Tips for choosing ripe watermelons with red flesh, sweet, and paper-thin flesh.

— round or oval, but it should be uniform in shape with no dents or lumps.Irregular bumps might mean uneven ripening or poor growing conditions.
5. Check the WeightA good watermelon should feel heavy for its size — that means it’s full of water and juicy.Compare several watermelons of similar size and choose the heaviest one.
6. Examine the SkinThe rind should be dull, not shiny. A shiny surface usually means it’s underripe.The stripes (on striped varieties) should have a strong contrast — the dark stripes should be dark, and the light stripes light.
7. Look at the TailThe watermelon’s stem or tail can indicate ripeness:A dry and curly brown tail = ripened on the vine (sweet and ready to eat).A green tail = likely harvested too early, and may not be fully ripe.
8. Thin Rind Clue: Tap for “Bounce”A watermelon with a thin rind often produces a slightly more resonant, bouncing sound when tapped, compared to thicker-rind ones.While it’s hard to tell rind thickness without cutting, heavier weight-to-size ratio often points to more flesh and a thinner rind.
Bonus Tip:If you’re buying pre-cut watermelon:Choose pieces that are deep red with minimal white streaks.Look for small black or brown seeds – too many white seeds can mean it was picked early.Avoid pieces that look dry or grainy — they may be old.