Author Topic: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?  (Read 2965 times)

zands

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Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« on: June 07, 2021, 08:43:00 AM »
I like seeded but they are harder to find every year. I had to drive to a Walmart further way to buy seeded.
With seedless it seems you get lots thicker rind so you are spending for what most people toss. Though you can pickle rinds. A watermelon is first cousin to cucumber. Rinds are very firm so good for pickling. Add some pro-biotic powder to your pickles for more bacteria diversity. These powders typically have 5 diff bacterial strains.

I juice all rinds with some whole limes and ginger root.

johnb51

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2021, 09:17:46 AM »
I'm just not finding them with seeds anymore.  Do you think they have more flavor?
John

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2021, 10:03:24 AM »
Yellow and with seeds. I buy my seeds online.

spaugh

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2021, 10:37:08 AM »
Seeded of course.  Just planted out a bunch of watermelon plants.  Fingers crossed for a good crop. 
Brad Spaugh

zands

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2021, 10:51:03 AM »
I'm just not finding them with seeds anymore.  Do you think they have more flavor?
When you get a good one then seeded have more flavor and are more real. More heirloom even if they will not say. What's next, a seedless mango? I last saw seeded grapes five years ago. Now not ever.
Seedless watermelons are kinda freaks. They actually do have seeds but they are so tiny and watery you never notice. Seedless varieties are altered so that the seeds never grow into normal hard visible seeds that you must spit out as you eat. This was too much hassle for Americans sitting on their butts watching their 65" TVs
If you want seeded try a Walmart superstore in a black part of town. This works for me. My closest Walmart does not have seeded.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2021, 10:54:15 AM by zands »

fruitnut1944

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2021, 11:37:48 AM »
I buy mostly seedless. I just ate a slice. They're wet and refreshing, all I expect from a watermelon. My main complaint is some are too hard. The flesh is too hard. But that's better than a slightly over ripe seeded with soft mealy flesh.

I've grown a lot of varieties both seeded and seedless. The best of those, Star Brite, is seeded. It has large seeds and not too many. I'd much prefer seedless over seeded with what seems like thousands of small seeds, such as Sugar Baby. I'd much prefer seedless over any seeded that's over ripe. Seedless has a longer shelf life, a primary reason they dominate retail trade.

johnb51

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2021, 12:41:15 PM »
I buy mostly seedless. I just ate a slice. They're wet and refreshing, all I expect from a watermelon. My main complaint is some are too hard. The flesh is too hard. But that's better than a slightly over ripe seeded with soft mealy flesh.

I've grown a lot of varieties both seeded and seedless. The best of those, Star Brite, is seeded. It has large seeds and not too many. I'd much prefer seedless over seeded with what seems like thousands of small seeds, such as Sugar Baby. I'd much prefer seedless over any seeded that's over ripe. Seedless has a longer shelf life, a primary reason they dominate retail trade.
That all makes sense, and interesting information.
John

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2021, 06:26:27 PM »
Seeded!

1)  just eat the core first and give the rest to the chickens
2) if eating the seeds parts,  see the following link  for instructions

https://youtu.be/mAjaoY6hYKE


forumfool

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2021, 09:17:44 PM »
Am I the only one who eats the seeds? My family spit them all out I swallow without chewing like passion fruit seeds

W.

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2021, 09:47:47 PM »
My fruit mantra is no seeds = no flavor. Watermelons are just another example of that. I have never eaten a good, flavorful seedless watermelon nor a bad, flavorless seeded watermelon.

Galatians522

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2021, 10:37:27 PM »
If you stop and ask the guys selling watermelons on the side of the road they usually have seeded melons, too (if they bought them straight out of the field). All watermelon fields have both seeded and seedless to my knowledge because the seedless melons do not polenate themselves well. Often, the seeded melons are left to rot in the field after harvest, so they can be had cheaply. That might also be why melons have gone from less then $5 to almost $10 in the past few years. Sigh!

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2021, 07:59:41 AM »
Seeded have better flavor by far.

Seedless are not really seedless, the seeds are just softer AND harder to remove. When you bite into them it changes the flavor. I don't like the cucumber like flavor notes the seeds add to a watermelon.

 Most of us have been cutting watermelons wrong our whole lives. If you cut a seeded watermelon properly, it can essentially be seedless.

