No matter how you slice it, there is no summer without
watermelon. Royal Sweet or Icebox, seeded or seedless, I’m not
too finicky about watermelon. According to USDA estimates, each
American consumes about 15 pounds of watermelon a year. By late
July I’m way ahead of that mark. Recently I attended a field day
at the Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center
in Charleston. One of the tours was a watermelon variety trial
that showcased seedless “personal” watermelons. Peeking through
the leafy vines were cantaloupe-sized watermelons. According to
Dr. Richard Hassell, who’s conducting the trial, these miniature
watermelons are in heavy demand in the marketplace. Ranging in
weight from three to seven pounds, they’re a far cry from the 25
to 35 pound oblong watermelons that are often halved and
quartered in supermarkets. While the interest in personal
watermelons is warming up, the demand for seedless watermelons
is red-hot. Although several years have passed since seedless
watermelons were first de