Alright, long story short, all the ones I planted died in the big rains a while back, but all the seeds i threw on the pile of dirt i had at the end of my garden have gone crazy. There are 7-8 that are the size of softballs and bigger, not to mention the 10 others that sre the size of golf balls. I know they aren't ready, but this is my first time to grow melons. how do you know when they are ready to pick? I think they are black diamonds.
the curly " que" that is just down from the steam of the melon will begin to dry up on the end. The more rip the deader the curly que will be. We always pick melons once the curly has dried up and the bottom of the melon has turned from a yellow color to a more white color. Also the sound of the melon will change once it becomes more ripe. A ripe melon will have more of a holllow sound to it as compared to a green melon will make more of a slap sound. Slap a few at the grocery store next time and remember that sound. Hope this helps
Also, if you have coons/possums around, they will know exactly when the melons are ripe and tear into them....so its kind of important to pick them as soon as they are ripe.
cantaloupe will be ready when all of the netting turns from green to brown. you can tell when they are ready they will begin to smell like a cantaloupe. it will also begin to get softer and softer to the touch....
jk
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