Nothing says Kansas summer like a cold watermelon on a hot day. Here’s when local melons start hitting stands, how to pick one that’s actually ripe, and what to look for at Mr. Mc’s Market when the season’s on.
When Does Watermelon Season Start in Kansas?
Local Kansas watermelons usually start hitting in late June and run strong through early September. The peak is mid-July to mid-August — that’s when local melons are the cheapest, sweetest, and most plentiful.
Before late June, the watermelons in stores are mostly trucked in from Texas, Florida, and Georgia. Those are fine — but a melon grown right here in Kansas, picked ripe, hauled less than a hundred miles? Different sweetness. Different juice.
How to Pick a Good Watermelon
Forget thumping it. Here’s what actually works:
1. Check the Field Spot
Flip the melon over and look for a yellow or cream-colored patch where it sat on the ground. Bright creamy yellow = ripe. White or pale green = picked early. The darker yellow, the longer it stayed on the vine.
2. Check the Weight
A ripe watermelon feels heavy for its size. Lift two melons of the same size and pick the one that pulls your arm down. More water means more sweetness.
3. Check the Tail
The curly tendril where the melon attached to the vine should be dry and brown. Green tendril = picked too early.
4. Check the Skin
Dull, matte skin = ripe. Shiny, waxy skin = under-ripe. Sounds backwards but it’s true.
5. The Thump Test (If You Insist)
A ripe melon sounds hollow and deep when you thump it — like knocking on a wood door. An under-ripe melon sounds dull and dead, like knocking on drywall. An over-ripe melon sounds soft.
What We Stock at Mr. Mc’s Market
We pull in melons from local Kansas growers as soon as the harvest starts. When the season’s running, we usually have:
- Seeded red watermelons — old-school sweetness, the way summer used to taste
- Seedless red watermelons — easier to eat, still sweet
- Yellow watermelons — milder, almost honey-like
- Orange watermelons — sweetest of the bunch, harder to find
See our seeded, orange, and yellow watermelon lineup and check what’s in stock when the season opens.
How to Store It
Whole watermelon: room temperature on the counter, up to a week. Cold storage stops it from getting sweeter, so don’t refrigerate until you cut it.
Cut watermelon: airtight container, in the fridge, three to five days.
Eat It While You Can
Kansas watermelon season is short and hot. Three months, maybe four. When you see them on the stand, grab one — they’re at their best for a stretch you can count on one hand.
📚 Related on Mr. Mc’s Market
Stop by Mr. Mc’s Market — Wichita’s Neighborhood Spot
📍 1901 E 21st St N, Wichita, KS 67214
📞 (316) 265-9930
📧 admin@mrmcsmarket.com
🕐 Open 9 AM – 9 PM, 7 days a week
👉 Want to see what melons are in today? Call (316) 265-9930 or stop in once Kansas season opens.