Why do watermelons taste so bad these days?

[riffjim4069]

Seriously! Just geezing and everyone here recalls that watermelons used to taste much better years ago. Sure, you occasionally got stuck with the "bad ones" but most watermelons were typically crisp, juicy and sugary sweet - a real summertime treat (hey, I think I am going to copyright that last sentence). Anyway, it's hard to find a good watermelon these days, and even the good ones are only marginally sweet and often soggy.

So my question is why are watermelons not up to par these days? Is it because most watermelons are now seedless and, to be honest, it's hard to find the seeded variety at the major outlets. I'm not sure if it is true, but it is my opinion that the seeded melons taste better...if you can deal with spitting a bucket of seeds.

Perhaps it has something to do with the distribution channel? It was my observation that years ago watermelons were delivered directly from the farm to the the grocer or produce market. Perhaps with today's distribution channels the melons are being picked earlier and spending much more time in transit. It is my understanding that watermelons do not ripen after being picked/cut from the vine...but I am not sure.

My mom used to be an expert at picking a good watermelon but even she picks a lot of bad melons these days. Anyway, I am tired of eating bad watermelon and just wanted to solicit everyone's expert and non-to-expert opinions.

So is it me or do watermelons really stink...and how do get a really good watermelons these days?

Riff...

 

[Bobby]

Watermelons are flat these days, much like tomatoes. They have been hybridized for the market and have lost much of their original grandeur. At least we still have heirloom tomatoes, maybe we need to do the same with watermelon.

By the by, I have always chewed the seeds, never, ever, spit them out. I never once had a watermelon grow in my tummy...

 

[riffjim4069]

Watermelons are flat these days, much like tomatoes. They have been hybridized for the market and have lost much of their original grandeur. At least we still have heirloom tomatoes, maybe we need to do the same with watermelon.

By the by, I have always chewed the seeds, never, ever, spit them out. I never once had a watermelon grow in my tummy...

Those darn genetic mutant seeds! I supposed they were developed to keep the tasteless/squishy melons on the shelves a lot longer. Bobby, do you know where I can a good "old fashioned" melon these days? Anyway, thanks for confirming my other suspicion...it's just a bad seed.

 

[dfergie]

Here they have a "Farmers Market" every Saturday at the Courthouse lawn, and later in the season roadside vendors sell fresh Watermelons & Cantalopes from Pecos, 90 miles to our south... fresh fruits and vegetables are available...

 

[sundrop]

I have purchased melons from the supermarket that were grown in "mexico" "California" and etc. I make sure to grab one different each time. It does not matter the taste is hard to find anymore.....except here in Missouri...we all all about these farmers markets.

Granted most local grown are much smaller. The taste is still there and amazing.
maybe that is it? These hybrids have been mutated to grow larger thus the taste has been lost?

 

[Skyhi]

I've bought 3 (seedless) watermelons so far this year. 2/3 were not good AT ALL. Whatever the problem, I sure hope it gets corrected (although I doubt it will). Nothing beats a good, cold watermelon on a hot summer day.

 

[riffjim4069]

We've noticed the watermelons from the farmer's markets are only slightly better than the tasteless variety being sold at the grocery stores and Wally-Marts. I can only assume that a hybrid seek produces a similar melon whether grown organically, locally, or by the big box farm warehouses. At least I am not alone...I noticed someone asked the same question a few years ago: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070612132106AARohib

 

[sundrop]

Just picked up a melon today.

It had this on it

Welcome to MelonTrace - committed to Food Safety & Traceability
112001195777

Its pretty tasty. better than others I have tried
McClane & Bunton Smoaks, South Carolina

About 200-300 varieties are grown n the U.S. and Mexico, although there are about 50 varieties that are very popular. You can do an online search or contact a seed company to find out more about common and historic watermelon varieties. The modern watermelon lover sees his or her watermelon options as the 5 types below.
Seeded Watermelon

Oblong in shape
Weight can range from 15-45 lbs. on average
Small to large brown or black seeds throughout
Seedless Watermelon - The most popular in the U.S.
Round shape
Weight can range from 10-20 lbs. on average
No seeds, although the occasional seed may occur

 

[riffjim4069]

Just picked up a melon today.

