Watermelon Woes
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2005
by afgreyparrot on August 16, 2005 01:08 AM
The watermelons start out pale inside and turn redder as they ripen.
My late husband was a "watermelon man", and I could pick a perfect melon everytime.![[thumb]](im/graemlins/thumb.gif)
But, it's sorta hard to describe in words what that "perfect melon thump"![[nutz]](im/graemlins/nutz.gif)
sounds like. ![[Big Grin]](im/biggrin.gif)
Welcome to the forum!![[wayey]](im/graemlins/wavey.gif)
Cindy
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Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
My late husband was a "watermelon man", and I could pick a perfect melon everytime.
But, it's sorta hard to describe in words what that "perfect melon thump"
sounds like. Welcome to the forum!
Cindy
* * * *
Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car!
by Longy on August 16, 2005 02:06 PM
The way it's been shown to me is to wait until the little "pigs tail" opposite the fruit stalk has browned off completely. Then pick the fruit. This may be some time after the fruit stalk itself has browned. It should have a hollow sound when you tap on it (but what the heck is a hollow sound????)
If your fruit is still pale after these steps i wonder if there is another problem???
* * * *
The secret is the soil.
If your fruit is still pale after these steps i wonder if there is another problem???
* * * *
The secret is the soil.
by Amigatec on August 17, 2005 01:10 AM
The way I tell is, about 2 to 3 inches from the melon is a short vine that looks like a pigtail. This little vine is about 4" long, when that vine is dried up and and brown the melon is ready.
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One OS to rule them, one OS to find them:
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.
* * * *
One OS to rule them, one OS to find them:
One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie.
by jerry56 on August 17, 2005 07:12 AM
I tried that, waited until the "pigtail" turned brown, I even waited for about two weeks after the last one turned brown to pick it and still wasn't ripe.
Does anybody know of a reason why they wouldn't get ripe.
They look great on the outside by the way.
Jerry
Does anybody know of a reason why they wouldn't get ripe.
They look great on the outside by the way.
Jerry
by Longy on August 17, 2005 03:49 PM
Jerry if the melons are as ripe as they are gonna get and still lack colour and flavour, it will be a deficiency in the soil. I'm not certain of what, but potassium and boron seem likely. An application of trace element fertiliser will possibly help alleviate this, though it may be too late to amend it if the crop is fairly well formed, still worth a shot though as a liquid application . See if you can get a trace element fertiliser with extra potash. For your next season crop, ensure the soil is really rich in organic matter, manures, blood and bone, well rotted compost etc and this should naturally supply these requirements as the plants need them. Cucurbits are very heavy feeders and the more goodies you put in the more you get out.
* * * *
The secret is the soil.
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The secret is the soil.
by jerry56 on August 17, 2005 07:43 PM
Thanks everybody for your help!
These melons have been slow from the get go.
They were slow to come up, and slow to start vining out, once they started to set fruit they took off. Not sure what's going on.
The field where my garden is,was used by my neighbor to spread his manure for years the soil is just super!(looking anyway).
I guess I'll just have to give it some more time.
Thanks again everybody.
Jerry
These melons have been slow from the get go.
They were slow to come up, and slow to start vining out, once they started to set fruit they took off. Not sure what's going on.
The field where my garden is,was used by my neighbor to spread his manure for years the soil is just super!(looking anyway).
I guess I'll just have to give it some more time.
Thanks again everybody.
Jerry
by Longy on August 17, 2005 11:18 PM
The field where my garden is,was used by my neighbor to spread his manure for years the soil is just super!(looking anyway).
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Still may be missing something though, or perhaps it is sour if it has been used as a manure stash for a long time. Manures can turn the soil quite sour. Maybe do a Ph test. I betcha it is under Ph 6. Well, maybe anyway. If it is, dolomite is your answer.
* * * *
The secret is the soil.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Still may be missing something though, or perhaps it is sour if it has been used as a manure stash for a long time. Manures can turn the soil quite sour. Maybe do a Ph test. I betcha it is under Ph 6. Well, maybe anyway. If it is, dolomite is your answer.
* * * *
The secret is the soil.
by jerry56 on August 22, 2005 08:49 PM
Finally!
Ok I waited for the tendril to dry up, gave it two weeks, and then thumped it.
Actually I thumped them all and picked the one that sounded a dull thump.
Great melon thank's everybody for all your suggestions!
Jerry
Ok I waited for the tendril to dry up, gave it two weeks, and then thumped it.
Actually I thumped them all and picked the one that sounded a dull thump.
Great melon thank's everybody for all your suggestions!
Jerry
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Lots of fruit but I can't tell when they are ripe. I cut the first one just as the first tendril turned brown and it was pale inside with a lot of rind. The second one I cut two weeks after the tendril turned brown and it was the same way.
Do the melons start out a deep red inside and slowly turn paler or do the start pale and turn red, sorry if that's a stupid question.
If a melon is over ripe what does it look like.
I still have about 12 on the vines but I hate to cut them too early. They taste OK by the way.
Thanks, Jerry