Another first for us this year is watermelons. We only put these in the ground a few weeks ago and weren't expecting anything anytime soon but looking around today we found this little baby. Let's hope it makes it!
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Watermelon Vine
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
- Location
- Kent, England
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
Cor 
I grew some Honeydew melons from one I bought in the supermarket. Didn't come to anything though, probably too cold for them here.
I grew some Honeydew melons from one I bought in the supermarket. Didn't come to anything though, probably too cold for them here.
Dirtmechanic
Active member
- Hardiness zone
- 8a
Watermelon are so hungry! And huge! You may care to find some bedding material such as straw to rest them upon as they size up.
Hadn't thought of that, but probably a good idea, especially as wet as it's been this year. Don't want the bottom to rot out with it just sitting in puddles of mud water. Thanks for the tip!
Finally! We harvested our first watermelon of the year. At least 11 more on the vine that will be ready soon! Can't wait until tomorrow to eat this bad boy!
- Location
- Kent, England
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
Excellent Mike 
Well, it looked good but evidently more time was needed...this certainly didn't go as planned...
So as it turns out, we're terrible at watermelon harvesting. We've still not gotten a perfectly ripe watermelon. We've picked three too soon and they were still a little white in the center. None have been as bad as the one pictured here, but none are quite ripe either. We've also now let two go too long and they turned into mush on the vine. 
One of these days we're going to get a good one!
One of these days we're going to get a good one!
Dirtmechanic
Active member
- Hardiness zone
- 8a
Won't they they ripen a bit on their own once the ethylene starts flowing? Certainly by the time the stem withers?So as it turns out, we're terrible at watermelon harvesting. We've still not gotten a perfectly ripe watermelon. We've picked three too soon and they were still a little white in the center. None have been as bad as the one pictured here, but none are quite ripe either. We've also now let two go too long and they turned into mush on the vine.
One of these days we're going to get a good one!
I'm not sure if they'll keep ripening after they're picked. I assume they will a bit but I doubt it's much.
My problem is I don't know how to tell when they are ripe. So far we've picked some too early and were too late on some. We've read so many contradicting things. We're just gonna have to figure something out. It probably doesn't help that we stupidly planted three different varieties either.
Meadowlark
Well-known member
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
The field spot is the most reliable way for me to pick a ripe watermelon. That's the spot where the melon touched the soil or whatever. It generally looks "yellowish" or buttery when ripe, not white.
Also check the nearest tendril closest to the fruit and it should be brown and dried. The two together are very reliable for me.
Thumping isn't reliable for me...and counting on them ripening after being picked is not a successful way to get a tasty melon.
Also check the nearest tendril closest to the fruit and it should be brown and dried. The two together are very reliable for me.
Thumping isn't reliable for me...and counting on them ripening after being picked is not a successful way to get a tasty melon.
Does not work for me since I grow mine over gravels. They do get sort of a spot but because mine are on gravels instead of soil, it doesn't "blanch" the rind to the right point and on several occasions the wind has blown hard enough to roll the melon and then there are two contact points.
This has been the most reliable to me but you have to make sure the tendril is brown and dried all the way to the crotch. If there is even a bit of green, it isn't ripe. I still pick melon too early or too late so don't feel bad about it. Also I'm trying to watch the next tendrils on each side of the main tendril this year and see what they do. Not sure about those two.
Yea thumping the melon just does not work. It may tell you the water content of the melon but not the ripeness.
What variety of watermelon is this? Looks like it has a lot less seeds than ours.
Meadowlark
Well-known member
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
That is the Triple Crown seedless variety. Seedless is a relative term...more accurately described as less seeds...but a fantastic eating melon.
