Come to find out, bees can actually help determine the ripeness of a watermelon! The scarring on the outside of the rind occurs from numerous bee stings, signifying the fruit is ripe. The more scarring indicates an increased number of bees that were attracted to it. So remember that scarring is a good thing.
What do markings on watermelon mean?
Check the field spot
This spot shows where the watermelon rested on the ground before being harvested. A large, yellow spot indicates that it spent more time ripening on the vine and should be sweeter. On the contrary, a whiter spot suggests that it was picked too soon and didn’t reach peak ripeness.
What are bee marks on watermelon?
The short answer is: There is no evidence that bees sting watermelons and cause a mark on the outer flesh that signifies sweetness. However, it may be that pollination by bees affects the sweetness of watermelons.
Why do some watermelons have stripes?
The stripes are composed by the densities of chlorophyll. Where there are high concentrations of chlorophyll, it creates dark stripes, either black or dark green. Inside the watermelon, the seeds are parallel to the dark striping on a watermelon.
Why are there swirls in my watermelon?
The science behind this strange looking watermelon may surprise you. At first glance, it looks like someone has taken a lot of time to carve a strangely intricate pattern on the inside of this watermelon. In reality, what’s happened to this watermelon is a natural condition called “hollow heart.” That’s right.
What are the white lines in watermelon?
White heart is a disorder that can develop during the final stages of watermelon growth. With this disorder, white streaks appear throughout the flesh of the melon.
How can you tell if a watermelon is safe to eat?
The easiest way to tell is to check the skin for any soggy spots and patches of greenish-blue, black, or white mold. Even if the exterior looks OK, there’s a chance that the fruit could have gone bad. If the flesh has noticeable dark spots or is covered in anything slimey, you should toss it.
How can you tell if a watermelon has been injected?
Often injected watermelons will appear too red. You will feel redness and sweetness more than usual while cutting into it. Also, while reaching the middle, you will see a slightly burnt mark due to chemicals. In the first go, the watermelon may seem red and fresh, but it would be rotting.
How do you tell if your watermelon is GMO?
There is no such thing as a GMO watermelon. Instead, seedless watermelons are hybrid plants that are created by cross-pollinating a male watermelon with a female watermelon flower. Seedless watermelons were first produced by a plant geneticist named O.J. Eigsti in the 1940s.
How do you pick a good sweet watermelon?
If the watermelon is ripe, the field spot should be a large, yellow patch on one side of the melon. If it is ripe, the color should be a creamy, almost butter-like yellow. The bigger the yellow belly and the creamier the color means the more time the melon spent ripening on the vine.
Why are square watermelons not edible?
The cube shape of the watermelon can only be achieved at the expense of its contents. To retain the proper shape, cube melons must be harvested before they are ripe, rendering them inedible. Since the advent of the cube watermelon, other watermelon shapes have been introduced, such as hearts and pyramids.
What color watermelon is the sweetest?
yellow
According to the experts at the Watermelon Board, yellow and orange watermelons are generally sweeter than those with pink or red flesh. Seedless watermelons tend to have a crisper texture than those with seeds, they add.
What color watermelon is the healthiest?
Yellow watermelon contains more of the antioxidant beta-carotene than red watermelon. Beta-carotene is thought to protect against cancer and eye disease. Use yellow watermelon in fruit salads, on platters and in desserts, smoothies and juices.
Is watermelon mosaic virus harmful to humans?
Are squash and melons affected by mosaic virus safe to eat? “Yes,” says Nebraska Food Safety Educator Carol Larvick, citing information from Minnesota Extension. “These viruses are specific to plants and do not harm humans.
Can you eat watermelon with swirls?
The patterns can be downright magical: Symmetrical swirls and curlicues amid gaps in the sweet, red flesh. To farmers, though, this kind of natural watermelon art—which goes by the name hollow heart—hurts. The fruit is perfectly edible, but a field with too many affected melons can be difficult to sell.
Is watermelon with rind necrosis safe to eat?
If your watermelon rind has gone brown, this is a sign of rind necrosis. The fruit is still perfectly safe to eat.
What are the veins in a watermelon?
Look for the webbing – these are brown spider web or vein-like scabs that appear in and around the ground spots. Take gender into account – the longer shaped melons are “male” and tend to be watery. The round and stout watermelons are “female” and are sweeter.
Is it OK to eat a watermelon with white inside?
A watermelon that is white on the inside is usually just unripe, meaning it has been picked too early. However, watermelons may also be white due to unsuitable growing conditions, so be aware of this if you are going to grow your own plants. White watermelons are generally safe to eat, but may not taste very good.
What does a diseased watermelon look like?
Elongated, tan-colored lesions also appear on stems and petioles (Figure 1). Entire vines may be killed by combined leaf and stem infections. Fruit spots are circular and typically range from ¼ to ½ inch in diameter (Figure 2). Fruit spots crack and become sunken and the decay extends into the flesh.
Should you refrigerate watermelon?
Keep whole melons like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew on the counter for best flavor. USDA research found that storage at room temp may even help keep the antioxidants better intact. Once cut, store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
How long will an uncut watermelon last?
two weeks
A whole, uncut cantaloupe or honeydew melon should last for seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. A whole, uncut watermelon is even sturdier: It should be good for two weeks.