Fresh watermelons from Jieshan

Fresh watermelons from Jieshan

　　    Jieshan watermelons are juicy with fine-textured flesh, sweet and refreshing taste, thin rinds, few seeds, and medium to small-sized fruits. They are easy to store and transport, and are hailed as the “No. 1 Watermelon in Shandong.” In addition to supplying the provincial market, they are also exported to regions south of the Yangtze River.

　　  Watermelon, also known as cold melon, summer melon, or water melon, is a beloved summer treat. The edible flesh part makes up 54–65% of the whole watermelon’s weight and contains 94% water. Watermelons are highly nutritious — every 100 grams contain 4–14 grams of sugar, 1.2 grams of protein, 6 milligrams of calcium, 10 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.2 milligrams of iron, along with beneficial components such as betaine, lycopene, carotene, and rich vitamins A, B1, B2, C, etc. Besides being eaten fresh, they can also be processed into watermelon jam, watermelon juice, and more. Medically, watermelon has the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, and promoting urination. It is suitable for treating symptoms such as heatstroke fever, excessive sweating and thirst, nephritis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, diabetes, hypertension, and dark yellow scanty urine. The seeds contain protein, fat, vitamin B2, and can be consumed or used as an ingredient in pastries. The dried outer rind of the watermelon, called “watermelon green peel,” when decocted, offers similar effects to the juice. The seeds can also be used as a tea snack.

　　  Watermelon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is an annual herbaceous plant with vine-like stems covered in fine hairs. It has a well-developed root system that grows deep and spreads widely. It produces unisexual flowers on the same plant, with early blooming yellow flowers. The fruit is either round or oval-shaped, with rind colors ranging from dark green, green-white, to green with snake-skin patterns. The flesh color varies from deep red, light red, yellow, to white. Watermelons thrive in heat but fear low temperatures, with ideal growth temperatures above 25–30°C. A minimum of 18–20°C is required for fruit setting, while growth halts around 10°C and frost damage occurs at 5°C. Ample sunlight, dry climate, and large day-night temperature differences are conducive to sugar accumulation in the fruit. Watermelons are adaptable to various soil types but grow best in deep, fertile sandy loam.

　　  Watermelons are divided into two main types: those grown for fruit and those grown for seeds. Jieshan watermelons belong to the fruit type. Jieshan Township is located by the Da Wen River, blessed with abundant water sources and fertile sandy soil, making it highly suitable for large-scale watermelon cultivation. In recent years, seizing the opportunity of rural industrial restructuring, Jieshan Township has vigorously developed greenhouse watermelons, covering an area of over 10,000 mu, with an annual total yield exceeding 50 million kilograms, making it the largest watermelon production base in southwestern Shandong.

　　  Jieshan watermelons are known for their early maturity, thin rinds, good color, high sweetness, sandy flesh, and excellent storage and transport qualities. They hit the market in mid-May, which is the off-season for northern fruit markets, making them especially popular. They have maintained strong and continuous sales in major cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shenyang, Changchun, and Harbin.