What is the trick to choosing the best watermelon? I've been wanting one all summer, and I usually just grab one and hope for the best! lol. All tips appreciated!

The thumping method is not as sure a thing as thought in my opinion.
Look for the whiteish yellow area on the mellow and if there are a lot of marks like small cuts that is a good mellow. The marks are scratches made by bees signifying that the mellon is sweet and the bees are wanting to get to it.

I have 10 lovely melons ripening in my front yard. Come on up and we'll taste test all of 'em!

Wow! Now that's an invitation I almost can't refuse! Would be an awesome road trip. Wish I could!

Thanks! I'll put that to the test. :-)

My dad said. Tap on them. Find 2,,that sound moSt hollow. Pick the heaviest one. Has the most water Weight He was southern boy and
Never got a bad one!!!

I will grab one that seems heavy for it's size -- those are definitely juicier. And, I use my nose -- there should be a slight give when you press on the stem end, and a faint, but distinct, fresh melon smell. It's worked for me so far.

We stopped buying seedless as they never seemed to taste right - my DH loves watermelon! We have gone back to the seeded kind and they have been super sweet!

1. Thumping....knock it like you would a door...you want the loudest sounding one. 2. The yellow/white belly should be as small as possible. 3. Weight...it should be heavy.

I knock on several before I chose one. I've been known to dig thru the whole bin to find that perfect watermelon :).

i found the way, get in a hurry, grab the one on the top and get in line, just joking, i have bought about 30 watermelons this year and this is the only one fit to eat, i am looking it over good, to see if it has some kind of sign (like "this is your sign"), but it is so good i have to stop and eat it all. it is a seedless, and i agree those with seeds have more flavor, really roundish, but it did smell more like fresh grass or something, but truly, i did just grab it and figure just another for the trash. the stem was on and the bottom was the color of a musk melon. it sure is good tho.
my grandmother used to look for what she called bee stings, and it actually looked like the bees stung the watermelon, and the watermelon was getting well, she also looked for the stem to fall off rather than be cut, but that was a long time ago so things were different then,she could always pick a good one out tho, she died in 1963
jan in palatka

I never buy a whole one. I prefer for it to be open already so I can see the inside. When I grew them myself they were always perfect.

Thanks everyone for all the tips! I'm going to put them to the test :-D --- hopefully on my way home this afternoon with a stop by the farmer's market. I'm embarrassed to admit that I grew up with a father in the produce business. BUT, on the other hand, that is my excuse because he always just brought home the best! For some reason, I don't remember ever asking him the secret. Now, DH thinks I should be able to go pick out the best, and I want to prove him right! lol

My high school biology teacher taught us to use the
Think - Thank - Thunk method to pick a WM
Think is not ripe - Thank is almost there
You want it Thunk when you tap it with your knuckles. He taught us lots of real world stuff we could use. I loved him.

I agree with you about your comment of the seedless mellons. Besides, on a picnic part of the fun is to see who can spit out the seeds the farthest. :P :lol:

It worked! Lots of marks and I have sweet, wonderful watermelon! It was heavy too :thumbup: Loving it! Thanks Carron and other who posted. Now I know the secrets for picking the best :-D

Find a produce guy/gal and have him/her pick one out for you, lol!

I agree about the seedless - so little flavor. I look to see if the blossom end is rounded out.

Look for a large yellow spot where it has rested on the ground, then knock on it and if it emits a hollow sound it should be a good one.