How to find out if a watermelon is ripe in the garden. When to collect watermelons from the garden

Who doesn't love such delicious fruit as watermelon? Already from the middle of summer, this sweet and very juicy fruit can be replaced on market shelves, but many summer residents say that it is impossible to eat the early fruit, since it ripened artificially - it was pumped up with special nitrates, thanks to which it became ripe ahead of time ...

When to collect watermelons, what month

Watermelons by themselves begin to ripen only in the month of August. Depending on the variety that has been planted since mid-August, you can enjoy the juicy and sweet fruit.

Which, moreover, will be as useful as possible for the body. It is also worth remembering that early varieties cannot be stored for a long time, they are intended to be eaten within a few days after picking.

The collection of watermelon should be carried out in several stages, as it ripens. One plant can be harvested in three stages, this is if it is planned to leave a watermelon in order to collect seeds from it for planting next year. You need to collect the watermelon with scissors or a knife, otherwise, if you do not use the tool, the fruit may begin to rot due to a violation of the tissue of the cover. Early varieties of watermelon should be stored for no more than 10 days.

How to determine if a watermelon is ripe, is it time to collect it from the garden?

It is possible to determine a fully ripe fruit by its appearance: its stalk begins to dry out, as well as antennae and leaves near the fruit itself, this sign of maturity is suitable for all fruits of the pumpkin family. There is also another sign of maturity, the larger the fruit, the more ripe it is.

In addition, a ripe fruit can be identified by the crust, it becomes uniformly glossy and shiny, and a yellow spot appears in the place where it touches the ground. If you scratch the fruit a little, that it will crack immediately, this is another sign that the fruit is fully ripe. You can also focus on a dull sound if you tap on a watermelon, and if you press your finger on it, you can hear a crackling sound.

Collecting watermelon for storage should be carried out in dry, sunny weather. Late varieties can be stored for up to two months, provided the correct conditions are adhered to: in a dark, cold room with high levels of humidity. But remember that you will have to regularly review the fruits to identify those that have already begun to deteriorate. The last collection of watermelon is carried out before the first frost. In this case, the entire crop is harvested from the field, including the unripe crop, all the unripe fruits of the hostess are salted.

Now you know when to harvest watermelons from the garden when grown in the greenhouse and outdoors, and you can grow a ripe and tasty watermelon.

Video: When to collect watermelons?

Watermelon is adored for its sweetness, for the fact that this berry gets rid of thirst, removes toxic substances from the body. How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon in the garden is of interest to summer residents who first planted this culture, because an unripe fruit is tasteless.

Although its pulp is more than 90% water, it contains vitamins, trace elements such as phosphorus, magnesium, calcium. The folic acid present in watermelon strengthens the immune system, lycopene prevents cell degeneration, and tocopherol protects them from aging. Riboflavin aids in the conversion of carbohydrates into energy.

How to know when a watermelon is ripe - highlights

You can find out if a striped berry is ripe by paying attention to certain signs. The fruits of some varieties of melons reach a weight of 20 kilograms, but if they stop growing, you can pick a watermelon after 20 days.

It is worth paying attention:

peel-like appearance;
on the color of the spot on the side;
for the presence of sound.

When the berry ripens, the matte skin begins to shine, the stripes become crisp. You should not cut a cube from the fruit in the garden to check its ripeness - the product will rot after a few days.

