how can you tell a watermelon is ripe?

Question

What are a few different ways of knowing if a watermelon is ripe? This is the 1st year we've grown watermelons. Thank you

Answer 1

Watermelon is ripe when the tendril dries and the spot were the melon touches the ground turns from shiny and pale green or white to dull and cream or yellow.

Ripe melon has a dull appearance...Unripe melon has a shiny appearance. Here's some pictures:
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cornucop/msg0710205414678.html

Daniel Egel, Southwest-Purdue Agricultural Center, said a watermelon's appearance and feel are better gauges than the time-honored practice of tapping on the outer skin. "A watermelon that is ripe will be faded on the top. If the watermelon has stripes, look at the area between the stripes. This area should be a light green. Turn the watermelon over and look at the place where the fruit stood on the ground. If the watermelon is ripe, the 'belly spot' will be white or yellow. If you can see the stripes through the belly spot, it may not be ripe." A smooth rind usually indicates a good fruit. "You might try to avoid melons that are over-lumpy," Egel said. "Sometimes that may mean the rind on the inside is discolored, which is unappealing to some people."
Watermelons at the peak of ripeness are normally filled out and blunt on the ends. Melons with pointy ends may still be maturing and not as delicious, Egel said.

Consumers who still want to thump the watermelon should listen closely when their finger flicks the fruit. "An unripe watermelon will 'ping' when thumped. An overripe watermelon will 'thud.' The one you want to buy is somewhere in between."
http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/000714.Egel.watermelon.html
Good luck! Hope this helps.

Answer 2

There are some pointers on the thank you to tell: North, South, East, or West, anyplace you develop your watermelon, this summer season you will face the daunting activity of determining its ripeness. we've heard all varieties of suggestion, which includes the fact that a ripe melon, whilst thumped, will sense extra like a human head than a human chest. Dr. invoice Rhodes, professor of horticulture at Clemson college, gives you right here yet warns that for the previous two decades, he's been hoping for extra effective perception. a million. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, that's ripe. that's puzzling for much less-gifted ears. 2. examine out the colour on the appropriate. The watermelon is ripe whilst there is little assessment between the stripes. 3. examine out the colour on the backside. A eco-friendly watermelon would have a white backside; a ripe melon would have a cream- or yellow-colored backside. 4. Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it supplies somewhat, that's ripe. (Rhodes does not like this technique by using fact it may smash the hassle-free of the fruit.) 5. examine the tendril. If that's a million/2-lifeless, it would desire to indicate that the watermelon is almost ripe or ripe. If the tendril is completely lifeless, it would desire to indicate that anthracnose or another fungus killed the melon, or that that's ripe or overripe. If the tendril is eco-friendly, you should attend to %. the melon. 6. count quantity the form of days from anthesis (flowering) or the form of days from planting. This works incredibly plenty in case you realize the selection of watermelon and how many days that's meant to take for that type to ripen under prevalent temperature and fertilizer regimes. 7. examine the dimensions. that's not unavoidably authentic that as quickly as a watermelon is massive sufficient, that's waiting; yet under sturdy circumstances, it will be prevalent length. If that's not, you're in all hazard too irritating. 8. Crack some. you have have been given an entire field of watermelons, and you could prepare somewhat, suitable? 9. Is the vine lifeless or dying? properly, the watermelon won't get any riper, so as which you would be able to besides %. it.

Answer 3

If a watermelon is ripe, it should sound hollow. Just thump it, and if it sounds kinda hollow, then it's ready,. I guess it's the same as the other person's answer, but I like getting best answer.

Answer 4

THUMP THE SIDE IF IT MAKES A HOLLOW SOUND IT IS READY