1. Lay the watermelon on its side and cut off the ends.
2. Cut remainder of watermelon into 2-4 thick slices shaped like a round cake that will pretty much fill up a plate.
3 Cut thin wedges downwards radiating out from the middle about 1/2 to 2/3 inch thick as if you were cutting a round cake.
 
The knife will do most of the seeding as you cut, the majority of the rest will be exposed on the edges of the slice and can be removed just by rubbing the knife along the sides of the cut wedge. Adjust thickness of wedges based on size of watermelon to get uniformly seedless slices.
I get the better flavor and ability to take big bites out of a seedless but thin wedge of fruit.
 
« Last Edit: June 08, 2021, 08:12:16 AM by TonyinCC »

RodneyS

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2021, 02:10:39 PM »
I have planted Sugar Baby, in the past.  This season, I planted Golden Midget.  The rind turns yellow when ready to pick. 

Watermelon, and especially the juice of the rind, is high in L-Citrulline, precursor to L-Arginine, which is a vasodilator

Malia

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2021, 07:11:44 PM »
Seeded. Do you also have the impression that even the seeded one got worse these days? Is it because farmers go for varieties with longer shelf life?

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2021, 10:17:24 PM »
I've yet to eat a really good seedless watermelon. Although i have to say that most of the seeded ones, though better, are not top of the line either. But i'm kind of a watermelon snob because i used to grow watermelons commercially. Unfortunately the watermelons that have taken over the main markets tend to be the worst of the lot, and are only favored because they have thick rinds that transport well without cracking. The situation is similar to Tommy Atkins becoming most popular commercial mango grown. To eat really excellent watermelons you have to go to an area where they are locally grown and eat ones that are not selected for international trade.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #15 on: June 08, 2021, 10:31:22 PM »
Seeded. Do you also have the impression that even the seeded one got worse these days? Is it because farmers go for varieties with longer shelf life?

Yes, I think its because most of the seeded melons available are simply the polenators for the seedless melons. They have been selected because of their high pollen production instead of their flavor. They are mostly considered disposable, and if they sell a few, well that is money in the bank.

spaugh

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #16 on: June 08, 2021, 11:50:42 PM »
I've yet to eat a really good seedless watermelon. Although i have to say that most of the seeded ones, though better, are not top of the line either. But i'm kind of a watermelon snob because i used to grow watermelons commercially. Unfortunately the watermelons that have taken over the main markets tend to be the worst of the lot, and are only favored because they have thick rinds that transport well without cracking. The situation is similar to Tommy Atkins becoming most popular commercial mango grown. To eat really excellent watermelons you have to go to an area where they are locally grown and eat ones that are not selected for international trade.

whats your top few favorite varieties?

By the way, Im surprised people are debating the merits of seesless vs seeded etc from walmart or costco on a fruit forum.  Of course they are no good.  You need to grow your own for good ones. 
Brad Spaugh

johnb51

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2021, 12:05:56 AM »
Seeded have better flavor by far.

Seedless are not really seedless, the seeds are just softer AND harder to remove. When you bite into them it changes the flavor. I don't like the cucumber like flavor notes the seeds add to a watermelon.

 Most of us have been cutting watermelons wrong our whole lives. If you cut a seeded watermelon properly, it can essentially be seedless.

1. Lay the watermelon on its side and cut off the ends.
2. Cut remainder of watermelon into 2-4 thick slices shaped like a round cake that will pretty much fill up a plate.
3 Cut thin wedges downwards radiating out from the middle about 1/2 to 2/3 inch thick as if you were cutting a round cake.
 
The knife will do most of the seeding as you cut, the majority of the rest will be exposed on the edges of the slice and can be removed just by rubbing the knife along the sides of the cut wedge. Adjust thickness of wedges based on size of watermelon to get uniformly seedless slices.
I get the better flavor and ability to take big bites out of a seedless but thin wedge of fruit.
I used to just slice them, then break off the center part, and the seeds would sit at the break so they could easily be removed.  Then I'd eat the part near the rind and save the center until last because that was the sweetest part.  (I had to think about this because it's been a few years.)
« Last Edit: June 09, 2021, 09:08:31 AM by johnb51 »
John

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #18 on: June 09, 2021, 12:14:38 AM »
Picture from here triploid water melons
https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ww0503.htm#triploid
more here as well

I do not mind seeded water melons or grapes
had a good one from the Mexican store last `year with cardboard thin rind
It was on my couther for a while too
 -- I am guessing it was more local probably from A Southern IL or Indiana
this year the one I had was thick skin but low sugar
and the shell actually collasped under it's weight go figure I threw it out.

