[Tweet “As the weather warms, cool down with some in-season watermelon. http://bit.ly/1RAhrCR”]It’s not summertime yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start enjoying Florida-grown watermelon now. Watermelon is in season in Florida between April and July.¹ Look for it now at your local grocery store or farmers market.

Fun Watermelon Facts

• Florida is the biggest producer of watermelons in the US.²
• Though watermelons are grown all over Florida, the largest percentage come from the north- and west-central counties.³
• Florida produces both seeded and seedless varieties. Seedless watermelons are sweeter, last longer, and no spitting is required!³
• The melon’s red color comes from lycopene, an antioxidant. Watermelon also contains vitamins A and C.⁴
• When selecting a watermelon, look for a yellow spot on the outside—this is where the melon sat on the ground. The yellow indicates that it’s ripe.⁴

Want to learn more about what’s in season and when in Florida? Check out the Florida Fresh App for Apple and Android devices.

1. “Crops in Season,” Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, n.d., http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Consumer-Resources/Buy-Fresh-From-Florida/Crops-in-Season
2. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, “Chapter IV: Statistics of Vegetables and Melons,” in 2014 Agricultural Statistics Annual (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 2014), 34, http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Ag_Statistics/2014/chapter04.pdf
3. Wael M. Elwakil and Mark A. Mossler, Florida Crop/Pest Management Profile: Watermelon, CIR1236, Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, 2013, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi031
4. “Watermelon,” Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, n.d., http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Food-Nutrition-and-Wellness/Living-Healthy-in-Florida/Healthy-Learning/All-About-Florida-Products/Watermelon

UF/IFAS Photo

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