Watermellons

[gary]

We tried growing them this year. They got a late start due to the weather.  Now we have about 30 of them in the garden still. How do you tell when to pick them? Will they ripen after being picked?  We have picked a couple they weren't ripe but almost there. Hoping this cold spell doesn't hurt them it has been around freezing the last few nights.

[Tom]

The leaves will often yellow.  The melon gets a heavy and has a hollow, bass drum sound.  The bottom of the melon will begin to turn yellow, where it sits on the ground.

The best way to tell is eat it.   If it isn't ripe enough, throw away the red part, peel the white part (rind) and make Watermelon-rind preserves.  ;D

[tonich]

The leaves will often yellow.  The melon gets a heavy and has a hollow, bass drum sound.  The bottom of the melon will begin to turn yellow, where it sits on the ground.

+ the fruit tail/stem turns brown and dries out

[gary]

I finally convinced the wife that the watermelons were not going to get any riper. So we went and picked 6 of them.




These were the 2 biggest that we picked one was 50 lbs. and the other was 58

[Tom]

Were you right?  Were they Ripe?  8)

Start getting to 50 pounds it reminds me of the melons of my youth.  Big, juicy melons that were the center piece of picnic.

I want to see you eating the inside of that thing!!

Watermelons in October.  I'll bet folks will be beating down your door to get them.  :D

[gary]

Yes it was ripe.It could have been a little darker red,but it was as ripe as it was going to get here.

There is your picture Tom and no people aren't beating the door down for them but they are knocking on it . It was real sweet and juicy.

[Tom]

Aw-w-w-w  Man-n-n-n-n!!  That is making me want a watermelon so bad-d-d!