When are watermelons ripe and ready to be picked?

[BLACKJACK]

For the first time ever the watermelons that I planted are producing some melons but the problem is when are they ready to eat? I know timing will be critical, picked too soon they will be green, picked too late, they will be mealy. They're getting good sized, bigger than my head, so they should be ready soon.

Any advice you can give will be apprecitated.

I'm also learning another thing about vine plants - don't plant your watermelons too close to your pumpkins!!!! The pumpkins are overrunning everything!!! The watermelons are going to be hard to locate without stepping on vines. I have some squash that are getting over run also but at least I can leave them sit until that first frost knocks down the vines.

[BLACKJACK]

Ahhh, the power of the internet!! Isn't it great!!!? Went out and did a search and this is what I found:

Picking ripe watermelons

Question: How can I tell when my watermelons are ready to harvest? Every year I waste several, picking them before they are ready or waiting so long they are overripe. Thumping them doesn't work for me.

Answer: Choosing a ripe watermelon is a challenge. In the field or garden it is much easier than in the store because you will have more clues. The indications to look for in the garden are the drying of the "pigtail" or tendril closest to the melon on the vine. If it dries while the leaves and rest of the vine looks good, the melon should be ripe. The tendril is not available to melon hunters at the grocery store. A second clue, which is available at the grocery, is the color of the "ground spot," the place where the melon rested on the soil. If this ground spot is yellow or a cream-yellow color, the melon is ripe. If it is green or white, it probably is not ripe. The rind at the soil spot should toughen and resist denting with a fingernail when the melon is ripe. Finally, for those with an ear for music or who can easily distinguish sounds, the ripe melon will have a dull thud when thumped, while the unripe melon will have a tighter, ringing or hollow sound.

[eurolarva]

You might want to re check on the squash issue. Even winter squash does not much like a frost. From my understanding is that each frost will create an amount of damage to the fruit. Best to harvest when temps are in the low to mid 40s before the first frost sets in.

Thanks for the post on the water melons. I have been watching mine and they were dorment for the last month but have now started growing again. Late spring and early summer they were growing almost a half inch a day then they stopped. Gonna have to pick one up and see what the spot looks like.