honeydew melons

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dk Jul 29, 2001

Ok, I got the watermelon thing down, and I know when my cantelopes are ripe, but what about the honeydew melons.
How do I determine when these are ready to pick and eat.
Thanks.

Post #9551
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CoCo Jul 30, 2001

ok DK
The honeydew's greenish-white rind turns creamy when ripe and has a slight fruit aroma.
Avoid the large melons with bruises, cuts or punctures in the rind.
It is approximately 30-35 days are required from fruit pollination to harvest most varieties of melons.
Harvested @ full slip; when the melon can be easily removed from the vine.....this is when the melons are the sweetest.

This message was edited Monday, Jul 30th 7:31 PM

Post #102791
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Terry Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a) Jul 30, 2001

Well, I don't have either watermelon or cantaloupe ripeness testing down, so who can tell me when to pick them?

I've got Sugar Baby watermelons that - according to when I planted them - should reach maturity this week. They're about the right size, but what else can I do to make sure they're ripe before I pick them?

Cantaloupes will be another couple weeks, so I'm taking notes from CoCo's advice above. Any other hints or tips? Thanks!!!!!

Post #102821
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dk Jul 30, 2001

On the watermelon:
The tendril closest to where the melon attaches to the vine should turn brown and dry. Then the underside of the melon will be a yellow and of course you can always thump them (doesn't work for me). I never really rely on the days to maturity because those numbers are for the perfect garden and mine is far far from that. I picked my first three sugar babies this week. Not bad, don't expect the largest to be ready first either. Size doesn't dictate ripeness.

Muskmellons:
watch the skin beneath the netting, it will change colors, you can slightly push in on the bottom of the melon and it should have a little give, and the melon should easily pull right off the vine when it is ripe. You should also be able to smell the rich smell of the cantelopes. Pulled my first rockyford this week also, it was beautiful and large, but not as sweet as I hoped. Of course we are nothing like Colorado in our weather, and that probably has a little to do with it.

Thanks for the advice on the honeydew. The vines are not going to last much longer because of the bugs, so I hope I get to enjoy at least one before they go to the trash.

Post #102843
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CoCo Jul 31, 2001

Have never had a Honeydew melon. Cantaloupes yes, Honeydew's no.
Now we do have our honey-do's around here but guess that's different...LOL
Honey do this, honey do that.

Post #103373
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