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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe??

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old

08-12-2007 15:06:25




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I have a good number of them but not sure how to tell when they are ripe. I did pick one a couple weeks ago but it wasn't near ripe and don't want to do that again.
Thanks




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Walt Davies

08-13-2007 09:25:16




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
I learned from my Grandfather to thump them they are supposed to sound like your shoe heel when thumped. Now I wear those funny canvas shoes so I guess I'm out of the watermelon thumping.
Walt



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banjo

08-12-2007 20:37:47




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
I have tried the tendril closet to the mellon and it depends on the weather conditions. sometimes when it is hot and dry it will wither before the mellon is ripe. I have also had some that the belly was white and still be ripe.

But if it is yellowish on the bottom and sounds hollow when thumped it should be ripe. Should have sorta sound that sounds like it would bust if thumped too hard like others have said.

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Jim in NC

08-12-2007 20:27:30




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
As the others have said, look at the curl on the vine where the melon is attached. It should be dead. The underside should be pale yellow to almost white, and it should thump with a dead or dull, deep sound. That's how I do it. I have 200 to 250 in the yard now. Need some?



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old

08-12-2007 21:36:11




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to Jim in NC, 08-12-2007 20:27:30  
Nope don't need any shoot I can't even et them or if I do its a trip to the hospital for me but my wife likes them so I grow a few of them



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Jim in NC

08-13-2007 04:23:04




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 21:36:11  
When I was growing up, most of the farmers around here as well as my Grandfathers grew a variety called Ledmon. One could almost call them a hierloom variety. We have to save our own seed. The natives that remember them will buy them over any other. They are hard to grow as they have no disease resistance. If planted in the wrong place, they will grow and look so good, only to die out without warning from the "wilt". I plant few in different places to insure a supply of them. Ledmons have a very thin rind and bust easy. One has to be careful when thumpin', handling, and haulin' them. I barely touched one yesterday abd it literally fell apart.

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Joe (Wa)

08-12-2007 19:08:22




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
When I was a kid in the 40's & 50's, remember the women laying a broom straw across the melon, if the straw spun around near lengthwise, it was supposely ripe.

Joe



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37 chief

08-12-2007 18:09:51




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
Look for the ones the crows peck holes in. I usually look for the curly thing where it connects to the vine, also look for a little leaf about 3/4 of an inch long in the same area. When these two thinga are brown there is a good chance the mellon is ready to eat. Stan



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pair-a-dice farm

08-12-2007 18:05:00




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
It used to be when you saw kids stealing them they were ripe, but since watermellons don't have a video game attached that doesn't work.
We used to raise 10-15 acres of watermellons, if the stem is starting to turn they are ripe.



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IHPlowjockey

08-12-2007 17:50:01




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
Same way you can tell if a tractor is good or not, if its red its good, if its green put it back. LOL



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railhead

08-12-2007 19:46:33




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to IHPlowjockey, 08-12-2007 17:50:01  
I LIKE THAT REPLY!!!!! !!!!! !!! AGREE AGREE



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redbone

08-12-2007 15:50:08




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
thump it and look at the tendril closest to the melon-if it"s brown, melon is ripe, if it"s green, not ripe, never failed me.



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champspa

08-12-2007 15:37:29




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
when the belly touching the ground goes from white to a yellowish-white it's ripe.



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Gerald J.

08-12-2007 15:33:22




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
Thump it. It should sound like its going to split if you thump it too hard. And it should split in front of the knife when you do open it up.

Gerald J.



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crate78

08-12-2007 15:23:01




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
Cut a tapered plug about one half to an inch square and an inch or so deep. If the end of the plug is red, it's ripe. If the end of the plug is green, put the plug back in and give it a few more days.



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omahagreg

08-12-2007 15:13:21




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to old, 08-12-2007 15:06:25  
I was told to look for a 'discoloration' on the melon where it sets on the ground, plus, when you 'thump' it, it should sound hollow. Not sure if any of this is helpful information or not. Greg



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steveormary

08-12-2007 21:05:29




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 Re: O/T how do you tell when a water melen is ripe?? in reply to omahagreg, 08-12-2007 15:13:21  
Wait for the coons,they will drill a hole to the center of the melon if it is ripe.

steveormary



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