Why Are My Watermelons White Inside?

Do your watermelons just have white streaks in otherwise red flesh?

Is the white flesh of your watermelons hard, which makes them difficult to cut?

Is the white flesh soft and have a sweet taste?

Are you sure your watermelons are ripe?

Your watermelons are suffering from a disorder called White Heart. With it, white streaks appear throughout the flesh of the melon. This disorder can be caused by over-watering or over-feeding your watermelon patch, especially during the ripening process. You should maintain good growing practices and the white heart shouldn't be an issue.

There is a possibility you may have planted a preserving-type watermelon, known as citron watermelons. These watermelons are used for pickling and baking. Unlike most watermelons, white citron watermelons are hard-fleshed and cannot be eaten raw. They look like traditional watermelons on the outside, but their hard flesh makes them much more difficult to cut.

Some types of watermelons have been bred to be white-fleshed, but are good for eating fresh. Two of the well-known cultivars are 'Cream of Saskatchewan' and 'White Sugar Lump'. They can grow to be about 10 pounds and have traditional-looking rinds that are light green with thin, dark green stripes.

If you buy seed from an unreliable nursery, or are new to saving your seeds, you may mistakenly grow the offspring of a red-fleshed watermelon that has cross-pollinated with a citron melon - the watermelon with the hard, white flesh that cannot be eaten fresh. You can avoid this by buying seeds from a reputable supplier. If you save seeds, don't grow citron watermelons near tender-fleshed watermelons.

You may have harvested your watermelon a little early, as the inside changes from white to red when it's ripe. Watermelons are ready to pick when the fruit smells sweet and they make a hollow sound when you tap it. Also, the side touching the ground should start to turn yellow.