Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

[Guest guest]

Here's an interesting article from the Ohio State University

Extension's Chow Line - for those who love watermelon, as I do. I

tried growing watermelon (sugar babies) in my organic garden this

summer. I picked the first one last week. It was the juiciest

watermelon I ever ate (and chock-full of seeds), but it was

absolutely tasteless.

 

I had watered the plants a lot, figuring that watermelon needed a lot

of water. But I later learned that excessive watering too close to

harvesting of watermelon will reduce the sugar content. Live and

learn. I have eight more still growing in the garden, and cut back

on watering, so I'm hoping they will taste better.

 

Jan (in Ohio)

 

----------------------

Are seedless watermelons less sweet than seeded varieties?

 

Actually, the opposite is usually true: Because seedless types do not

expend energy to produce seeds, the flesh is often sweeter than what

you find in normal varieties.

 

Other factors do affect how sweet that slice of watermelon will end

up. Higher-than-normal rainfall (especially near harvest), wilting

vines and cool temperatures all can contribute to less sugar

development even in fully ripened watermelons. Unfortunately,

sometimes it's just the luck of the draw that determines whether you

get a deliciously sweet, succulent watermelon, or one with a mere

shadow of the flavor you're expecting.

 

However, there are some clues you can use to increase your odds:

 

1. Lift it: Ripe melons should feel heavy for their size.

 

2. For uncut melons, thump the rind with your fist. If you hear a

resonant, solid and dull sound, the melon is ripe. A light metallic

ring indicates the melon was picked too early. If you grow watermelon

in your garden, you can use this method to determine when melons are

ripe for the picking. In addition, check the curly tendrils on the

vine closest to the watermelon. When the fruit is mature, they turn

brown and dry out.

 

3. Ripe melons will develop a golden or creamy yellow spot on the

side that rests on the ground. If the spot is white or green, the

melon was picked too soon.

 

Interestingly, seedless watermelons must be grown alongside seeded

varieties. The seedless varieties are sterile and produce little

pollen. Their blossoms must rely on the pollen from seeded types

growing nearby to germinate into fruit. Growers make sure the rinds

of the two types look different, so they can easily tell at harvest

which are seedless and which aren't.

 

Store uncut watermelon at room temperature. Last year, researchers

reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that the

lycopene content of watermelons stored at 70 degrees for two weeks

increased by as much as 40 percent in some types over watermelons

stored in cooler temperatures. Lycopene, found in lower amounts in

tomatoes and some other fruits and vegetables, is a powerful

antioxidant linked with various health benefits.

 

However, once the melon is cut, it should be stored in the

refrigerator. And before you slice into the melon, the Food and Drug

Administration recommends cleaning the rind with a clean produce

brush to wash away any bacteria on the outside of the fruit, to keep

it from contaminating the flesh. Drying it with a clean cloth or

paper towel is also helpful.

 

One cup of diced watermelon has only 46 calories and gives you 1 gram

of fiber, and is a good source of vitamins A and C.

 

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the

Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

 

http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Enews/story.php?id=4224

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

_____

 

rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of

Jan

Thursday, August 02, 2007 6:46 PM

rawfood

[Raw Food] Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

 

 

Here's an interesting article from the Ohio State University Extension's

Chow Line - for those who love watermelon, as I do. I tried growing

watermelon (sugar babies) in my organic garden this summer. I picked the

first one last week. It was the juiciest watermelon I ever ate (and

chock-full of seeds), but it was absolutely tasteless.

 

I had watered the plants a lot, figuring that watermelon needed a lot of

water. But I later learned that excessive watering too close to harvesting

of watermelon will reduce the sugar content. Live and learn. I have eight

more still growing in the garden, and cut back on watering, so I'm hoping

they will taste better.

 

Jan (in Ohio)

 

----------------------

http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Enews/story.php?id=4224

<http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=4224> Are seedless

watermelons less sweet than seeded varieties?

