Is my watermelon ripe?

Question

I turned my watermelons while they were growing and now I don't have any cream color on them, and they aren't the variety that have stripes. This is my first year growing. What other ways can I tell if they are ripe? A week ago I thumped one and it sounded hollow, but it was still green inside. :(

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

When the tendril closest to the melon turns brown and falls off it should be ripe. Another way to tell is when the surface of the melon changes from being very shiny to a dull waxy look, it's ready. Finally you can plug it. Take a sharp pointed knife and cut a 1"x1" wedge out of the melon, taste and replace the plug if not ripe. Try every couple days, the plugs heal over with sugars and keep out ants. RScott

Answer 3

The best way to check if they are ripe is to thump the watermelon. I know it sounds silly but if it is ripe it will have a hollow feel and sound to it and if it is not it will feel hard and sound solid. You can flick it or just kind of slap it and you will feel it. Hope this helps

Answer 4

thump it by flicking your forefinger hard on the rind, you should get a not exactly hollow sound but similar to a hollow sound, sorry it's hard to describe exactly the sound your listening for.

Answer 5

how to tell when a honey dew is ripe