The tail of watermelons dries up when the weather is dry and hot, and the plant is deficient in moisture, so its appearance does not depend on whether the berry is green or ripe.
If the tendril, which is located in one axil of the leaf with a tail, has begun to dry - the striped fruit can already be cut off. The diameter of the watermelon depends on the variety. Ripeness can only be determined by gardeners, who have been growing it for a long time.
By the appearance of the crust
To find out whether the fruit is ripe, whether it is full of sweetness, you need to carefully examine its peel. When the berry stops receiving moisture from the plant, the rind becomes hard. In a ripe watermelon, dents and cracks are not felt on it, the skin is not covered with a matte purine bloom. The top layer of the fruit can be easily removed with a fingernail.
On a light background, the crusts clearly show through almost black stripes. When the berry ripens, the synthesis of chlorophyll stops, which gives a green tint to the watermelon peel.
When a melon crop grows in warmth and in the sun, when ripe, its fruits acquire a contrasting color, shine appears, turns yellow or turns orange on the side. Ripe berry has a slightly elongated shape.
On a dry stalk
Before you cut a watermelon, you need to carefully consider its tail. If it is dry, then, most likely, the berry has rotted or overripe. A product with a green stalk is not suitable for consumption. In order for such a watermelon to mature, it needs to grow in the garden for at least 2 weeks.
By sound
An unripe berry not only lacks sweetness, but also contains harmful substances, it can be easily poisoned. Although tomatoes and melon, which also belongs to melons, are ripe at home, some gardeners believe that it is better to pick a watermelon earlier, but their opinion is not confirmed. There is another way to check the ripeness of the fruit. The product is suitable for use when a slight crackling occurs during compression, and when tapped, it is not a dull sound, but a sonorous sound.
What should be the size and color of the earthen spot
The watermelon, which is grown in the garden, does not turn on its own, therefore it constantly lies, touching the same side. A spot appears at this point. In a ripe fruit, it has an orange or yellow tint. If this "cheek" occupies a significant surface, the size exceeds 10 centimeters, has an uneven color or pale color, it is better to wait with the harvest. When the berry ripens, the entire skin is covered with small spots, which are much lighter than itself.
Optimal weight
Breeders bred different varieties watermelons, which are more adapted to a particular locality, differ in size and weight, ripen in different time... Skoryk is the first to appear on the shelves of retail outlets. There are no stripes on the surface of the fruit, the rind is dark green in color. The mass of ripe watermelons rarely reaches 7 kilograms.
Photon ripens quickly. The skin of this berry is lighter, painted with stripes.

The Crimson Gloria variety is characterized by:
excellent transportability;
very thick crust;
huge size.

One such fruit weighs 15-17 kilograms. The mass of Kherson watermelons is slightly less. You can recognize them by light stripes, thin peel, elongated shape.
The hybrid variety Holodok, although it ripens by the end of August, is valued for the fact that it does not deteriorate for a long time and retains its characteristics.
Astrakhan watermelon is different:
smooth surface;
the presence of dark stripes;
bright green skin.

A sweet berry of this kind weighs up to 10 kilograms, it is not damaged during transportation. This hybrid was bred at the end of the last century by Russian breeders.
What should be the color and structure of the pulp
It is not recommended to eat watermelons if the concentration of nitrates in them exceeds the norm. Those gardeners who grow melons for their families, and not for sale, like farmers, do not stuff the fruits with harmful substances so that they ripen faster. When buying watermelons in the market, you need to learn some rules.
The presence of a large amount of nitrates says:
uneven color of the pulp;
the presence of cracks and yellowish fibers in the cut;
uneven seed color.

If a juicy piece of fruit is placed in a glass of water, and the solution becomes cloudy, it can be safely purchased for consumption; it is better to refuse watermelon if the liquid has acquired a reddish tint.
To determine whether a berry is ripe, it is not necessary to taste the fruit, just look closely at the pulp.

If it has a pink tint, a porous structure, it means that the fruit has already ripened, acquired sugar content. The red color of the insides of the watermelon indicates that there are a lot of nitrates in the berry or that it is overripe, and such a product is unsuitable for consumption by either children or adults.
How not to define ripeness
Some of the methods used to find out if a watermelon can be cut from a garden is not always effective. It is impossible to accurately determine whether the fruit is ripe by the average ripening period of the variety, because melons and gourds always react to the weather. If the days are cool, it rains, the harvest time is delayed, and it is not a fact that the fruits will acquire sweetness.
The development of melons and gourds is influenced by the characteristics of the soil on which it grows.