 

Actually, the opposite is usually true: Because seedless types do not expend

energy to produce seeds, the flesh is often sweeter than what you find in

normal varieties.

 

Other factors do affect how sweet that slice of watermelon will end up.

Higher-than-normal rainfall (especially near harvest), wilting vines and

cool temperatures all can contribute to less sugar development even in fully

ripened watermelons. Unfortunately, sometimes it's just the luck of the

draw that determines whether you get a deliciously sweet, succulent

watermelon, or one with a mere shadow of the flavor you're expecting.

 

However, there are some clues you can use to increase your odds:

 

1. Lift it: Ripe melons should feel heavy for their size.

 

2. For uncut melons, thump the rind with your fist. If you hear a

resonant, solid and dull sound, the melon is ripe. A light metallic ring

indicates the melon was picked too early. If you grow watermelon in your

garden, you can use this method to determine when melons are ripe for the

picking. In addition, check the curly tendrils on the vine closest to the

watermelon. When the fruit is mature, they turn brown and dry out.

 

3. Ripe melons will develop a golden or creamy yellow spot on the side that

rests on the ground. If the spot is white or green, the melon was picked

too soon.

 

Interestingly, seedless watermelons must be grown alongside seeded

varieties. The seedless varieties are sterile and produce little pollen.

Their blossoms must rely on the pollen from seeded types growing nearby to

germinate into fruit. Growers make sure the rinds of the two types look

different, so they can easily tell at harvest which are seedless and which

aren't.

 

Store uncut watermelon at room temperature. Last year, researchers reported

in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that the lycopene content

of watermelons stored at 70 degrees for two weeks increased by as much as 40

percent in some types over watermelons stored in cooler temperatures.

Lycopene, found in lower amounts in tomatoes and some other fruits and

vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant linked with various health benefits.

 

However, once the melon is cut, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

And before you slice into the melon, the Food and Drug Administration

recommends cleaning the rind with a clean produce brush to wash away any

bacteria on the outside of the fruit, to keep it from contaminating the

flesh. Drying it with a clean cloth or paper towel is also helpful.

 

One cup of diced watermelon has only 46 calories and gives you 1 gram of

fiber, and is a good source of vitamins A and C.

 

Chow Line is a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio

Agricultural Research and Development Center.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sorry everyone, I was attempting to forward this information elsewhere and

hit " send " a bit prematurely.

Elchanan

_____

 

rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of

Elchanan

Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:39 AM

rawfood

RE: [Raw Food] Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

 

 

_____

 

rawfood@ <rawfood%40> .com

[rawfood@ <rawfood%40> .com] On

Behalf Of

Jan

Thursday, August 02, 2007 6:46 PM

rawfood@ <rawfood%40> .com

[Raw Food] Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

 

Here's an interesting article from the Ohio State University Extension's

Chow Line - for those who love watermelon, as I do. I tried growing

watermelon (sugar babies) in my organic garden this summer. I picked the

first one last week. It was the juiciest watermelon I ever ate (and

chock-full of seeds), but it was absolutely tasteless.

 

< snip .>>>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Elchanan,

 

Is there a reason you reposted this article - without comment - that

I had posted to this group a few weeks ago?

 

Jan

 

 

On Aug 23, 2007, at 1:38 PM, Elchanan wrote:

 

>

>

>

> _____

>

> rawfood [rawfood ] On

> Behalf Of

> Jan

> Thursday, August 02, 2007 6:46 PM

> rawfood

> [Raw Food] Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

>

>

> Here's an interesting article...[snip]

[Guest guest]

Yes, apology already sent. It was a mistake, intended it to go elsewhere.

E

_____

 

rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of

Jan

Thursday, August 23, 2007 12:45 PM

rawfood

Re: [Raw Food] Article: Seeded or seedless watermelon?

 

 

Elchanan,

 

Is there a reason you reposted this article - without comment - that

I had posted to this group a few weeks ago?

 

Jan