Why is watermelon called watermelon? How to choose watermelon

Watermelon is sweet and juicy, refreshing and thirst-quenching, and is a great summer fruit. As early as more than 4,000 years ago, Egypt began to grow watermelons. It is one of the most common fruits in summer. It can be divided into fresh watermelons and seed watermelons. Most of the watermelon varieties selected are fresh watermelons, which are the main types of watermelon cultivation. Next, let's learn more about watermelon!

Contents of this article

1. Why is watermelon called watermelon?

2. How to choose watermelon

3. Why should we eat watermelon at the beginning of autumn?

Why is watermelon called watermelon?

Watermelon is called watermelon because it is a kind of melon introduced to China from the Western Regions. Watermelon is one of the most common fruits in summer. As early as more than 4,000 years ago, Egypt began to grow watermelons. With the development of society, watermelons were gradually introduced to Northern Europe, and then to the Middle East, India and other places, and finally to China from the Western Regions.

Watermelon is now cultivated all over China. There are many varieties, and the outer peel, flesh and seeds are in various forms. The watermelons from Xinjiang, Lanzhou, Gansu, Dezhou, Shandong, Dongtai, Jiangsu and other places are the most famous.

Watermelon varieties can be divided into fresh-eating watermelon and seed-eating watermelon. Most of the selected watermelon varieties are fresh-eating watermelons, which are the main type of watermelon cultivation and have the highest degree of hybrid advantage utilization among watermelon varieties.

Seed watermelons have strong adaptability, high lateral vine fruiting rate, and relatively extensive management. The selection of watermelons is the same as that of fresh watermelons. Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang and other provinces are the main producers of seed watermelons in China.

How to choose watermelon

You can choose watermelons by looking at the vines, touching the skin, and listening to the sound. The vines of fresh watermelons will be relatively green, and the navel will be concave inward. Secondly, the skin of the watermelon will be relatively smooth and hard. In addition, if you tap the skin with your fingers, it will make a crisp sound.

The vines of stale watermelons will be dry and yellow, and the rind will be soft. When you tap the rind with your hand, the sound will be dull.

If the shape of the watermelon looks relatively regular and not deformed much, then the quality of the watermelon will be better.

There are many varieties of watermelon, the more common ones are Black Beauty, Early Spring Ruby, Seedless Watermelon, and Flower Skin Watermelon.

Why do we eat watermelon in the beginning of autumn?

In the south, there is a custom of "eating autumn melons on the day of the Beginning of Autumn". Eating autumn melons means eating melons on the day of the Beginning of Autumn. The meaning is that the scorching heat in summer is unbearable, and when the Beginning of Autumn comes, bite them. Watermelons are sweet and juicy, refreshing and thirst-quenching, and are a good fruit in midsummer. Eating watermelons on the day of the beginning of autumn can prevent autumn dryness, and it has become a custom over time. In addition, eating watermelons on the day of the beginning of autumn also means welcoming the arrival of autumn.

The Beginning of Autumn is the first solar term in autumn, which falls on August 7-9 of the Gregorian calendar every year. The Beginning of Autumn means that precipitation and humidity are at a turning point in the year and tend to decline or decrease.

The Beginning of Autumn does not mean the end of the hot weather. It is still during the hot summer period and the summer heat will not end until the second solar term in autumn (Chushu).

The Beginning of Autumn was one of the "Four Seasons and Eight Festivals" in ancient times. People had the custom of worshiping the god of the land and celebrating the harvest, as well as customs such as "putting on weight in autumn", "biting autumn fruits" and "drying autumn fruits".