When are my watermelons ready?

Question

I planted some watermelon seeds in my backyard just for fun. I didn't expect them to grow but they DID! Now they are pretty decent size but I don't know how to find out if they are ripe, without opening them. I cut one open yesterday and it was still white inside.

Answer 1

Watermelons reach maturity approximately 45 days after blooming; highly dependent upon cultivar.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/rhodcv/hort410/waterm/wa00001.htm

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) light green, 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.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/watermelon1.html

Congratulations! Hope this is helpful.

Answer 2

We as well have a watermelon garden next to our house along with many other ones and although im really fond with the rest of them i cannot say the same for water mellons, if you look on the pack that the seeds came in and it shows you a picture of the watermelon try to pick em when they are about that size, i know there are some seeds that will only grow little water melons and then some grow huge ones, just make sure it has that very dark green color to it and it just looks ripe.

Answer 3

The tendrils on the vine closest to the melon will turn dark and dry up. Also, the bottom of the melon will be yellow and it will have a hollow sound when you thump it. Another thing to remember, although watermelon do not continue to ripen after being removed from the vine, they do tend to get redder and sweeter if you leave them at room temperature for around 7 days before refrigerating.
Good Luck

Answer 4

* * * * * Hello----I am a Certified Master Gardener. * * * * *

There are several ways to be able to determine when a watermelon is ripe.

The method I use is to tap on a watermelon with my knuckles. If it sounds HOLLOW, it is ripe. This is my preferred way to determine ripeness. (This does not work for cantaloupe.)

Also, when the stem starts to die back a little from the watermelon, that's a signal of ripeness.

Be sure to save some seeds to replant next season, if it's a watermelon that you are really pleased with---flavor, etc.

A good source for seeds is:

NICHOLS GARDEN NURSERY

THOMPSON & MORGAN

I sincerely hope this helps you.

JUDGE'S JUNGLE

Answer 5

Anytime; all ripeness levels of watermelons result in nice outcroppings.

Use the fork to open the watermelon, and then use the fork and spoon to carve the watermelon into nice outcroppings. Then photograph the outcroppings with your best settings.

Photograph all the pieces on your watermelon, and take it outside and give it, for example, a grass background instead of a table or countertop background - even though you will have to strip off a little bit before you can eat it, because it is just eating and photography comes higher in the list.

Answer 6

Depending on where you live, here in the south US, the season is almost past - July thru Sept. If they're not ripe by now, they may not ripen.

Answer 7

The vine supplying nutrients to the melon, will die and turn brown. This happens when the melon is ready for picking.

Answer 8

CONGRATULATION! I have never been able to get one to grow.

Click this link for information:

http://www.almanac.com/food/watermelonripe.php

Answer 9

cut them when the plant dies

Answer 10

They look ready to me. I bet they are juicy....Yummy.....