5 Easy Tricks to Identify a Ripe Hermiston Watermelon

Summer is around the corner in the Columbia Basin, and nothing tastes better than a huge slice of a Hermiston watermelon.

5 Easy Tricks to Identify a Ripe Hermiston Watermelon

I first discovered all about Hermiston watermelons when I moved to the Tri-Cities in 2007.

I knew about Walla Walla sweet onions as a kid growing up in Washington, but it was the first I'd heard of a Hermiston watermelon.

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I was backstage at the Umatilla County Fair, and the Royalty court brought out a watermelon for Williams and Ree, and that's when I discovered all about what the Hermiston watermelon means to the farmers in the Columbia Basin

How to Pick the Juiciest Hermiston Watermelons Every Time

So, how do you know when you've got a good Hermiston watermelon?

Here are a few tips to see if you've got a ripe one:

1. Field Spot (the "belly" of the melon)

• Look for a creamy yellow spot on one side. This is where the melon sat on the ground.

• If it's white or pale green, it's not ripe yet.

• The darker and more buttery-yellow it is, the riper the melon.

2. Color and Skin

• A ripe watermelon will have a dull, matte finish instead of a shiny one.

• The green should be deep and rich, not light or overly glossy.

3. Sound Test

• Tap the melon with your knuckles.

• A ripe melon sounds hollow and deep, while an unripe one sounds more dull or flat.

4. Weight

• Pick up a few melons of similar size and choose the heaviest one. Ripe melons have a high water content and feel heavy for their size.

5. Sugar Spots and Webbing

• Small, rough brown spots (webbing or sugar spots) can indicate where sugar is seeping out, often a good sign of sweetness.

6. Stem

• If the stem is still attached, it should be brown and dry, not green. A dry stem signals that the melon naturally ripened before being picked.

As summer kicks off in the Columbia Basin, don't forget to bring along those Hermiston watermelons on your picnics and roadtrips - YUM YUM YUM.

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