Do you read the sticker of the brand?

https://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/hybrids1.htm




Francis_Eric

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2021, 12:18:07 AM »
Do you ever roast the seeds ?
Edit why above image so small

« Last Edit: June 09, 2021, 12:23:38 AM by Francis_Eric »

sapote

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #20 on: June 09, 2021, 02:37:07 AM »
Seeded: sweeter and more flavor.
Regardless seeded or seedless, you need to know how to select sweet and fresh melon.
Sweet: more sun and ripe, which means dark green with yellow stripes.
Fresh: high frequency sound, like hard wood when snap your finger on the melon rested against your ear. Low frequency means bruised or over-ripen. 
Uh oh, now I have more competition.

Malia

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2021, 09:34:35 AM »
Sprouts supermarket is selling sugar baby seeded heirloom watermelons. At least in Florida. You can check them in your area, Sprouts usually has a similar assortment in various regions.

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #22 on: June 09, 2021, 12:22:11 PM »
Seeded ones for sure. I don’t grow myself, but I used to go to farmers market for seeded watermelons. Not only they are much sweeter and juicier, they are much softer too.

slopat

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2021, 05:45:50 PM »
Come to think of it the best seeded ones are 'dry' farmed!!! Harvested at the right time they are Super sweet and crisp.

zands

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2021, 07:29:23 PM »
I dug into a seeded watermelon today. Bought at Walmart. Weight 17lbs. The sweetness was well rounded and tasted more natural compared to a seedless one last week. I would classify the seedless one as more of a saccharine sweetness. Of course this did not stop it from getting eaten. Rind was less thick on the seeded so you get more watermelon for you money.

Seeded had a large yellow spot on the bottom. This is is an indication of ripeness. Though if you are unlucky you can get a mushy, over ripe one with this same nice yellow spot. Which sometimes is more a white spot than yellow/

pineislander

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #25 on: June 09, 2021, 10:03:35 PM »
We grew a whole field one time and had some real fun sampling them out till they were just perfect to sell. Just like picking mangos when you deal with a whole field and work up your knowledge of the varietys sound and sight you can get them twice as good as usual. Commercial fields are usually picked much less carefully.

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #26 on: June 09, 2021, 11:33:46 PM »
I've yet to eat a really good seedless watermelon. Although i have to say that most of the seeded ones, though better, are not top of the line either. But i'm kind of a watermelon snob because i used to grow watermelons commercially. Unfortunately the watermelons that have taken over the main markets tend to be the worst of the lot, and are only favored because they have thick rinds that transport well without cracking. The situation is similar to Tommy Atkins becoming most popular commercial mango grown. To eat really excellent watermelons you have to go to an area where they are locally grown and eat ones that are not selected for international trade.

whats your top few favorite varieties?

By the way, Im surprised people are debating the merits of seesless vs seeded etc from walmart or costco on a fruit forum.  Of course they are no good.  You need to grow your own for good ones.
I haven't grown watermelons for local market in more than 30 years. But when i was growing them my all time favorite for best flavor were: Orangeglow, Moon and Stars, Black Diamond (which is basically Moon and Stars without the variagation), and Crimson Sweet.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #27 on: June 09, 2021, 11:36:42 PM »
thanks Oscar.  Im growing a bunch of orangeglos and planted a few moon and stars for the first time this year.  Orangeglo is the king.
Brad Spaugh

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #28 on: June 09, 2021, 11:41:59 PM »
I've yet to eat a really good seedless watermelon. Although i have to say that most of the seeded ones, though better, are not top of the line either. But i'm kind of a watermelon snob because i used to grow watermelons commercially. Unfortunately the watermelons that have taken over the main markets tend to be the worst of the lot, and are only favored because they have thick rinds that transport well without cracking. The situation is similar to Tommy Atkins becoming most popular commercial mango grown. To eat really excellent watermelons you have to go to an area where they are locally grown and eat ones that are not selected for international trade.

whats your top few favorite varieties?

