Read by Brian Lupin

There are certain gardening realities that arrive every August like clockwork. Tomatoes begin stacking up on kitchen counters. Zucchini mysteriously multiplies overnight. And somewhere across America, gardeners stand in their backyards staring at enormous watermelons thinking:

“What exactly was I planning to do with all of these?”

Now, to be fair, if you’re growing watermelons, that’s a commitment you already made months ago. Watermelons are not a spur-of-the-moment crop. They require sunshine, patience, space, and a certain willingness to let sprawling vines wander wherever they please like teenagers avoiding chores.

So, today’s story isn’t really about how to grow watermelons.

It’s about what happens after the harvest arrives… especially when the harvest arrives with enthusiasm.

If you’d like to know how I learned this lesson, I can trace it back to one small childhood gardening decision involving my mother’s flower bed.

As a boy growing up in California’s Sacramento Valley, I became convinced that I should plant “just a few” watermelon seeds in a sunny patch near the house. Unfortunately, the sunny patch I selected happened to be one of my mother’s carefully maintained flower beds.

At the time, I imagined perhaps one or two modest melons appearing by late Summer.

Instead, those vines exploded like they had signed a professional sports contract. By August, the flower bed had vanished beneath giant green leaves and sprawling vines. Watermelons appeared everywhere. Under leaves. Near the walkway. Hanging halfway into the lawn. It looked less like gardening and more like a produce invasion.

When the final harvest was complete, my tiny experiment had somehow produced well over 100 pounds of watermelon for our family of three.

My mother was not entirely delighted.

Fortunately, my father — a professional chef and lifelong believer that no harvest should ever go to waste — immediately began offering ideas for how we could eat watermelon morning, noon, and night.

And honestly?

Some of those ideas still sound pretty terrific today.

Watermelon the Easy Way

Of course, the classic approach remains hard to beat.

Few Summer pleasures compare with chilled watermelon slices served on a hot August afternoon. Cold, crisp, sweet, and refreshing, watermelon is basically Summer’s answer to air conditioning.

But if your garden has produced more melons than your family can casually consume while sitting on the porch, there are plenty of delicious ways to branch out.

Watermelon Fruit Salad

One of my father’s favorite approaches was combining watermelon cubes with whatever fresh fruits happened to be overflowing from the garden or kitchen.

Try mixing watermelon with:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Peaches
• Cantaloupe
• Mint leaves
• Fresh lime juice

The sweetness of watermelon plays beautifully with tart berries and juicy stone fruits. Add a little fresh mint, and suddenly your backyard picnic starts feeling suspiciously sophisticated.

Grilled Watermelon? Absolutely.

If you’ve never grilled watermelon, I realize this may sound slightly ridiculous.

Stay with me.

Lightly brush thick watermelon slices with olive oil, sprinkle with a touch of sea salt, and place them briefly on a hot grill. The heat caramelizes the sugars slightly while adding a smoky flavor that pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken, steak, pork chops, or even grilled vegetables.

And if you’re already brushing barbecue sauce or marinades onto meats, don’t be afraid to experiment with a little of that flavor on the watermelon itself. Sweet, smoky, spicy, and juicy can be a surprisingly successful combination.

My father loved adding cracked black pepper and a squeeze of lime after grilling. He claimed it made watermelon “behave more like a proper side dish.”

I’m still not entirely sure what that means, but it tasted excellent.

Watermelon Juice: Summer in a Glass

One of the simplest ways to use a mountain of watermelon is also one of the best.

Blend chilled watermelon chunks until smooth.

That’s it.

Fresh watermelon juice is refreshing all by itself, but it also becomes the foundation for all sorts of late-Summer beverages.

For non-alcoholic versions, try adding:

• Sparkling water
• Lime juice
• Mint
• Basil
• Ginger

For adult gatherings, watermelon juice mixes beautifully with:

• Vodka
• Rum
• Tequila
• Prosecco

A frozen watermelon slush on a warm August evening may not solve all of life’s problems, but it certainly improves morale.

Other Delicious Possibilities

If your harvest still seems endless, consider:

• Freezing watermelon cubes for smoothies
• Making watermelon popsicles
• Tossing cubes into green salads with feta cheese
• Blending watermelon into gazpacho-style chilled soups
• Creating watermelon salsa with jalapeños and cilantro
• Pickling watermelon rind

Yes, pickled watermelon rind is real. And surprisingly good.

My father insisted that learning to use every edible part of a harvest was part of respecting the garden itself. Looking back, I think he was right.

Planning Ahead for Next Season

And finally, a little note for future gardeners.

If your watermelon harvest this year has been slightly underwhelming — or if you’ve spent the Summer admiring your neighbor’s melons with quiet envy — perhaps next season is the time to join the watermelon adventure yourself.

Some excellent varieties to consider include:

• Sugar Baby — Compact and perfect for smaller gardens or raised beds
• Crimson Sweet — Reliable, sweet, and beautifully striped
• Charleston Gray — A classic heirloom favorite with large fruits
• Moon and Stars — Famous for its whimsical spotted rind
• Black Diamond — Big, bold, and wonderfully juicy
• Orangeglo — Bright orange flesh with exceptional sweetness

Just remember one thing before planting.

A “few watermelon seeds” can become a very large amount of watermelon.

Trust me on this. ❖