This is our first year planting watermelon. We planted a kind called "space saver". When should we pick?

Question

We planted in early May now we have big softball size>

Answer 1

Watermelon is ready to pick when the stem on the top starts to turn brown. And if you don't want to have a yellow side melon... turn it as it grows.. you will then get a perfect melon

Answer 2

Space-saver melons are not going to get as big as store-produce sized melons, but "soft-ball" is a little small. Picking ripe melons is a crap-shoot in any garden, but it's best to let them be until the bottom of the watermelon is somewhat yellow. Yours will probably be about the size of a soccer ball when ready, I would guess - maybe smaller. They will also tend to be more round than oblong. Watch for the yellow underside. (There's nothing quite like garden-ripened watermelon. The seedless varieties sold in stores today are flavorless when compared to them.)