Watermelons.... ripe or not?

[theOEGBman]

Well Folks,

I've got quite a few melons on my Orange Tendersweet plants, and a few are pretty large! I have my large one that has grown a lot, and I dont know when to pick these things! I've heard all kinds of techniques, and I wanted to know which worked well for you? This watermelon has NO spot on the bottom, some that are half the size of it do, so Im confused. It does have a yellow spot on the top, but it looks like too much exposure to the sun or something. The vine is still healthy and green, and the curl is too. It sounds kind of hollow when I thump it. So what techniques do you guys use to tell when your watermelons are ripe? Thanks!

 

[coopy]

When the vine at the top of the melon or the curl starts to turn brown or dry up is when I know the melon is ripe. Also if the bottom is a creamy or is yellow on the bottom.

 

[theOEGBman]

Those were two of the techniques I had heard of, thanks! That's the thing with this one, there is NO spot on the bottom. That's what was throwing me off,lol.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You can thump it. When it sounds "hollow" it is ripe. An unripe one has more of a thunk sound.

 

[ams3651]

i second that, when it starts to dry up see if the melon gives that hollow thump.

 

[theOEGBman]

Ok, thanks! I keep getting mixed reports from my family, so its getting pretty confusing! lol. One will thump it and say, "Sounds ripe!" then the next one tells me its not. So what the heck?!

 

[ams3651]

also, it should feel heavier than it looks.

 

[theOEGBman]

Ok, thanks! I have a feeling Im going to do pretty bad this year, hahaha!