It is impossible to say for sure that the watermelon is ripe if its tail is dry. This often happens in extreme heat, in the absence of moisture in the ground. To understand what kind of sound occurs when knocking, whether a crack appears when pressing on the peel, you need to hear very well. By the weight and diameter of the fruit, it is difficult to determine its ripeness. Such parameters rarely match annotations and specially designed tables.

If the gardener has been growing the same sweet berry variety for a long time - focusing on its size, he can start harvesting. Such methods give correct results only in half of the cases. Many say that "girls" watermelons with a dense large spot are tastier, but "boys", with a good choice, also delight with sweetness and juiciness.

Determining the ripeness of a watermelon in the garden - tips, proper care

Watermelon is most often consumed fresh, but it is also pickled, fermented in tubs, candied fruits are prepared from the rinds, and the so-called "watermelon honey" is prepared from the juice. The juice and pulp of watermelon perfectly quench thirst, and the seeds of the ripe fruit and the oil made from them are used for medicinal purposes.

Harvesting is carried out as the watermelons ripen. It is believed that it is easier to determine the ripeness of a watermelon in a garden than in a store. It is easy for a layman to make a mistake, however, as a rule, signs indicating that a watermelon is ripe are quite accurate.

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Selection of ripe watermelon

You can determine the degree of ripeness of a watermelon using the following tips:

You should not pick or buy watermelons too early. As a rule, they do not reach mature condition before mid-August;
Ripe fruit stops its growth, and "wax" plaque disappears from its surface;
The side that lies on the ground in a ripe watermelon should be yellowish, but not white or green;
If the watermelon is not very thick, you can bring it to your ear and squeeze it lightly with your hands. If it is ripe, then crackling will be heard;
Ripe watermelon is lighter than green and does not sink in water;
The peel of a ripe fruit is even, smooth, without cracks, with a characteristic shine. If you hold it over its surface with a fingernail or a sharp object, the top layer (zest) should be easily removed;
You should pay attention to the place where the tail grows. In a ripe watermelon, this area is usually convex and with calloused, lightened edges;
When tapping on a ripe watermelon, a characteristic clear, sonorous sound will be heard.

A dry tail is often considered a sign of maturity. However, you should not rely only on him: the tail could dry out after the fruit was plucked.

Growing watermelons

It is not so difficult to grow a sweet watermelon in a garden if you know the biological characteristics of this culture, its requirements for light, heat and mineral nutrition:

In the southern regions, it is possible to grow varieties from different groups of ripeness, in the forest-steppe and woodlands - only early and medium-early ripening;
Watermelon prefers uniform heat without sudden changes (20-30 degrees), a sufficient amount of warm moisture in the soil and dry air at the same time;
Watermelon seeds intended for sowing are stored at 18-22 degrees Celsius. In addition, you need to use only two-three-year-old seeds, otherwise the plant will have few "female" flowers;
Immediately before sowing, the seeds need to be warmed up in the sun for a week. The soil temperature at the time of sowing should be at least 12-14 degrees at a depth of 10 cm;
Sow a watermelon under a hoe to a depth of 5-6 cm, put 3-5 seeds in each hole. Then cover with fresh soil and press down slightly;
It is necessary to leave the aisles large - 120-200 cm, and the distance between the holes in one row should be 70 cm;
As weeds appear, the beds need to be weeded out. After the appearance of true leaves, it is necessary to leave only one, the most developed leaf;
Fruits of early maturing combs ripen in 30-35 days after setting, mid-ripening ones - after 40-45 days, and late-maturing ones - after 50 days.

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The property of melons and gourds with gratitude to accept nitrogen fertilization and put aside nitrates in reserve is known. But for a person, such a berry can be dangerous. You need to know how to choose a nitrate-free watermelon. These harmful substances are present in any vegetables in small quantities. Watermelons hold the record for the accumulation of nitric acid salts.

Why are nitrates dangerous to humans?

