When to Harvest (and Eat!) Watermelon
Every year, I face the same dilemma: how to tell if a watermelon is ripe. Muskmelons are easy—they will slip right off the vine at the peak of perfection. However, watermelons remain firmly attached even when they are overripe.
I am no good at the “thump” test. Old-timers swear they know when a watermelon is ripe just by rapping it with a knuckle. It is ready if the sound is low-pitched, hollow, and deep like a drum. Johnny’s Seed Company explains further, saying that it should sound like a “punk” rather than a “pink” or a “pank” when you flick it with your finger. I have failed miserably at this test in years past, picking unripe melons that are still white inside. Once they are detached from the vine, watermelons won’t continue to ripen. You only get one chance to do this right!
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When all else fails, I guess I should look at the seed packet. It says that my Sugar Babies should be ripe in 80 days from planting, and though we started the seeds indoors in early May, they did not get planted in the garden until early June. I think they should be ready any day now, but since they do most of their ripening in the last 2 weeks of growth, it is important not to jump the gun.
Tricks to Tell if a Watermelon is Ripe
Here are other subtle cues to look out for:
- The green color becomes dull.
- On striped melons, the color between the stripes gets darker.
- The rind will get hard.
- The blossom end will soften.
- They will stop getting larger.
- The ground spot will turn from white to yellow.
- The end of the main vine nearest the fruit may start to crack or turn brown.
- The curly tendril on the main vine, closest to the fruit, will turn brown.
Do you have any tried and true method of determining the ripeness of a watermelon that you’d like to share?
See more about harvesting watermelons in the Almanac’s Watermelon Growing Guide.
How do YOU tell that your watermelon is ripe? Do you have any sure-fire tips? We want to hear all about them!
Robin Sweetser
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I grew about 250 watermelons last year. Sold some, gave a lot away, ate a lot. I use the dead tendril method. Not the one closest to the melon, bot the closest one after the melon towards the end of the vine. Thump all you want in the field, doesn’t always work. As for picking one in the store, I look for dullness, darker between the green lines if striped, darkest ground spot, and yeah, I thump if someone is looking :@)
When buying a melon from a market, I had an old man once tell me to look for the yellow "ground" spot AND some visable scarring. It has worked for me nearly every time.
That’s absolutely true. I read that somewhere and ever since, I’ve not picked a bad watermelon since. The larger the yellow spot, the sweeter the melon
Well I am an old gal but I think if I grew an awesome patch of watermelon I would use the techie way to test for ripeness. I would carry a watermelon ripeness expert along with me in the form of Melon Meter, a new app for iPhone and iPad.
Melon Meter has one purpose in life--to steer you to a ripe watermelon. I have never tried it, but after all that work and expense, plus possible devastating disappointment, this seems like a good idea for $1.99.
Here is the link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/melon-meter/id450015952
That link is broken. This one works: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/melony-ripeness-detector/id1468584656
Firstly, I live about 15 miles east of Athens, GA. I am really new to growing watermelons, so determining "ripeness" is a deep concern - they are NOT tomatoes. I am growing Bush Sugar Babies from seed in back and Crimson Sweet from purchased plants in front. The Bush Sugar Baby's are behaving nicely - "small area". The Crimson Sweet plants remind me of Kudzu. LOL When I planted, I saw suggestions of 9 to 10-ft for the vines. Uh, how about 20-ft and still going? I did prune some, but whatever - I have the room. Some will grow in the "weeds".
Back to the topic at hand - ripeness. I picked one Crimson Sweet watermelon with a sort of "butter" (yellow) colored bottom and DEAD tendril. 20-lbs maybe. It was 2/3's ripe. Have since picked 3 or 4 more at 25 to 30+ lbs that were ripe. Dead tendril of course, but in addition to the yellowish bottom (nothing that is stark), started turning kind of yellow all over - especially on top - perfectly ripe. Thing is, the bottom of my Crimson Sweet never get to the "Butter Colored" ground spot. Some pale yellowish here and there, but definite "butter colored"? No.
In regards to the Bush Sugar Babies, I have a few that are set on. One in particular I think is ready or close to ready. Probably 15 lbs? Dead tendril - finally, but "Butter Colored" bottom on mine will not work at all. ALL of my Sugar Baby melons, regardless of age and size have a DEEP BUTTER COLORED ground spot. Hmm, now what. I read a forum where many folks complained they picked when the tendril died only to get a white melon inside. Someone suggested waiting another 7-10 days AFTER the tendril died to pick. Going to find out next week.
That brings up a question I have - How long after a watermelon is ripe on the vine do u have before it is over-ripe? (I realize there is no definitive answer) That is, what is the window-of-opportunity to pick a nice ripe melon? It really stinks to think u might jump the gun thinking is ripe, to get under-ripe, but once u think is ripe, how long do u have to decide? Thx!
Mark, another sign to look for that your watermelon is ripe is the leaf on the vine closest to the stem of the watermelon will start to die or turn brown. The tendril is not a good indication of ripeness. They may be brown and dry and the watermelon may still be half green. I know this from experience!
What if you're buying a melon?
I’m not the expert, but my farm-raised daughter’s boyfriend, says if you pick up a watermelon and it is heavier than it looks, it should be ripe and sweet.
Tried this method this year and we’re three for three so far!
I think you couldn't go wrong with any method to check watermelon ripeness but why not cut one open and taste it and have a look inside.but the ground spot from white to yellow is a good visual test.