It had this on it...

Great information...just wonder how many participate in this program and, more importantly, how many folks post where the good melons crops are coming from? I'm heading to a famer's market this weekend (Saturday) and I'll look for a MelonTrace label.

 

[HD MM]

Watermelons are flat these days, much like tomatoes. They have been hybridized for the market and have lost much of their original grandeur. At least we still have heirloom tomatoes, maybe we need to do the same with watermelon.

By the by, I have always chewed the seeds, never, ever, spit them out. I never once had a watermelon grow in my tummy...

Yep. Exactly.

This explains the lack of flavor in most all produce these days. It's not natural to eat produce not in season, yet most is still available in grocery stores whenever you want it. Ever wonder why/how you can still get tomatoes, strawberries and such in the dead of winter? Well, these items are imported from a far away place, probably genetically modified along the way, chemically enhanced to ripen in a unnatural way, etc.

The good news is that fresh, real tasting produce can still be found though. Look up a local farmers market and buy from them. The majority of time, the local/independent farms still do it the right (ie natural) way.

 

[digiblur]

We had a watermelon for the BBQ last weekend... tasted awesome... nice a juicy and sweet melon. It was grown a few hours from here though. But these were Sugartown, LA melons, best tasting ones I've ever had.

Sugartown, Louisiana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scroll down to the part about the melons...

It all depends on where they come from. I don't buy them from the grocery store anymore, just like the strawberries. I make sure they come from locally like the Ponchatoula area...goes hand in hand since they have strawberry festival there every year.

 

[navychop]

Hammond strawberries?

 

[sundrop]

I guess there safe there...no oil to worry about

I want some of these Sugartown melon's. I miss my sweet juicy melons.

 

[riffjim4069]

After reading some of the provided information doing my own research, I never imaged there were 200 varieties of watermelon and 50 popular varieties. To be honest, I would be surprised to find out that I've consumed more than a handful of melon types that line the shelves. I was talking to my mom last week and she recalls when they used to plug watermelons at the produce store...if you didn't like what you saw you didn't buy it - if you did they inserted the plug and you took it home with you. I just turned 47 and I've never seen anyone plug a watermelon. This sound like a good practice and I would gladly pay more $$$ for a good melon.

Anyway, where can I get one of these Sugartown melons? : In my opinion the melons haven't been any better since we moved from VA to TX.

 

[riffjim4069]

Well, I picked-up a seeded Georgia watermelon this afternoon from a local farmer's market. It's good, but not great. Anyway, I was told it was too early for Louisiana/Mississippi melons...not sure if that's true, but everyone was selling GA melons so I didn't have a choice.

 

[sundrop]

The melon I got today from "Georgia" with melontrace says it was picked 2 months ago. This is a long trip to go from Georgia to Missouri.

 

[Lazybird000]

watermelons is no longer delicious at all

 

[riffjim4069]

Picked-up another good Georgia watermelon from a local produce store. I think I'll stick to the seeded variety from now on. Anyway, does anyone know when the Louisiana/Mississippi melons are in season? Also, where can I find a "Sugartown" melon?

 

[yourbeliefs]

I dunno... they seem to taste fine to me. I can't say that I've noticed if they've gotten worse over time, but if they have it hasn't been so significant that I stopped wanting to eat it.

 

[riffjim4069]

I dunno... they seem to taste fine to me. I can't say that I've noticed if they've gotten worse over time, but if they have it hasn't been so significant that I stopped wanting to eat it.

I've been eating seedless melons because they are more plentiful these days. I am sticking to seeded melons because they simply taste better than the seeless variety.