Storing and Harvesting watermelonsHarvesting watermelons Tips Watermelon grows best in the south because of the longer growing season. However, don't despair if you're in a colder climate. You can use varieties that mature faster or use a black plastic cover to mulch the ground, cause it to heat and speed the ripening process. The biggest problem that most avid gardeners have with watermelon is not getting them ripe but knowing when they are ripe. Watermelons don't ripen after you pick them so it's important to know the right time to harvest.
How to Know When the Watermelon is Ripe
Of course, the first clue to harvesting watermelon and its ripeness is the amount of time the plant's been in the ground. The tag on the watermelon seedlings or the seed packet gives you an estimate for the number of days to maturity. Use this as an indicator and begin to check the melon patch for ripe melons as it draws near to that time.
As your watermelon begins to grow from the blossom end, you'll notice long curly tendrils. These look a lot like the ribbon curled by running it over a sharp scissor edge. If you notice the tendrils green and lush, don't pick your watermelon. Once these change and look brown and withered, it's probably time to pick.
Another sign that the time is right for harvesting watermelons is the color of the underbelly. Normally green watermelons have a whitish green spot on the underside. The outside sheen also starts to dull. Once this color begins to change to a warm straw yellow, the melon is most probably ready to pick.
If you want even more signs that it's ready, use your sense of touch. The outer skin begins to roughen a bit as it becomes ripe. Some gardeners use a thumbnail test. If you can't make a dent in the skin with your thumbnail, it's a good indication that the melon is ready to harvest.
The final technique is one which shoppers use when purchasing a watermelon. They thump the watermelon. You'll see people rapping and tapping on melons in the store looking for one with just the right sound. Most people don't have enough experience to know what the right sound is, but they do know it should sound a bit hollow. After you learn how a ripe melon sounds, you'll know the sound immediately when you harvest your next melon.
How to Harvest Garden Watermelon
You'll need a scissors or a knife to harvest your watermelon. Measure two inches up from the spot where the stem connects to the melon and clip the stem, leaving the two inches of stem attached to the watermelon.
The Right Time to Pick Watermelon
While there is no recommended time of day, picking the melon in the cool of the morning may extend the storage time.
Tips for Storing Watermelon
Normally watermelons stored at room temperature remain good for about a week. If you store them in a cooler area, between 50 and 60 degrees, you'll extend the watermelon's storage time to two to three weeks.
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