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Grittyville, WA

Watermelon...Is it ripe when it stops growing or a week or two or more after it stops growing? They dont slip from the vine like cantaloupes correct? So I guess my question is, about how long after it stops growing will it be ripe? Thank you.

9/6/2020 10:15:38 PM

Bethlehem CT

If you are talking about the Carolina Cross variety most growers agree that they are probably ripe for eating before they stop growing. Many growers get growth on their melons for 90 or more days! Crazy. I am pretty sure a 90 day old melon would be pretty darn mealy. When I used to grow CC just for fun. I would eat them when the noticeable visual growth stopped. For most eating melon varieties you begin picking when the tendril nearest the melon turns brown, then I wait another week.)

9/6/2020 10:51:51 PM

Grittyville, WA

I noticed the leaf attached at the melon turned sorta funky with brown spots while the other leaves on that part of the plant are healthy... I can only assume that's similar to the tendril indicator. Yay, a few more west coasters will be eating cold watermelon during the heatwave here... thanks :)

9/7/2020 1:10:52 AM

Muddy Waters

80 days in the north & they are perfect to eat even 75 days is good

9/12/2020 5:12:46 PM