[Arid_gardener] ripe melons

[Tyler Storey]

Good morning Steve,
Cantaloupe are ripe when they smell somewhat fragrant at the blossom end and
when the stem "slips" easily.  You can check for slip by tugging the stem
very gently, or by rolling the melon a bit.  A ripe cantaloupe will separate
or slip from its stem very easily.  
Watermelon are a bit more of a challenge.  Some signs to look for that can
help you make an educated guess: if several of the tendrils on the vine near
where the fruit is attached are brown, if the surface of the melon loses a
bit of shine and becomes duller, and if the light spot where it rests on the
ground is more yellow than green.  You might look for a combination of those
signs before picking.  
Also, keep in mind with any melon: if the vines are withering or dead, your
melon is as ripe as it's going to get.  And, for cantaloupe, back off on the
water just slightly for the week before harvest, to avoid diluting the
flavor.  
Tyler

tyler at tylerstorey.com
http://tylerstorey.com
602-738-2978

-----Original Message-----
From: arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu
[mailto:arid_gardener-bounces at CALS.arizona.edu] On Behalf Of
steveazroses at yahoo.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 4:25 PM
To: arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

Steve
85284
steveazroses at yahoo.com

I have Cantelope and Watermelons that are a good size. How do I know when
they are ready to pick?


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