How To Tell If A Watermelon Is Ripe

The produce department at the grocery store is full of people wondering how to tell if a watermelon is ripe. It is frustrating to get fresh produce home only to discover it is not ready to eat. Learn how to tell if a watermelon is ripe and never be disappointed again by a bad choice.

1. The thump test. Use your knuckles, like you are knocking on a door, to gently thump the watermelon. A ripe watermelon will have a dull thump, like a thud, to it. If the watermelon has a sharp or hollow sound, pass it by.
2. What does the watermelon skin look like? Look for a watermelon that has a contrast of color between definite stripes and a dull surface. This indicated ripeness. If the watermelon was ripe when it was picked, it will have a shriveled curled stem at one end and a yellow spot where the watermelon was sitting on the ground when picked.
3. Check the watermelon rind for ripeness. Push on the watermelon with a fingernail. A ripe watermelon will resist denting. Scrape off a bit of watermelon skin to reveal the rind. A ripe watermelon will show a greenish white rind under the outer skin.
4. Smell the watermelon. Pick up several watermelons about the same size and smell them. The watermelon with the strongest fragrance will be the ripest watermelon. Also, the heaviest watermelon of the same size tends to be the ripe one.

Tips/Warnings: If a watermelon has soft spots or feels mushy it usually means the watermelon is over ripe. Pushing on or squeezing watermelon can ruin it and tends to not be a reliable way to choose a ripe watermelon.