When and what watermelons to buy: at the wholesale market they told where the sweetest and most delicious berries come from

“A lot of what they say about watermelons is not true. Each seller assures that only the sweetest and most delicious watermelons are brought to him. There is no way without this if you want to earn good money. And sometimes marketers themselves don’t even know where they come from, these same watermelons,” a large wholesaler told me. I visited him for work at the very beginning of the season, in June. I learned a lot of interesting things.

10 years ago we couldn’t even dream of this

A little over 10 years ago, watermelons in Russia were a seasonal delicacy. In the middle zone they appeared no earlier than mid-August. People are so used to this that they still wait for the end of summer, steadfastly walking past the early watermelons, turning their heads away. Many are sure that they are full of chemicals. This is a big misconception.

I'll tell you a secret: Watermelons are carefully checked at the border. Nitrate and bad ones simply do not pass it.

Products that have a certificate confirming phytosanitary safety are allowed through. You won't be allowed into the Russian Federation without documents. Now this is strict.

It is also not true that the berry is somehow pumped up. If you try to pierce it with a needle, you will soon discover that the puncture site has become soft and begun to rot. The inside of the berry will also be rotten. The most they can do is use fertilizers to speed up growth. These are the nitrates that are harmful to human health. Melons are checked for their content.

Where did the June watermelon come to us from?

Since mid-June, mountains of striped “balls” have been growing at retail outlets. These are mainly Iranian watermelons. In my opinion, they are the tastiest you can buy at the beginning of summer. They are brought to us from Turkey, Egypt, Syria, and sometimes other countries where they ripen early.

Advice. When choosing a watermelon, you need to make sure that the tail is yellow and withered, and that there is a “cheek” on its side - a white-yellow spot the size of a fist. The brighter the “cheek”, the redder and tastier the flesh.

The only drawback of June watermelon is its high price. It costs 5 times more than the September one. Considering that one berry weighs at least 7-8 kg, this is very expensive.

Mid season: July-August

Around mid-July, the market is filled with watermelons from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan (Tashkent), and Kazakhstan. Supplies are made mainly from Central Asia. The products are also tested for nitrate content, so you can buy them without fear.

The most delicious watermelons in July are considered to be “Sobirabadsky” (Azerbaijan) and “American” (Kazakhstan). Very sugary and juicy. There are few seeds, large ones. No matter which one you choose, they’re all ripe.

I take these into my family myself. And I have small children.

Advice. If you are afraid of getting poisoned by watermelon, do not eat it to the core. Typically, nitrates accumulate in it and in the surrounding area. Try eating 1-2 skibki. If nausea, headache and other signs of poisoning do not appear within 2 hours, continue eating the berry.

Time for local berries – mid-August-early October

Since August, watermelons have been brought to us from Astrakhan, the Krasnodar Territory, and less often from other regions. It doesn't happen year after year. Sometimes the local watermelon season starts earlier, sometimes later. A lot depends on the weather. To ripen, melons need warmth, bright sun, and a lot of water.Deliveries from Central Asia will not stop until the end of September. This is what I understand as a choice - you can buy a “ball” for every taste.

Of the late watermelons, I would like to mention “Kholodok” - sweet and very juicy, with a rich taste. This is a classic. It can also be stored until December.

It’s easy to recognize late varieties – they have darker and richer rinds. They are almost all sweet, and at the same time affordable. This is another reason why everyone is waiting for August. The most watermelon time has begun.

Advice. In summer you need to choose large watermelons. The crop yields 3-4 times. The first berries are the largest, then they become smaller and smaller. The larger the watermelon, the more likely it is that it is ripe as expected. But at the end of September you can already take “babies” weighing 3-4 kg.

What about winter berries?

Large supermarkets sell watermelons all year round. They are also safe, but most often tasteless. It is rare to see a ripe sugar watermelon like this in summer. You can tap or try squeezing the berry. Only ringing and silence. There is no pleasant crunch of sugar, no boominess. They are afraid to bring ripe berries to us, and send them slightly green ones so that they do not spoil on the road.

Winter watermelons from Costa Rica and Ecuador are considered the best. But the Brazilian ones do not recommend buying.

In winter, the berry is safe to eat, but tasteless. If something happens, supermarkets will issue a receipt. You will be able to file a claim. They know about this, and therefore check the supplied goods. Some networkers themselves test for nitrates and cut several watermelons for testing. If they are really tasteless, they wrap up the whole batch. It’s clear that suppliers still dump it on stores that don’t care about their customers.

You can safely eat watermelons from June, and not, as you are used to, from August.Pay attention only to the fact that the trading place is fenced and located under a canopy, away from the roadway. According to the rules, berries should be stored on special racks under an awning, and not lie on the ground. Do not buy cut berries - microbes multiply quickly under the film, especially in the heat. Ask the seller for a certificate, then you will be sure that the watermelon does not contain nitrates. Usually the bad goods are from illegal immigrants, in small shops that no one checks because of the small revenue.