In the human body, in the large intestine, nitrates are converted to nitrites and are absorbed into the blood. In this case, nitrites form the methemoglobin compound. The hemoglobin in the blood is needed to carry oxygen to the cells. Methemoglobin does not perform this function and oxygen starvation begins in the body. At 30% substitution, nitrate poisoning occurs, at 50% death can occur.

Mild poisoning is expressed by depression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The doctor diagnoses poisoning by an enlarged and dense liver. The danger is higher in children, since they are low in body weight, and there is no enzyme capable of converting methemoglobin to hemoglobin. Therefore, a child cannot be given a watermelon to a baby.

In the human gastrointestinal tract, protein products are broken down, amines and other nitrogenous compounds are present. Combining with salts of nitric acid, carcinogens, nitrosamines are obtained.

WHO has defined as the permissible daily intake of nitrates 3.7 mg, nitrites 0.2 mg per kilogram of human weight. In terms of a weight of 70 kg, this is 350 mg of sodium nitrate.

During heat treatment, in the presence of vitamin C, during storage, nitrates are destroyed. The danger of nitrates in watermelon is great precisely because it is eaten without preliminary processing and in large quantities.

How to determine nitrates in watermelon?

If earlier advice out of season was the most correct, then modernity is making adjustments. New ultra-early ripening varieties and hybrids appear that ripen early, without accelerators. Such watermelons are small, only 1.5-2 kg, and we were taught not to choose small fruits. This means that if the variety is ultra-early, then the watermelon cannot be large.

Therefore, the study of sweet berries must be carried out in aggregate according to a number of signs:

appearance;
the structure of the pulp when examined at home;
use of control methods and devices.

Watermelon research begins at the counter. You cannot buy goods from the roadside collapses. For a day of standing in a gas-polluted environment, the product will gain a lot of exhaust gases, no less harmful than nitrates. On the ground, the crust will become dirty, the grains of sand will injure the shell, and it will not be possible to completely wash such a watermelon. Usually, roadside trade is illegal, there is no sanitary certificate for the product on the content of harmful substances.

It is safe to buy agricultural products, including watermelons and melons, in special places and with a quality certificate.

The watermelon should have a dry tail. It should be carefully examined, a sign that the watermelon was removed green will be a soaked tip or cut with a sharp knife. In addition, this will be a sign that the watermelon has been stale for a long time. And without a tail, you should not take the fruit. This means the seller has something to hide. The tail can naturally dry out in the garden of an unripe watermelon, which is specially turned over several times, twisting the tail.

Stripes of dark and light colors should be contrasting, not blurred, the pattern should be clear. In a ripe watermelon, you can slightly scratch the skin, and then a white dense layer and a clearly audible watermelon smell will be found below. All this is a sign that the watermelon was recently sitting in the garden.

On examination, you need to check well if there is a puncture in the peel of the watermelon, through which they fed what the watermelon is pumped with for quick reddening. And not only watermelon, other melons and tomatoes also get injections from unscrupulous sellers. An injection of nitrate accelerates redness.

You cannot buy a watermelon with black spots on the surface, a small spot of rot, with a crack or dent. You cannot ask to cut a triangle to inspect the middle. A cut fruit with an unwashed crust and a dirty knife can lead to bad consequences.

To find signs of nitrate watermelon at home, research needs to be continued. First, put it in a bowl of water. If the fruit is ripe, it will float. A drowned watermelon can be left unchecked and returned to the owner. After that, wash the watermelon with soap and a brush, dry.

The cut fruit should have a grainy surface, not a smooth, glossy cut. The seeds should be developed and black. There should be no thick yellow strands or nitrogen supply overpasses on the cut. The veins are thin white, this is the normal structure of the fruit. The pulp should not be in the middle of an intense color, but gradually turn yellow towards the periphery. These are indications of the presence of a large amount of nitrogen. Watermelon with nitrates, the photo of which is posted below, shows its inside view.

