Is that Watermelon ripe????
By bird123
@bird123 (10643)
United States
July 27, 2012 11:13pm CST
Watermelon is a funny thing. It never ripens more after it is picked. So when are you going to pick it??? I have had some say pick it when it is large and has yellow on the bottom. Did that and it was a large cucumber, not ripe. Another wise guy said cut a plug out and see. If not ripe, put the plug back. The big news here is if you cut a plug out, it will all rot, not ripen.
Is there a secret??? You bet. As a watermelon vine grows it has these curlyQs that try to attach the vine to something in order to stabilize the vine. The watermelon isn't ripe until the curlyQ where the melon is growing dies. For a really great tasting melon, I wait until a couple of curlyQs past the melon die just to be sure.
There was a man who gave me some special watermelon seeds. They grew a large cannonball type of watermelon. When they got ripe, the watermelon rolled over on it's side. This man is no longer alive and I have never been able to find those seeds again. I thought that was so special when that watermelon rolled over to tell me it was ready.
Finally, I think it's important to stop watering that watermelon when it gets close to being ripe. I think when really dry that it decreases the water content inside the melon just enough that it gets sweeter. Of course, it needs lots of water,fertilizer and sun until it gets grown.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@jennyze (7028)
• Indonesia
13 Aug 12
Are you a farmer now? Thought you are something of a preacher...
A relative had a farm of watermelon years ago, it was a hard work, a constant money spending and when it was a success harvest, so were the other farms that the price was down and down. My relative just gave it up...
A relative had a farm of watermelon years ago, it was a hard work, a constant money spending and when it was a success harvest, so were the other farms that the price was down and down. My relative just gave it up...
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
15 Aug 12
I have known people with a green thumb which means they can grow everything, and they don't have to work at it. Somehow, they know just what to do. I think I water too much. Sometimes taking too good of care of something is worse than leaving it alone. After all, those veggies grew for millions of years without anyone helping them.
Oh, I don't know about those aliens from outer space with green thumbs but if you bump into them, I need a few flying saucer parts. I'm having trouble getting mine off the ground. 
@changjiangzhibin89 (16790)
• China
30 Jul 12
I don't know what the curlyQs is.I guess it is the tendril.It seems that you have grown the watermelon,so you know it a thing or two.However we cann't see the curlyQs at all when we buy a watermelon.Usually we see its "navel" ,if it is small,shows it is ripe.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16790)
• China
31 Jul 12
It is like buy a cat in the sack.When we buy watermelon from the store,we cut a plug on it more often than not to see if it is ripe ,because the storekeeper guarantees change of it if it isn't ripe.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
28 Jul 12
Indeed you never know if the watermelon you picked out is sweet or not. I was taught to go by the yellow mark as well. The bigger the mark the longer it's been growing I believe was my Mother's reasoning? I would say the majority of the time it is accurate.
As far as the curls on the vine go, that may be an interesting one to try out. However, here when you get the watermelon there is no sign of the vine so you have no idea. And of course you can't sample the watermelon here, nor could you put the "plug" back in w/ having to buy it or cause the melon to spoil.
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
28 Jul 12
Yes, buying that watermelon in a store is a different thing all together. One can never know by looking whether they waited until it was ripe to pick it. I know some people can tell by knocking on the melon, however I found that doesn't work either. I have bought all sounds and still one can never know. I guess the best way is to look for that yellow on the bottom when it is a deep dark yellow. Those curlyQs are when one is actually growing their own watermelons. It is something I love to do.
