How do you know when watermelons are ripe enough to pick?

Answer 1

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.

The tendrils should be BROWN when the melon is ripe.
That thick stem should be dry.
The melon should also have a melon-like smell.
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/fruit-of-the-month-watermelon?src=rss_psychtoday

The Maryland Cooperative Extension site states that on some watermelon varieties, the tendril can dry up... 10 days before the watermelon is ripe:
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/mce/publications/PDFs/FS455.pdf

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."

When you flick your fingers across the watermelon. ""An unripe watermelon will 'ping' when thumped. An overripe watermelon will 'thud.' The one you want is somewhere in between," The weight of the melon should seem heavy for its size.
http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/000714.Egel.watermelon.html

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

Use a combination of the following indicators to determine when watermelons are ripe; (1) lightªgreen, and when the curled tendril near the stem start to shrivel and dry up; (2) the surface color of the fruit turns dull; (3) the skin is rough and resists penetration by a thumbnail; and (4) the bottom of a melon where it touches the ground turns from a light green to a yellowish color. Watermelons will not continue to ripen after harvest.
http://w3.aces.uiuc.edu/NRES/extension/factsheets/vc-11/VC-11.html

Good Luck! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

I had that question too and asked a friend who had grown a few acres for years. She told me that when the stem attached to the melon curls up like a pig tail they are ready to pick. I went by her advice this year and every melon I picked was wonderfully sweet and juicy.

Answer 3

When we were kids -- we always knew when the green sweet mellons were ripe.. They were ripe all the time when you stold them from the water mellon patch --- usually at dark...

Answer 4

when the stems shrivel and the bottom of the melon is yellow

Answer 5

thump it... if it sounds hollow... it's ready to eat

Be Blessed!