What Is The Best Tasting Watermelon

If you’ve ever brought home a bland, mealy watermelon, you know the disappointment. Choosing the best tasting watermelon is about more than just picking a big green fruit; it’s about knowing the specific varieties and signs of perfect ripeness.

There isn’t a single “best” because flavor is personal. Some people love super-sweet, others prefer a more complex, old-fashioned taste. The best tasting watermelon for you depends on your flavor preference, how you plan to use it, and your growing climate.

Top Varieties for Incredible Flavor

These varieties are consistently praised by gardeners and farmers for their exceptional taste and texture.

Sugar Baby: This is a classic icebox type, meaning it’s small and round. It has incredibly sweet, bright red flesh and is very reliable. It matures quickly, making it great for shorter growing seasons.
Charleston Gray: An heirloom oblong melon with a light green-gray rind. It’s known for its crisp, juicy, and sweet red flesh that’s often less grainy than other types. It has excellent disease resistance.
Crimson Sweet: This is a benchmark for sweetness. It’s a larger, round-oval melon with a striped rind. The flesh is deep red, very sweet, and consistently high-quality. It’s a favorite for a reason.
Moon and Stars: Prized as an heirloom, its dark green rind is speckled with yellow “stars” and one large “moon.” The flavor is often described as rich, sweet, and complex—a true old-fashioned watermelon taste. The flesh can be pink or red.
Yellow Doll: For something different, try a yellow-fleshed variety. Yellow Doll is a compact plant that produces small, very sweet melons with a surprising, tropical-like flavor that many people adore.
Jubilee: This is a large, oblong melon perfect for picnics. It has a striped green rind and exceptionally sweet, firm red flesh. It holds its texture well and is fantastically juicy.

How to Pick a Perfectly Ripe Watermelon Every Time

A great variety can still taste bad if it’s picked too early or too late. Use these field-tested methods.

Check the Field Spot: This is the most important sign. The watermelon rests on the ground as it grows, creating a spot. Look for a creamy yellow or buttery-yellow spot. A white or pale green spot means it was picked too early.
Look for a Dull Sheen: A ripe watermelon loses its shiny, glossy appearance. The rind should look matte or dull. A shiny rind usually indicates an underripe fruit.
Inspect the Webbing: Those brown, web-like scars on the rind are caused by bee pollination. More webbing often means the fruit was pollinated more thoroughly, which can translate to sweeter flesh.
Give it a Good Thump: This classic technique works. Tap or knock on the watermelon with your knuckles. A ripe one will have a deep, hollow sound. An underripe melon will sound solid and high-pitched, while an overripe one may sound dull.
Feel the Weight: Pick up a few melons of similar size. The ripest one will feel the heaviest for its size, indicating it’s full of water and thus very juicy.
Check the Stem and Vine: If there’s still a stem attached, look for one that is brown and dried out. A green, flexible stem suggests it was harvested prematurely. A smooth, brown “belly button” at the stem end is also a good sign.

Growing Your Own for Maximum Flavor

To get the absolute best tasting watermelon, growing your own gives you total control. You can harvest at the perfect moment and choose heirloom varieties not found in stores.

Essential Growing Tips

Watermelons need warmth, sun, space, and consistent moisture.

Plant in Full Sun: They require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight daily for maximum sugar production.
Warm the Soil: Don’t plant seeds or transplants until the soil is consistently above 70°F. Using black plastic mulch can help warm the soil and suppress weeds.
Give Them Room: Vines can sprawl 10-20 feet. Space hills or rows according to the variety’s recommendation. Crowded plants produce smaller, less sweet fruit.
Water Deeply and Consistently: Inconsistent watering is a main cause of bland or misshapen fruit. Provide 1-2 inches of water per week, focusing on deep root watering. Reduce watering slightly as the fruit matures to concentrate sugars, but don’t let the plant wilt.
Know When to Harvest: Use the ripeness signs above. The curly tendril on the vine nearest the fruit will turn brown and dry when the melon is ripe. Also, the underside of the melon will change from white to a rich cream color.

Storing and Cutting for Best Results

How you handle your watermelon after you get it home matters alot.

Whole, Uncut: Store at room temperature if you’ll eat it within a week. This can actually help improve the flavor and juiciness. Once cut, refrigerate immediately.
Cut Pieces: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The flavor is often best served slightly chilled, not ice-cold, as cold can mute sweetness.
Cutting Technique: To avoid a mess and get even slices, first cut the melon in half across its equator (not stem-to-stem). Then, place the flat cut-side down on your board before slicing into wedges. This is more stable.

Common Problems That Affect Taste

Sometimes, even with the best efforts, a watermelon can be disappointing. Here’s why.

Overwatering Near Harvest: Too much water just before picking can dilute the sugar content, leading to a less sweet flavor.
Cool or Cloudy Weather: Watermelons are heat-loving plants. A season with less sun and cooler temperatures will result in lower sugar production.
Harvesting Too Early: Unlike some fruits, watermelons do not continue to sweeten after they are picked. They only get softer, not sweeter. Picking at peak ripeness is non-negotiable.
Poor Soil Nutrition: Soil lacking in potassium and phosphorus can negatively impact fruit sweetness and development. A balanced fertilizer is key, but avoid too much nitrogen which promotes vine growth over fruit.

FAQ: Your Watermelon Questions Answered

Which type of watermelon is the sweetest?
Commercial varieties like Crimson Sweet and Sugar Baby are bred for high sugar content. Personal-size “icebox” melons often taste very sweet because their smaller size concentrates sugars.

Are seedless watermelons less flavorful?
Not necessarily. Modern seedless varieties, like Sweet Scarlet or King of Hearts, can be just as sweet and juicy as seeded types. They require different growing conditions but the flavor is excellent.

How can I tell a good watermelon in the store?
Focus on the field spot (must be yellow) and the weight (should feel heavy). Give it a thump for a hollow sound and look for a dull rind. These are your best indicators when you can’t check the vine.

Why is my homegrown watermelon not sweet?
The most common reasons are harvesting too early, inconsistent watering, not enough hot sunshine during the growing season, or poor soil nutrition. Let them ripen fully on the vine.

What’s the best way to serve watermelon?
Chilled is classic, but try it at room temperature to appreciate its full flavor. A sprinkle of salt can actually enhance the sweetness, and a splash of lime juice adds a nice contrast. It’s also fantastic in salads with feta and mint.

Finding the best tasting watermelon is a combination of choosing a great variety and mastering the signs of ripeness. With these tips, you’ll be able to select or grow a melon that’s bursting with sweet, juicy flavor every single time.