If there are two words that belong in the same sentence, they are “summer” and “watermelon.” As a boy growing up on a tobacco farm in Oak City, North Carolina, eating a cold, sweet watermelon was one of the signals that the tobacco season had ended. On the last day of tobacco season when the tip leaves were stripped from the stalk, our tobacco primers and rack loaders would congregate under a huge pecan tree for a celebratory feast. This feast was punctuated with a cold, ripe watermelon taken from our own home garden. Wondering if the watermelon was ripe was never an issue back then. We produced an abundance of melons where we could simply cut into as many as needed in an effort to find the crown jewel in sweetness. As a matter of fact, our watermelon patch was so large, that we gave most of them to our neighbors to hold their summer celebrations.
Since those days, I have come to respect more and more that process of choosing a ripe watermelon. So often, I hear from friends and family members who estimate that their ability to make a good choice at the local grocery store to be 50% at best. So, in order to salvage the summer of 2025, I reached out to two of our most respected commercial vegetable area agents in attempt to uncover the hidden secrets on choosing a ripe watermelon. These two local specialists are Mrs. Erin Eure, Area Specialized Agent in Commercial Fruits and Vegetables who serves growers in the Northeastern counties in North Carolina and Mr. Allan Thornton, Area Specialized Agent located in Sampson County who serves commercial horticulture growers in Southeastern North Carolina. Listed below are these cherished findings.
The first clue to uncovering the mystery of a ripe watermelon is found in the color of the “belly spot.” This spot is caused by the position of the watermelon as it rested on the ground and continued to ripen in the sun. What’s important to remember about this belly spot is that the color of this spot is directly linked to melon ripeness. A ripe watermelon will display a spot which is described as “creamy buttery.” A watermelon that has a white belly spot should be rolled over in the pile of all the melons, never to be considered during the day’s selection process.
The second clue for ripeness involves the outer appearance of the watermelon. Ripe watermelons, as opposed to “Red Delicious” apples have an outer rime that has a dull color and a rough texture. Melons which are slick and shiny in their appearance are immature and should be rolled over in the melon box. Also, for those melons which have stripes, these stripes are less distinct and often blurred in mature melons with their lines actually fading on the surface of the melon. Immature melons display clearer stripes on their surface.
Clue three is the one that was probably the most popular during my Daddy’s generation. It is “melon thumping.” I will confess that I am a thumper. I used to think that a deep, thumping sound is an easy giveaway to choosing a ripe watermelon. But now, I think finding a creamy, belly spot should be given a higher priority. In some cases, a deeper sound which comes from thumping or patting the watermelon can suggest increased ripeness. A dull or hollow sound points to more ripeness while a green, immature melon will produce a higher pitch. If you hear that high note, roll in back over in the melon box.
Finally, there is a fourth clue. This clue concerns the weight of the watermelon compared to others of similar size. Now I know that it is not practical to handle every watermelon in the box. But, if you are comparing just a few, mature melons are likely to be heavier and riper compared to other melons in the box. This means that it is heavier for its size.
In closing, do not assume that you can take lightly these criteria for choosing a ripe watermelon by just dropping one in your cart and moving on to the ice cream section. Unlike peaches and cantaloupes which provide some forgiveness to this process by continuing to ripen after the purchase is made, watermelons are different. Once a watermelon is removed from the vine, the ripening process ends and its potential is set forever. However, one advantage of choosing a watermelon is its extended shelf life compared to peaches and cantaloupes. A watermelon can have shelf-life up to a month. So, my advice is to make an informed choice and enjoy the peak of this watermelon season!
