Store melon - this is how it lasts longer

Recognize a ripe melon

In order to enjoy the maximum aroma of a melon, you should select fruits that are as fully ripe as possible when buying or harvesting in the garden. From a botanical point of view, melons are a vegetable, so the correct harvest time can also be recognized by the death of the plant parts. If you hit a watermelon, it will sound deep and dull when it is ripe. In addition, all ripe melons are heavier than unripe specimens of smaller size. With watermelons of large varieties such as Crimson Sweet, there is a yellow spot on the skin at the contact point, this shows you that the fruit is fully ripe. With sugar melons, on the other hand, you have to rely on your sense of smell, as these give off a pleasantly sweet scent when ripe.

The storage of melons that have not yet been cut

Basically, a ripe melon can always be kept the longest if it has not yet been cut and has an intact skin. For reasons of space, the fruits are usually stored unrefrigerated, but cool and dry cellar rooms are preferable to other rooms with a higher temperature. Depending on the length of time that has already passed since the harvest, the various types of melons can be stored for between one and three weeks before the quality and consistency of the melon deteriorate. Storage in the refrigerator extends the possible storage period, as the ripening processes are slowed down at low temperatures.

Store and freeze cut melons?

A melon that has already been cut should be used within a few days, even if it is stored in the refrigerator. Smaller varieties such as the delicious Charentais melon are easier for individuals to consume fresh. Since melons become relatively mushy when thawed after freezing, freezing only provides satisfactory results for pureed melons for smoothies.

Tips & Tricks

Melons can be stored for a longer period of time for several months if they are placed in vinegar as a spicy vegetable side dish. Pickled watermelons are a popular side dish in many Eastern European countries.