Finally, put a 20 gram piece of watermelon into a transparent glass and knead in water. If the water becomes cloudy, everything is fine. If colored, it indicates the presence of nitrates. Moreover, the more intense the color, the more impurities in the watermelon.

The instrumental research method is the most reliable. He suggests:

laboratory analysis;
examination using test strips;
using a special device, nitrate meter, or ecotester.

Only a specialist will decide to keep a tripod for titration of a sample and potassium alum at home. But this is exactly how the amount of nitrates in agricultural products is checked in laboratory conditions. There are indicator strips that are inexpensive, do not determine very accurately, approximately. And you can purchase an ecotester device that gives a result, and a warning about the dangerous content of nitrates.

If a dangerous dose is found, you should not eat a watermelon, it is better to part with it. In order for the risk to be minimal, you should wait until mid-August and only then feast on watermelon. But even at this time, vigilance should be observed. Producers are trying to get a large harvest and feeding is always carried out, only during a certain period of cultivation.

How to choose a sweet watermelon?

When buying a watermelon, experts advise choosing "girls". From a scientific point of view, this does not apply to berries. There are no boys and girls among the fruits. However, folk signs show that a watermelon with a flat or slightly deepened top is sweeter and has fewer seeds. "Boys" are considered if there is a small tubercle at the top. Perhaps these are some peculiarities in pollination, but this rule of choice is valid.

Another sign of a ripe berry may be a small orange spot where the fruit was lying on the ground. If the filling went quickly, the ground was warm, the spot was small, the berry was tasty. If the spot is large, white, then the taste of the watermelon will be different. This means that the berry lay on the ground for a long time, the ground was cold, so you should not expect sweets from such a berry.

When cutting a watermelon, you need to leave 3 cm of pulp about the crust, fertilizers accumulate there. And give the children a piece from the very middle. You don't have to eat a lot of treats in one sitting. Better to stretch the pleasure, eat the fruit in small portions, while listening to the state of the body.

Bon appetit and health!

How to choose a ripe watermelon without nitrates - video

Juicy, sweet berry is the second favorite product after the gone strawberries and raspberries. Fresh watermelon is good in hot weather. But it is appreciated not only for its refreshing properties. Watermelon pulp is a storehouse of nutrients necessary for our health. The low-calorie fruit, saturated with water, quenches thirst, saturates, and heals the body of both an adult and a child.

The nutritional value

100 g of watermelon juice contains 89 g of water and dissolved inorganic substances. In a 100 g piece of pulp:

Calorie content - 27-30 kcal,
Carbohydrates - 6-10 g
Fat - 01 - 0.2 g,
Protein - 0.6.

Watermelon contains a complete group of vitamins. In the first place is vitamin C (7 mg), in the second - PP (0.2 mg), in the third - vitamin A (0, 1). Also, the berry contains macro- and microelements. More potassium and magnesium, followed by sodium, phosphorus, iron and other substances.

Organic acids, folic acid, lycopene. In addition, pectin, fiber, easily digestible ash, soft insoluble dietary fiber make watermelon a valuable health product.

B vitamins put in order the nervous system, prevent dandruff and acne.

Vitamin C gives strength to the immune system, delays aging.

Vitamin PP helps to eliminate fatigue, improve sleep and mood.

Normal absorption of vitamins and minerals is provided by magnesium, which is 60% per 100 g. This substance soothes irritability, helps muscles work, relieving pain, and nerves.

The cardiovascular system works normally thanks to the potassium in the watermelon. The vascular walls are strengthened, the heart muscle is protected from a heart attack, the pressure is normalized.

Due to the diuretic effect, excess fluid is removed, weight is reduced by 1-2 kg, and edema is eliminated. In addition, it is a laxative, choleretic and anti-inflammatory agent.

By filling the stomach with water and sweetness, it gives a feeling of satiety.

When eating watermelon, the kidneys and urinary tract are not irritated, thrombosis is prevented.

Doctors advise to include in the diet of patients with gout, diabetes (varieties of watermelons with pink pulp), sclerosis, and digestive problems.

