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National Watermelon Day: What Makes It Unique?

aarp.org

Utah temperatures are to thank for the high-quality watermelon growth this year in Utah, according to Luke Petersen, a farmer for Petersen Family Farm.

“What makes watermelons good in Utah is that we have hot days and cool nights,” he said said. “So, watermelons really like heat. They grow really well when it’s hot, but they don't get as sweet when it stays hot all the time, so they actually absorb more sugars from the ground when the temperatures are cool. So they grow real fast and nice in the daytime, and then when it cools down at night, then the sugars kind of concentrate more.”

Ready to be picked and eaten after roughly 70 days of growth, Petersen said the most common question his customers ask is how to choose a good watermelon.

“I think still the best way to tell a good watermelon is flick it with my finger,” he said. “That gives me the best sound. And if you flick ‘em with your finger hard, you just pick the one with the lowest sound and take that one.”

From farm to table, Carrie Durward, a nutrition specialist at Utah State University, said watermelon is unique compared to other fruits.

“They are high in vitamins and minerals, while being low in calories,” Durward said. “So they fill us up and give us the nutrition we need, while not contributing to more calories than we need in our diet.”

Petersen said the best tasting watermelons are available in September because of the cooling temperatures.