Really - How do you know when to pick the watermelon?

I made a big mistake tonight. I am growing the sugar baby watermelon. I was told that when you hear a hallow sound by thumping the melon that it is ready to come off the stem. Well, it was hallow sounding alright and the fruit was on the vine for over 75 days but when I cut in to it, the flesh was all white with a little bit of red around each seed. So now, I still do not know when is when. Any suggestions?

Thumping requires a very good ear and a comparison. You need to compare the sound of a ripe and green melon. I don't find it very satisfactory. The best indicator is the tendril next to where the stem attaches to the vine, it will dry up when the melon is ripe. Sugar baby is a bit more tricky than most melons however, so you need to look at two other indicators. When ripe that one will turn yellow on the bottom where it is in contact with the ground. Also the filmy look on the skin surface will dissappear.

I've always waited for the tendril next to the watermelon to turn yellow and dry up also. Sometimes checking twice a day. LOL

Thank You so much for the advice! I had no idea to watch the tendrils! The squirrels were trying to bite holes in the melons so I used old nylon stockings to cover up the little ones. Unfortunately the nylons are not strecthing so much to accomdate the melons - should have bought queen size. I guess this is a good thing and I will have to remove them for the duration. Thanks for the advice. If you have any more, please share!

I used Farmerdill`s advice about the tendrils and all my melons were perfect!

Karen

cgustaf~That's a very nice looking melon patch!!

I think the really big melons are better if you wait a couple weeks after the tendrils begin to brown. We cut one that wasn`t quite ripe.(I think that is learning too.) There was another one we waited longer because it was a big melon but had a time reference by when the tendrils began to brown and a few weeks of time and the second one we cut was perfect.

Farmerdill - It just occurred to me that I am growing 2 types of melons, the sugar baby and the Sandia melon. I planted both because the Sandia seed package said that you need to plant a pollinizer and it recommended the Sugar baby as such. Do you think both varieties will do well or does this make a difference?

They should do fine, You must have the Seedless Sangria, I have no record of Sandia as a cultivar. At any rate only the seedless melons need a pollinizer. Biggest problem with seedless melon is getting germination. Once that is accomplished, they grow like any other melon, except that you need a seeded melon as a pollinizer.

Thank you so much! I think I got a bit lucky too. I discovered that bumble bees have made a home under my shed that is right next to the garden!

cgustaf, I had the same luck this year under the shed with my garden, only bad thing is this fall when I have to try and get rid of the bees, being alergic to them.

Cleff, when you get ready to get rid of them, put a couple of "No Pest Strips" where they are. Know it will work on honeybees.

I wouldn't worry about the bumble bees, folks (or the honey bees for that matter).

Bumble bees usually don't survive the winter, only the queens do, and they also don't use the same "nest" the following year. Since they are fantastic pollinators I wouldn't recommend doing anything to "get rid" of them.

And by the way, bumble bees are the most docile of bees, very rarely stinging, so Cleff, you should feel safe by just letting them alone to finish their lifetime in their Winter nest.

Shoe

Cleff, if you don't have an allergic kit. Keep benadryl with you outside always and take it immediately. Having your throat swell shut is not good.
Vickie

Farmerdill Hi. I know this is an older thread but Im hoping you'll still get this message. Im wondering what you mean when you commented above about the melon loosing its "filmy look"?? Im also going to upload a pict I took this morning. I know this Sugar Baby isnt quite ready although it has a large yellow spot on the bottom and the tendrill is starting to turn brown (in the pict its hard to tell. Taken w/cell). Its about as big as a soccer ball. Does the pict look like what you said about the filmy look? Ive also read comments saying that once the tendrill turns brown to wait to pick the melon 7-10 more days. Have you heard/done that? Ive already picked one a few weeks ago and it wasnt ready. I would hate to do that again. Our sugar babys, cantaloupes & honeydews in the garden have been hit w/bugs. Think the plants are dead. Still have a few melons on the vine but doubt theyre any good. This pict is from a plant I put in the flower bed up by the house. Its doing good. A second one up by the house, for some reason, doesnt have any melons on it!! The vine however is growing great! Any help would be appreciated.

The one in the pictute is quite green, even the tendril. It also has the dewy look, like a film of fog over. When ripe they will be a flat green. The 7-10 days is a good safety feature for Sugar Baby which does not obey the rules. After the tendril is completely dry of course.

Farmerdill Thanks for the reply. This melon was the closest to the edge of the bed which is why I took a picture of it. Theres another one thats a little bigger and the whole bottom is yellow. The nearest tendril is just starting to turn brown (just the tip is brown). It also has this same filmy look. Im getting anxious to pick one!! But I guess I'll have to wait a couple more weeks. They were planted in mid April. Wonder why the watermelons have this filmy look? Again, Thank You for the help. I sure am glad I didnt pick it today!! Oh, I was also told by a couple of people (family) that I could "plug" it. Im glad I didnt do that either. Knowing what to look for makes me feel a little more at ease!! Have a good night.