Simultaneous use with acid-free white bread cleanses the kidneys and liver after medication treatment. It removes harmful substances from the body in case of poisoning, helps dissolve kidney stones.

Watermelon contains lycopene, a substance that supports the eyesight of the elderly.

The benefits of watermelon for women

Folic acid (8 mcg per 100 g) is important for pregnant women.
The functional systems of the body are rejuvenated.
Milk lactation increases in nursing mothers.
Watermelon juice moisturizes the skin.
The watermelon mask refreshes and tones.
When rubbed with crusts, the moisture of the skin returns, which again becomes elastic.
Applying pulp to sunburn reduces pain.

Contraindications and harm to watermelon

Excessive consumption of watermelon results in nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, and bloating. Excessive potassium in the blood will cause cardiac arrhythmias and muscle disruption.

You should not eat this berry at the same time as pickles to avoid swelling.

A sweet product should be used with caution for diabetics.

Lycopene interacts with alcohol to inflame the liver.

Overloading the body with water increases blood volume, causing edema and impairing kidney function.

Watermelon growers and eaters offer ways to determine the quality of a berry, but not all of them help.

The correct criteria for choosing a ripe fetus:

The size

Depending on the variety, watermelons reach 20-30 kg, so it is worth stopping at a representative with an average size. Small fruits are not ripe. If the fruit looks lighter than it appears in size, it is ripe.

The sun's rays did not touch this place when the watermelon lay in the garden. The brighter the yellow color, the more ripe the watermelon. Larger markings indicate less succulence and less sugar.

Ripe watermelon rind surface

Crust - no cracks, dents, cuts or rotting spots. The bacteria, in the juicy and nutritious pulp, multiply in 1 day. It is worth buying a whole watermelon, not sliced. If the fruit was cut when buying, then this is done only with a clean knife and such a watermelon is not stored for a long time.

Definition by sound

When tapping on the peel of a ripe berry, it responds with a ringing, booming sound, and unripe or overripe, sour - deaf. Ripeness is also determined by light crackling when squeezed.

Flesh color and structure

Scarlet content speaks of nitrates or overripe fruit. A good watermelon has a porous, grainy, pinkish flesh. The seeds are black or dark brown. In an unripe berry, or stuffed with nitrates, there are many white seeds.

Maturation time

Ripe and sweet watermelons appear in mid-August.

Pattern on the crust

Ripe - with contrasting bright stripes of saturated color on a shiny surface. Distances between stripes equal to the stripe width and more. Difficult to cut or scratch the crust. If damaged, the surface smells like fresh grass.

Unripe fruits - with cloudy stains and a dull bloom. The peel is easily damaged, it can even be scratched with a fingernail.

Female or male gender

Watermelons made from female flowers are considered sweeter. The "girls" have a bottom, a place on the back of the tail, with a flat and large spot, like a 5 rubles coin, in contrast to the convex and small one in the male fetus.

Female watermelons 1 out of 20. In fact, the fruits are not divided into male and female, since all grow exclusively from female inflorescences. The size of the spot is influenced by the size of the flower.

Dryness of the tail

The stalk dries up in 3 days after cutting, so a watermelon with such a tail, which has been traveling for 3-5 days, will turn out to be a green specimen. It is worth paying attention to whether the fruit was cut off or broke off by itself.

Sales Requirements

You should never buy a watermelon in a tent next to the road.

Street trading rules:

a canopy that protects the product from direct sun exposure;
not next to the carriageway;
storage on a pallet located 20 cm above the ground.

Mandatory: an existing certificate for each consignment of goods.

How to test a watermelon for nitrates

Harmful substances accumulate in the crust, trapping the adjacent pulp.

It will help to protect the body by pouring boiling water over the fetus and rinsing in running water.

When there is a rich color around a piece of pulp, taken next to the crust and put in water, and then pale, there are more nitrates than acceptable. In a pure watermelon, the water will turn slightly pinkish from the juice.