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Are You Growing The Best Tasting Watermelons?

Are You Growing The Best Tasting Watermelons?
The 55rd Annual Louisiana Watermelon Festival set for July 27th – 28th is fast approaching. One of the annual events held during the festival is the Interior Quality contest sponsored by the Farmerville Jaycees and conducted by the Union Parish office of the LSU AgCenter. When it comes to proving who has the best overall watermelon interior quality in the state, they have to travel to the Louisiana Watermelon Festival held only here in Union Parish. Watermelons will be judged in divisions (we’ll cover that in a moment) for their quality in terms of taste, texture, and sugar content as measured in Brix by a refractometer. We have had some really good watermelon growing weather lately….HOT! So, we are hoping to have some really sweet melons this summer (hot and slightly dry concentrates the sugars in the fruit). I also would not say we have had one variety or another dominate the field of “sweetest watermelon”. Give it a try….you may have the sweetest melon this year! Harvesting watermelon may be a fun time for the family to play a guessing game, especially the first watermelon of the season. The first sign to look for in the home garden is the turning brown of the first curling tendril or curlicue from where the fruiting stem joins the vine. The melon is mature or close to maturity when the tendril becomes dry and brown. Many gardeners when harvesting, may use the brown tendril technique in combination with harvesting when the ground spot on the belly of the watermelon has turned yellow or creamy in color. This method assures a ripe watermelon without thumping. Cut the watermelon from the vine leaving a 2-to 3-inch stem. Always place the watermelon in a shaded area immediately after cutting to avoid sunscald. The annual interior quality contest has 10 divisions (Gray, Jubilee, Long Stripe, Round Stripe, Yellow Meat, All Sweet, Ice Box, Seedless, Miscellaneous, and Marketing Display) for adults and 2 divisions (Texture, Sweetest) for youth age 17 and younger. The winners from each division are then pitted against each other in the selection of the best tasting watermelon in the state. Entry fees are only $1 per watermelon with premiums paid to 1st – 3rd in each division and the overall winner. So if you or someone you know has got the knack for growing some good tasting watermelon, direct them to the Louisiana Watermelon Festival Interior Quality Contest. We’ll be taking entries on Friday, July 27th from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 28th from 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. at the Union Parish office of the LSU AgCenter located at 210 East Water Street in Farmerville. For more information contact Jason Holmes, County Agent with the LSU AgCenter, at 318-368-2999.