By the way, Im surprised people are debating the merits of seesless vs seeded etc from walmart or costco on a fruit forum.  Of course they are no good.  You need to grow your own for good ones.
Yes you are right. It's pretty sad that fruit enthusiasts go to Walmart and Costco to attempt to get good quality fruits of any kind. The days when you could drive to a family run farm's watermelon fruit stand are mostly gone for a majority of the population. Still there are a few family farms that deliver to weekend farmer's markets if you make the extra effort to go to those.
Oscar

spaugh

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #29 on: June 09, 2021, 11:50:47 PM »
i put in some new avocado trees last year and top worked them this spring.  Then popped water melon plants nearby to leverage the irrigation while the trees are small.  It works well and the melons can be rotated around the orchard this way so the fungus from prior melon grows doesnt infect the new plants.  Ive got about 20 of these like this on 18ft spacing.  The hillside will be full of melons soon!



Brad Spaugh

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #30 on: June 10, 2021, 12:01:52 AM »
i put in some new avocado trees last year and top worked them this spring.  Then popped water melon plants nearby to leverage the irrigation while the trees are small.  It works well and the melons can be rotated around the orchard this way so the fungus from prior melon grows doesnt infect the new plants.  Ive got about 20 of these like this on 18ft spacing.  The hillside will be full of melons soon!



Good to use otherwise wasted space with a fast crop like melons. All this discussion is reminding me how much fun it was to grow watermelons! Nothing like a big field of watermelons. When the weather was very hot and the melons getting ripe they would sometimes explode open. Then i would go, reach in and just eat out the heart (the filet mignon of the watermelon) so it wouldn't go to waste, since i couldn't market damaged watermelons.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #31 on: June 10, 2021, 01:10:56 AM »
thanks Oscar.  Im growing a bunch of orangeglos and planted a few moon and stars for the first time this year.  Orangeglo is the king.

How do yo avoid powder mildew? Many years ago I grew couple vines and they were so good, but then no more luck after that due to very bad PM problem.

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #32 on: June 10, 2021, 01:13:03 AM »
i dont get PM on the watermwlons but theres some other wilt that can hit them and they just die right away if it happens.  Thats why you need to move them around each year. 

sorry it doesnt help you with PM.  Usually less water on stuff helps reduce PM.  my place it super dry during summer so no mildew.
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #33 on: June 10, 2021, 02:02:57 AM »
Partly OT . . . .

Why not try growing watermelons on a sturdy trellis?  That would keep the vines and developing fruit off the ground and mostly isolate the vines from soil-borne pathogens.  The vines have tendrils for climbing after all, so why not give them the chance to climb?

I once saw watermelons growing hanging from an orange tree in a garden in rural Guatemala.  It was kinda startling to see three or four big melons hanging from that orange tree.  But in a small scale garden the fruit could be protected from falling to the ground by a cradle/net 'til ready to harvest.

And anyway, having seen that arrangement in Guatemala gave me the sense that that is part of the melon's natural strategy for distributing its seeds...  Once the fruit is ripe and falls to the ground it breaks open and the interior invites being eaten along with the seeds which are then later distributed in the droppings of the creatures that ate the fallen fruit.

This could be tried with any tendrilled melon.  (Or maybe someone on here is growing melons this way already.)

Paul M.
==
« Last Edit: June 10, 2021, 02:05:12 AM by Epicatt2 »

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #34 on: June 10, 2021, 02:37:57 AM »
Partly OT . . . .

Why not try growing watermelons on a sturdy trellis?  That would keep the vines and developing fruit off the ground and mostly isolate the vines from soil-borne pathogens.  The vines have tendrils for climbing after all, so why not give them the chance to climb?

I once saw watermelons growing hanging from an orange tree in a garden in rural Guatemala.  It was kinda startling to see three or four big melons hanging from that orange tree.  But in a small scale garden the fruit could be protected from falling to the ground by a cradle/net 'til ready to harvest.

And anyway, having seen that arrangement in Guatemala gave me the sense that that is part of the melon's natural strategy for distributing its seeds...  Once the fruit is ripe and falls to the ground it breaks open and the interior invites being eaten along with the seeds which are then later distributed in the droppings of the creatures that ate the fallen fruit.

This could be tried with any tendrilled melon.  (Or maybe someone on here is growing melons this way already.)

