How to tell when it's ripe?

Dak · July 14, 2019

This is the first year I've managed to get watermelon looking halfway good. I've read that when the tendril near the stem is brown, that it's ripe. This is what I'm looking for, right? The variety is Ali Baba.

Wi-sunflower · July 15, 2019

That's the tendril. But you need that tendril AND the tendril upstream and downstream to also be dried up for it to be ripe. Even so sometimes the first won't be totally ripe then. But as the season progresses, that is what we go by. Another clue is when you "rap" the melon the sound should ring like a bell, clean and clear. When the rap produces an dull sound it's over or under ripe.

Carol

Dak · July 15, 2019

Carol, thank you! I don’t want to pick this too early and you’ve given me great clues I can work with.

Rockandrollin · July 15, 2019

Another clue is the color of the spot where the watermelon touches the ground. If it's white, it may not be ready. If it is yellow, then it probably is ready.

I look for the dried tendril, yellow spot and the thump method before I cut into one.

For me the secret is to grow lots of melons, cause if I cut into a melon too early or too late, it is not a big deal as there are plenty of backups.

I am also growing Ali Baba this year as well as Sangaria and Orange Glo.

July 14, 2019	#1
Dak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CA Posts: 494	How to tell when it's ripe? This is the first year I've managed to get watermelon looking halfway good. I've read that when the tendril near the stem is brown, that it's ripe. This is what I'm looking for, right? The variety is Ali Baba.

July 15, 2019	#2
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	That's the tendril. But you need that tendril AND the tendril upstream and downstream to also be dried up for it to be ripe. Even so sometimes the first won't be totally ripe then. But as the season progresses, that is what we go by. Another clue is when you "rap" the melon the sound should ring like a bell, clean and clear. When the rap produces an dull sound it's over or under ripe. Carol

July 15, 2019	#4
Rockandrollin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Kennewick, WA (7a) Posts: 182	Another clue is the color of the spot where the watermelon touches the ground. If it's white, it may not be ready. If it is yellow, then it probably is ready. I look for the dried tendril, yellow spot and the thump method before I cut into one. For me the secret is to grow lots of melons, cause if I cut into a melon too early or too late, it is not a big deal as there are plenty of backups. I am also growing Ali Baba this year as well as Sangaria and Orange Glo.