This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy was my first dog and he thought the garden was his, even though I did all the work. Now Suzie and Charley follow in his footsteps. We're located near Boston (USDA zone 6A). I have a community plot, a backyard vegetable garden, fruit trees, berry bushes, chickens, and bees. I use sustainable organic methods and do my best to grow all of my family's vegetables myself.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
ripening melons
A nice hot summer and I have my first ever melons ripening! A Charentois and a San Juan. I think maybe a watermelon or two will ripen also. I can't wait to try them!!
If they are anything like the cantaloupes that I grew, they just release into your hand when they are ripe. It's wonderful. The skin under the "webbing" of the cantaloupe went from green to yellow. It took over a week and then several more days to release. Yours are beautiful.
Watermellons are ready when the stems wilt/ look dryed out. I also put them on old canning screw tops to keep them off the ground. You don't want the bottom to rot .out.We have been enjoying cantelopes for a week, but not as many as last year
Alert, new friend. Chanterais melons are ripe when leaf closest to melon yellows. If you wait for melon to slip off vine when nudged, melon will be overripe and mushy inside. I grew years ago and waited for vine slip and was very disappointed. Online search revealed my problem. I am growing again this year and am watching last leaf closely. I recommend you do online search for chanterais melon ripening and follow recommendations from more seasoned melon growers than I. Enjoy!
Excuse my non technical language, but there is a curly bit that is (usually multiples) near the watermelon itself. Once the curly bit starts to turn brown, then it's ready. :)
We are having delicious ripe melons for the first time this year. They began to rot as mentioned on the bottom. Glad for the tip on using the canning lids to set them on. We are growing honey rock and athena melons. Very good tasting melons. So excited they are doing so well!!
Hi Kathy, I was going to say the same thing as Cary. The color of the skin should also change slightly as well.
Last year, I picked several watermelons waaaay under-ripe and one that was rotting inside. That was until I discovered this trick - the best indicator is the tendril closest to the watermelon. If it has died back, usually the melon will be ripe or close to being ripe (within a week).
Wow those melons look awesome! One of my cantaloupe flowers was just pollinated so it's growing now. I was wondering how long it took for yours to get to where it is??
I was glad to see all these answers!! I also have cantaloupe for the first time, & was trying to figure it out! One had changed colour, so I had half of it tonight - it was a little underripe - but so so good! I have two more, will leave them on longer! Good tip about what to look for on the Charentois, which I've wanted to try as well
11 comments:
If they are anything like the cantaloupes that I grew, they just release into your hand when they are ripe. It's wonderful. The skin under the "webbing" of the cantaloupe went from green to yellow. It took over a week and then several more days to release. Yours are beautiful.
Watermellons are ready when the stems wilt/ look dryed out. I also put them on old canning screw tops to keep them off the ground. You don't want the bottom to rot .out.We have been enjoying cantelopes for a week, but not as many as last year
can you tell from the smell? (didn't mean to rhyme but it's nearly a poem!)
Alert, new friend. Chanterais melons are ripe when leaf closest to melon yellows. If you wait for melon to slip off vine when nudged, melon will be overripe and mushy inside. I grew years ago and waited for vine slip and was very disappointed. Online search revealed my problem. I am growing again this year and am watching last leaf closely. I recommend you do online search for chanterais melon ripening and follow recommendations from more seasoned melon growers than I. Enjoy!
Excuse my non technical language, but there is a curly bit that is (usually multiples) near the watermelon itself. Once the curly bit starts to turn brown, then it's ready. :)
We are having delicious ripe melons for the first time this year. They began to rot as mentioned on the bottom. Glad for the tip on using the canning lids to set them on. We are growing honey rock and athena melons. Very good tasting melons. So excited they are doing so well!!
Hi Kathy, I was going to say the same thing as Cary. The color of the skin should also change slightly as well.
Last year, I picked several watermelons waaaay under-ripe and one that was rotting inside. That was until I discovered this trick - the best indicator is the tendril closest to the watermelon. If it has died back, usually the melon will be ripe or close to being ripe (within a week).
Wow those melons look awesome! One of my cantaloupe flowers was just pollinated so it's growing now. I was wondering how long it took for yours to get to where it is??
I was glad to see all these answers!! I also have cantaloupe for the first time, & was trying to figure it out! One had changed colour, so I had half of it tonight - it was a little underripe - but so so good! I have two more, will leave them on longer!
Good tip about what to look for on the Charentois, which I've wanted to try as well
Just if I may say something. It is actually Charentais (french).
By the way, they look great !
Thanks!!! I will try to remember that.
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