ALL ABOUT THE MELONS
WATERMELON 101
FRESH FROM OUR FARMS TO YOU
We pick, pack and ship our watermelons daily during season. That means our watermelons arrive to store warehouses within a few days of being cut in the field. Once cut from the vine, a watermelon has about 3-4 weeks of shelf life.
IS A SEEDLESS WATERMELON GENETICALLY MODIFIED?
No, no watermelon (seedless or other variety) is grown from genetically modified seeds. Simple cross breeding is how seed breeders create new varieties with specific traits.
HOW ARE WATERMELONS GROWN?
There are three things you need: sun, seeds and bees! Farmers generally grow watermelons in rows 8-12 feet apart and on raised beds 4-12 inches high. Tiny watermelon plants from a nursery are transplanted into the beds.
Honey bees must pollinate every yellow flower on the watermelon vine to produce fruit. In a month, the vine may spread 6-8 feet. Within 60 days there are melons set on the vine. Our crops normally mature in 90 days. The rind of a watermelon isn't quite as tough as it looks. That's why they are handpicked and packed!
WASH YOUR WATERMELON
According to the FDA, you should wash all fruits and veggies in clean, running water before you eat them. This is true for all fruits and vegetables, rinds or not! You should also use clean knives and cutting surfaces, and make sure you have washed your hands before preparing your delicious watermelon.
FRUIT OR VEGETABLE
Watermelon is a fruit! Like the pepper, tomato and pumpkin, watermelon is a fruit, botanically. It is the fruit of a plant originally from a vine of southern Africa. Loosly considered a type of melon, watermelon has a smooth exterior rind and a juicy, sweet interior flesh. Watermelon is a vegetable! Watermelon is a memeber of the cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds, related to the cucumber, squash, and pumpkin. It is planted from seeds or seedlings, harvested, then cleared from the field like other vegetables. Whether you call it a fruit or a vegetable, you are always right with watermelon!
HOW TO CHOOSE A WATERMELON
1. Look the watermelon over. Look for a firm watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. 2. Lift the watermelon up. At 92% water, the watermelon should be heavy for its size. 3. Turn the watermelon over. Look for a creamy yellow spot (called the "ground spot") on the underside of the watermelon. This is where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.