Watermelons don’t give you a chance to check the fruit before buying. I can’t see whether the inside is deep red, juicy, or sweet, so I look for clues on the rind instead. One of the first requires turning the watermelon over.
The pale patch underneath is called the field spot, and it marks where the watermelon rested on the ground as it grew. I look for a creamy yellow or golden patch, then use weight, sound, and the rind to help choose between the watermelons in front of me.
I Look for a Creamy Yellow Spot Underneath
The field spot is the main reason I turn a watermelon over. Every watermelon that rested on the ground can develop one, but I pay attention to its color.
I want a field spot that has turned creamy yellow or golden rather than one that looks white or pale. A deeper yellow spot can indicate that the watermelon spent more time ripening on the vine.
It isn’t a guarantee that every watermelon with a yellow field spot will be perfect inside. I treat it as one clue and check a few other things before putting the melon in my cart.
Then I Compare Two Watermelons of Similar Size
Once I find a few with promising field spots, I pick them up. When two watermelons are close in size, I tend to take the one that feels heavier.
Watermelon contains a lot of water, so weight can provide another clue about what is waiting beneath the rind. Comparing similar-size melons makes the difference easier to notice than judging one watermelon on its own.
I don’t need to know what either one weighs. I am just looking for the melon that feels dense for its size.
I Still Give the Rind a Tap
The familiar watermelon tap test gets another vote. I knock on the rind with my knuckles and listen for a deep, hollow, drum-like sound.
A tap isn’t a foolproof test for sweetness, so I don’t use it on its own. It works better as another piece of information alongside the field spot and weight.
If one watermelon has the creamy field spot I want, feels heavy for its size, and produces a hollow sound, it has three signs working in its favor.
Dull Rind Gets My Attention Before a Shiny One
I also look across the rest of the rind. A mature watermelon tends to have a duller, matte surface, while a glossy rind can be associated with fruit picked before full maturity.
Shape matters too. I look for a firm watermelon with an even round or oval form rather than one with deep dents, cracks, or damaged areas.
I don’t reject a watermelon just because its rind isn’t spotless. Rough brown web-like marks can appear on the surface and aren’t the same thing as soft areas, cracks, leaking juice, or other signs of damage.
Soft Spots Are a Reason to Put It Back
Some exterior marks don’t bother me, but soft spots do. I also leave behind watermelons with cracks, leaking juice, bruised areas, or an unusual sour smell.
A watermelon that feels light compared with others of the same size also goes back. With plenty of melons to compare at the store, there is little reason to settle for one showing several questionable signs.
Three Checks Make the Decision Easier
I don’t expect any single rind trick to tell me exactly how sweet a watermelon will taste. Instead, I combine the clues that I can check without cutting it open.
First I turn it over and look for that creamy yellow field spot. Then I compare its weight with another watermelon of similar size and finish with the tap test.
The inside is still hidden until I get home and make the first cut, but those three checks give me more to work with than choosing the biggest or best-looking watermelon in the pile.
