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Watermelon Day 2016

August 3, 2016 Kristina Leave a Comment

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In honor of National Watermelon Day I went to www.watermelon.org to learn a bit about this summer staple…

NationalWatermelonDayHeader

Watermelon; a tasty fruit served all year but best in summer during parties, picnics and bbq’s

 

Watermelon 101

History of Watermelon:old watermelon

  • The origins of watermelon trace back to the deserts of southern Africa, where it still grows wild today. The ancestor of the modern watermelon is a tough, drought-tolerant plant prized for its ability to store water for tribes crossing the Kalahari.
  • Egyptian hieroglyphics on walls of ancient buildings depict the first watermelon harvest. It occurred about 5,000 years ago. Watermelons were placed in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
  • From there, watermelons traveled to countries along the Mediterranean Sea by way of merchant ships. By the 10th century, watermelon found its way to China, which is now the world’s top producer of watermelons.
  • The 13th century found watermelons spreading through the rest of Europe via the Moors.

Types and Varietieswatermelon types

More than 300 varieties of watermelon come from the United States and South America. Complementary growing seasons in these areas provide a year-round supply of watermelon in an array of shapes, colors and sizes. They are grouped according to characteristics, like fruit shape, rind color or pattern, and size because there are so many varieties.

The most common watermelon options are:

  • Seeded: The classic watermelon comes in a wide range of sizes. (15-45 lb, round, long, oblong)
  • Seedless: Due to high demand, the majority of watermelon cultivars grown today are seedless – and they are getting redder and crisper thanks to seed breeding advancements. They are not the result of genetic engineering, but rather hybridization – the crossing of two different types of watermelons. (10-25 lb, round to oblong)
  • Mini: Petite “personal watermelons” are easy to handle and their thinner rinds can mean more flesh per pound. Hollow them out for a compostable serving bowl. (1-7 lb, round)
  • Yellow & Orange: Generally sweeter than red-fleshed watermelon, yellow and orange varieties add a surprising element to the plate or glass. (10-30 lb, round)

Botanical Cousins07609-fig1

Watermelon’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. It is a cousin to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.

 

How Watermelon Grows

You need three things to grow watermelon: sun, bees and water.

  • Farmers generally grow watermelon in rows (8 to 12 feet apart) and in raised beds (4 to Watermelon-Flower-transforming-into-the-fruit12 inches high) composed of well drained sandy soils. Tiny watermelon plants from a nursery are transplanted into soil beds.
  • Honeybees must pollinate every yellow watermelon blossom in order to fruit. In a month, a vine may spread 6 to 8 feet, and within 60 days, the vine produces its first watermelons. The crop is ready to harvest within 3 months.
  • The rind of a watermelon is not as tough as it looks, so it is handpicked. Watermelon pickers look for a pale or buttery yellow spot on the bottom of the watermelon, indicating ripeness.

 

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National Watermelon Day Fun facts:

  • By weight, watermelon is the most-consumed melon in the United States, followed by cantaloupe and honeydew
  • The first cookbook published in the United States in 1796, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, contains a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.

According to Guinness World Records, Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee grew the world’s heaviest watermelon in 2013, weighing in at 350.5 lbs.

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After learning all of this, it’s no wonder there is a National Watermelon Day!

Family Life, Food, Holidays, misc family life, Food, Foods, Holiday, Snacks, Treats, watermelon

About Kristina

Mom of 2 of the most amazing kids you will ever meet, Wife since 2009 to my favorite guy in the world- most days, Awesome Aunt to 6 nieces & Cousin to an ever growing family of crazies :)
Writer or Blogger... Whatever you wanna call me. I dont care- just read it! lol.
I write the Soy Sunday section (for my little guy who was Dairy Free) The Make It Monday (my adventures in DIY) Tu-tu-Tuesday (my daughters adventures in dance class) and much much more... come check us out and tell us what you think

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Meet Amy Workaholic turned SAHM to 3 amazing kids. Amy is a Social media lover turned blogger who writes about all things related to life: cooking, parenting, family events, drinks (Hey, we all need one once in a while!) and Local Michigan happenings.

Contact me at thismamaslifeblog (at) gmail.com
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