The national watermelon season is starting! We are in the middle of spring and we have already started to harvest the first watermelons grown in Spain. Without a doubt, it is our favorite season because we love both watermelon and melon, which will be arriving soon, and they have been two very important products at Peris for decades.
have been two very important products at Peris for decades.
And if you think that these first pieces are weaker in flavor and that there are no others like the summer ones, you are mistaken. Spring and domestically grown Peris watermelons are full of flavor, extra sweet and very juicy.
These first watermelons of the spring-summer season are grown in greenhouses, as we planted them in December and January, when it was still cold. It is therefore necessary to protect the small watermelon bushes under plastic to ensure that flowering comes to fruition.
Only a few days ago we started with the harvest and we already have with us, in our plants in Foios and Albuixech (Valencia), the first pallets. Customers loyal to the Peris brand have been the first to receive these first units, which can already be found in the main markets and greengrocers in cities such as Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela, among many others.
Watermelons grown in Spain, yes, but where?
In Spain there are different watermelon growing areas, but we are going to talk about the most important ones, which is exactly where we grow ours.
The season starts with watermelon from Almeria, specifically from the south of the province. These watermelons cover the months of April, May and early June.
In June and July, watermelon arrives from Murcia, northern Almeria and Seville. These are already planted in the open, since temperatures are usually higher and there is no danger of night frosts that could jeopardize flowering and, therefore, the harvest.
In July, August and September, watermelon from Castilla-La Mancha makes its appearance, together with watermelon from Valencia and Tarragona.
The price of watermelon this year 2023
The 2022 season was very complex for several reasons (weather, production costs…) and this caused the price of watermelon to increase significantly at the beginning of the season.
This year 2023 looks set to be better, because the weather is favorable and, in principle, a higher production volume than last season is expected.
However, this volume will be low in these first few weeks. This is because the winter vegetable season has stretched somewhat longer than usual and winter crops have been started later.
The most direct consequence is that there has been a two-week delay in the planting of the strong volume of watermelon, and almost all the production of this first stage of the season will reach the market in greater volume from mid-May onwards. It will be then, foreseeably, when prices will lose the momentum of the start of the season.
The most common types of watermelon on the market
In Spain there are two main types of watermelon, striped watermelon and black watermelon, we will tell you their differences so that you can choose the one that best suits your tastes.
Striped watermelon
Striped watermelon has a crunchier, more consistent flesh, this is because it has a lower proportion of water. In addition, it also tends to have a thicker rind.
Black watermelon
Black watermelon has a thinner and therefore more delicate skin. Its pulp contains more water and is sweeter.
Seedless watermelon
The seedless watermelon can be found either striped or black, there are both types. This is the only one we work with in Peris because it is the consumer’s favorite and at the beginning there was a lot of distrust for something that was considered a rarity. If watermelons have been seeded all their lives, what kind of experiment has caused them to disappear? No experiment, no transgenic watermelons. What’s behind seedless watermelons is a lot of research and farming technology.
Bonus Track:
Let’s conclude this article on watermelon by giving you a couple of ‘gifts’, we hope you enjoy them!
Gift 1:
This video gives you the keys to choose a quality watermelon.
Gift 2:
These recipes with watermelon will allow you to enjoy this fruit in a different way.
- Watermelon gazpacho recipe.
- Low temperature watermelon loin recipe.
- Watermelon tataki recipe.
- Watermelon millefeuille recipe.
- Watermelon carpaccio recipe
Peris watermelons are waiting for you in the fruit stores!