-17 ° C.

In the middle lane, it is more advisable to choose early and mid-ripening varieties, so that the plant has time to form fruits, and they have time to ripen. Another way is growing in greenhouses.

Depending on the variety, the size of the fruit varies from 1 kg to 10-12 kg. Usually watermelons in the middle lane are smaller than those grown in the southern area.

Reference. Define presence of nitrates in watermelon not difficult. A piece of pulp is placed in a glass of clean water. If, after lying in water, it does not stain the liquid and has a subtle pinkish tint, everything is in order. If the color is saturated, the watermelon can harm the body.

In what period do they ripen

Ripe watermelons are found in almost any summer month. Today, many early and ultra-early varieties have appeared, which can significantly increase the watermelon season. But when choosing, you should take into account some features.

When the watermelons ripen in the south

For example, the ripening period of Krasnodar watermelons grown in the open field is the beginning of August. Mid-season varieties are ready for consumption in July. There are also super-early varieties that reach maturity in these places at the end of June. At the beginning of summer, there are high-quality Astrakhan watermelons of early maturing varieties.

Experienced gardeners are advised not to rush to purchase melons. The most delicious are the late-ripening varieties grown in natural conditions with minimal or no use of chemicals. Such fruits reach maturity in early to mid-August, even in warm regions.

Middle lane fruits

In the middle lane, watermelons grown in the open field sometimes reach maturity at the end of July. Especially if the weather was right, and the variety was chosen early or ultra-early. The latter, under optimal conditions, ripen at the end of June. But most often melons ripens by the end of summer in August-September.

Ripening dates of watermelons by varieties

How long does the fruit grow to maturity? Depending on the variety, the time for the maturation of the ovaries will be different:

• early ripening will take 30-35 days;
• mid-season varieties ripen for 40-45 days;
• the late ones will need 50-60 days.

How to determine the degree of ripeness of berries in the garden

Signs by which ripeness is determined striped berries in the garden, several:

• the fruit has stopped growing - in general, melons can reach 20 kg, but if the watermelon has stopped growing in size, then after 20 days it is already removed from the garden;
• the shine of the peel - in the ripening fruit it is matte, as if with a velvety dusting, in the ripe skin it becomes shiny;
• clarity and brightness of the stripes on the peel - in ripe melons, the stripes from blurry become clearer and brighter;
• drying of the antennae located in the same bosom with the tail: the antennae has dried up - the fruit is ready for cutting;
• dry, but not parched tail - completely dry indicates overripe fruit, green - that it is immature;
• sound - when squeezing a ripe berry, you will hear a slight crackle, and if you knock on a watermelon, the sound will be dull, not sonorous;
• a ripe fruit has a yellow side on which it lies on the ground.

Choosing a ripe fruit when buying

When buying a watermelon in the market or in a store, they pay attention to almost the same criteria as when choosing a berry in the garden:

• too large a place on which he was lying, in the form of a light spot, indicates that the conditions were not too suitable, a slight yellow is evidence of ripeness;
• if you knock on the berry, the sound is sonorous, and when squeezed, the fruit crackles slightly;
• the peel is shiny and elastic, it cannot be easily damaged;
• stripes are bright and clear.

To be guided by the choice of dryness of the tail is a dubious undertaking. It is often dry and when mechanically cut from a bush ahead of time. It dries up literally in three days. But, paying attention to its very tip, you will understand whether it is cut off or dried up and broke off by itself. Although, there is also a danger of choosing a low-quality product. Dry tails are often found in overripe fruits.

It is interesting. A popular sign for choosing a ripe watermelon: if the skin is damaged by birds, the fruit is definitely ripe. It has been noticed that crows, and other birds, do not try to open tasteless and unripe berries.

Girl boy

Many gardeners believe that girl watermelons are sweeter and juicier than boy watermelons. How to distinguish them, if the division by sex in fruits is conditional? Carefully examine the spot where the flower used to be from which the fruit was formed.

A large and flat spot is characteristic of the "female sex", a small and convex spot is characteristic of the "male".

Interesting. It is believed that watermelons, like melons, ripen easily after cutting, but experienced vegetable growers do not recommend doing this. Unripe watermelons contain substances that are harmful to humans and can be easily poisoned. Cut fruits "reach" not very willingly, especially if they were removed long before ripening.

Such a different weight

How long do watermelons grow by weight? The range is quite large - from 10 to 100 kg. The largest fruit in Russia is considered to weigh 61 kg. The world record is 159 kg.

By varieties, the weight of the berry looks like this:

• Astrakhan - 8-10 kg;
• Madera variety - 6-8 kg;
• beloved in the middle lane Ogonyok grows to 2 kg;
• variety Sugar baby weighs on average 4 kg;
• Charleston Gray, average weight - 12 kg.

Read also:

Whether watermelon is a diuretic or not.

Is watermelon good for the liver and can it be eaten for liver diseases?

Conclusion

Now you know how to determine the ripeness of a watermelon. To choose a quality fruit and fully enjoy its taste and benefits, pay attention to its main characteristics: stain, sound, peel and stripes.

It is better to buy watermelons from trusted sellers, in other cases, do not hesitate to ask for a certificate or documentation from the sanitary and epidemiological station.