Paul M.
==
Trellis would work ok for mini watermelons. Unless it's a very heftly trellis it's not going to hold a bunch of 50 pounders.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #35 on: June 10, 2021, 02:39:29 AM »
thanks Oscar.  Im growing a bunch of orangeglos and planted a few moon and stars for the first time this year.  Orangeglo is the king.

How do yo avoid powder mildew? Many years ago I grew couple vines and they were so good, but then no more luck after that due to very bad PM problem.
Use a drip system. Don't overhead water.
Oscar

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #36 on: June 10, 2021, 02:43:55 AM »
thanks Oscar.  Im growing a bunch of orangeglos and planted a few moon and stars for the first time this year.  Orangeglo is the king.
Orangeglo had an amazing taste. When juiced the color was same as orange juice. The only drawback of this watermelon is very thin rind. So it cracks open easily during long transport. But more to eat inside. For backyards, and even for local markets it is really excellent.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #37 on: June 10, 2021, 09:43:50 AM »
I've yet to eat a really good seedless watermelon. Although i have to say that most of the seeded ones, though better, are not top of the line either. But i'm kind of a watermelon snob because i used to grow watermelons commercially. Unfortunately the watermelons that have taken over the main markets tend to be the worst of the lot, and are only favored because they have thick rinds that transport well without cracking. The situation is similar to Tommy Atkins becoming most popular commercial mango grown. To eat really excellent watermelons you have to go to an area where they are locally grown and eat ones that are not selected for international trade.

whats your top few favorite varieties?

By the way, Im surprised people are debating the merits of seesless vs seeded etc from walmart or costco on a fruit forum.  Of course they are no good.  You need to grow your own for good ones.
Yes you are right. It's pretty sad that fruit enthusiasts go to Walmart and Costco to attempt to get good quality fruits of any kind. The days when you could drive to a family run farm's watermelon fruit stand are mostly gone for a majority of the population. Still there are a few family farms that deliver to weekend farmer's markets if you make the extra effort to go to those.
It's impossible to find good sources in South Florida since nothing grows here in the summer except mangos!
John

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #38 on: June 10, 2021, 11:41:09 AM »
Oscar what kind of fertilizers are best for watermelon? 
Brad Spaugh

johnb51

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #39 on: June 10, 2021, 01:10:50 PM »
Would you consider eating lots of watermelon a good way to stay hydrated in the summer?  It has nutrients.  I wouldn't think the sugar content would be harmful--not like drinking Coke!
John

fruitlovers

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #40 on: June 10, 2021, 05:28:25 PM »
Would you consider eating lots of watermelon a good way to stay hydrated in the summer?  It has nutrients.  I wouldn't think the sugar content would be harmful--not like drinking Coke!
Perfect way to stay hydrated. And watermelons not only have nutrients, but have an incredible array of balanced nutrients.
Oscar

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #41 on: June 10, 2021, 05:33:28 PM »
Oscar what kind of fertilizers are best for watermelon?
I was trying to sell my watermelons as organically grown and used only chicken manure and seaweed. There was an agar processing plant close by, and they would come to my fields and dump huge truckloads of the seaweed byproduct wastes. The watermelons really thrived on that. My biggest problem were diseases, like wilt and powdery mildew. But i think there might be varieties developed that are more resistant to these by now?
Oscar

Galatians522

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #42 on: June 10, 2021, 10:11:56 PM »
thanks Oscar.  Im growing a bunch of orangeglos and planted a few moon and stars for the first time this year.  Orangeglo is the king.

How do yo avoid powder mildew? Many years ago I grew couple vines and they were so good, but then no more luck after that due to very bad PM problem.

We have a lot of mildew issues here in Florida. I spoke with a local watermelon grower (not organic) and he told me to grow Crimson Sweet (which is naturally more resistant to disease I think) and spray with Manzate.

zands

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #43 on: June 12, 2021, 12:43:26 PM »
Seeded bought at Walmart was/is $5.98 for both below

Seeded watermelons
Last week on Friday the weight was 17lbs
Saturday, bought today. Weight is 26lbs

puglvr1

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johnb51

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Re: Your watermelon preference --seeded or seedless?
« Reply #45 on: June 05, 2022, 11:21:40 AM »
Damn, you guys were right!  Seeded is better.  Much better, finer texture.  I picked up a monster at Sprouts yesterday for $6.99.  It must weigh 30 lbs.


« Last Edit: June 05, 2022, 11:23:47 AM by johnb51 »
John