Having commercially grown and picked thousands of watermelons in my life the tendril is one indicator pickers use to initially calibrate their eyeballs when they begin picking. As a watermelon ripens its skin colors will become duller and will take on a more waxy appearance and at the same time develop little goosebumps on its surface. If raised in contact with the soil the melon will generally have some areas of black dots on its belly that we called pepper and the belly color will generally develop a more yellow or cream color as it ripens. The traditional seeded watermelons, which sadly now many people have never seen, would belly out or go from a stove pipe appearance to a pronounced egg shape once it was ripe. As far as the fake seedless melons you see in stores now, I could probably tell you if one is no good but I doubt if I could tell you if one is good. Big watermelons like we used to grow and that people wanted are not in the stores anymore because the big chains will not buy them due to fears some one might sue for hurting their back trying to pick one up. The stores used to want a 32 lb average for watermelons you sold them, now they won't accept anything above 20 lbs. Most city folks have never had or seen a good watermelon. If you want a good watermelon get it at a farmers market or drive into melon country and buy one at a roadside stand and be prepared to spit some seeds. By the way, the fellow in the video needs to spray his melon vines with some fungicide or they won't be around much longer.
I would agree! Funny to see that's the same all around the globe. Here in Germany seedcontaining melons (melons usually are grown in Spain or Italy) are still seen every now and then but I think customers prefer convenience over taste.
The altered melons don’t even taste the same to me. I mean it’s still watermelon, but that’s like eating a yellow one, they all have a particular flavor… I grew up on a farm and spitting seeds as I ate my slice and that’s the only way I like mine lol!
As a kid, long ago, we would buy our watermelons off of the back of a flatbed truck piled high with giant Texas watermelons and everyone would have that ear-to-ear red watermelon smile. I personally would swallow half of the seeds. Grandma said if I didn't spit them out a watermelon plant would grow out of my ear. Not true!
Me too. After watching this video, I went out and found one with a fully brown tendril and harvested it. I cut it open and it was only partially red, mostly white and yellow. It wasn't ripe yet. It tasted moderately sweet and had good water though. But I think it still needed a week or two more. I feel like I wasted a perfectly good watermelon using this technique. This is a big thumbs down for me.
Very good explanation. Me and my dad have a pretty big watermelon farm and we've learned a few ways to tell when they are ready as well. Of course, it depends entirely on what variety the watermelon is, but I can give you some general advice. PS: numbers 2 and 3 are the only good ways to tell when the watermelon is ready, not including the tendril you covered in this video. Numbers 1 and 4 are "do not waste your time" things. 1. Knocking on it: Throughout thousands of watermelons of different varieties, we have not found that to tell us anything useful as they all have different sounds regardless of if they're done or not. 2. Checking the spoon: Checking the spoon if a good way to tell if a watermelon is done or not. The spoon is located around where the tendril is and will dry up when the watermelon is done growing similarly to the tendril. The spoon looks like a small leaf unlike any other watermelon leaf. 3. Squishing the butt. Squishing the butt of the watermelon tests if the watermelon is done growing as well. The butt will be squishy when the watermelon still has room to grow, and the butt will be stiffer when the watermelon is done growing. The butt is located at the opposite end of the watermelon as where the stem connects to it. It's got a black spot around where the butt is. 4. Checking the bottom: Checking the bottom is a pretty bad way to check if a watermelon is ripe. The bottom looks more yellow or white because it doesn't get sunlight, or it has been sitting in water. It tells nothing. Also, the watermelon you picked in this video is not ripe. It's very obvious to tell for me. It didn't split open when you cut it because the watermelon was hot, it split open because it had too much water. Maybe it rained too much, or maybe you watered it too much. A good way to try to prevent your watermelon plants from getting too much water is to put the plants themselves in mounds of dirt that measure 1 foot off the ground. Of course, too much water leads to them getting overripe, but if that's the case, it's because you didn't pick it in time. I bet you didn't check the spoon or the butt when you picked the watermelon for this video. Also, you don't need to put the watermelon in the plant buckets if you lay black plastic over everything. Over were the plants come out of the ground (of course cut a hole for the plant to come out of the plastic, and over everywhere where the watermelon plant might reach its leaves. This prevents weeds and dirt from getting on the plant. Also eliminates a lot of bugs. Also, might want to try a different variety. Good luck!
When it comes to picking a ripe one in the store push with your thumb on the "button" that's the opposite where the vine was attached. If it gives any then it's good to eat. The more you can push it in the riper it is. If you can push it in a lot it may be too ripe. If it doesn't budge at all it's typically not ripened enough. This always works!
As a tween, I decided to container grow a watermelon on my parents damp, oak-tree shaded deck (it was pre-Internet, and I didn’t know better). It did okay as far as leaf growth, but made one sorry little “watermelon” the size of a lemon, which was really adorable.
I watched your video and all the ripen signs were there, but the watermelon was light pink/some red . Are there a type of watermelon that doesn't get completely red.
If only I had watched this before picking my first watermelon last week! The middle was pink-ish, the rest was green. No flavor whatsoever, but I ate it anyway... this is so helpful, thank you!
@@vaccinefraud5570water melons are just sweeter cucumbers anyway they’re related and there are watermelon cultivars that aren’t sweet used just like cucumbers as a vegetable
Only thing I would add to this is you get a much cleaner red to green rind if you let the melon cord dry up after the tendril. Typically when the tendril dries up you know you can turn your watering way down and let the plant pour all its nutrients into the fruit
Absolute best way to tell if it is ripe, the tendril has to be brown, AND if you hook your finger under the vine going into the melon and pull up if it pops off easily the melon is ripe. If you have to tug pretty hard don't break it, it is still ripening. Best way right there!!
Thank you so much. I planted my watermelon garden and I continue to make mistake with harvesting unripe ones. The enlightening video has correctly showed me how to identify a ripe watermelon.
I prefer seeded watermelons, but seldom see them in stores. I found one, and after eating it, there were a few seeds left in the dish. I rinsed water in it and tossed it outside on an area where I clean horse stalls. I gave no thought to whether they would come up or not. But shortly, there were about 4 or 5 plants that germinated. I didn't do much for them....just water once in awhile. Lo! I have 10 watermelons! The first one I picked was about 3 weeks ago, and it wasn't perfectly ripe. I have put off picking my next biggest melon, which is pretty large. I checked with your hints and I believe it is ready. For sure I am growing some next year. Forty years ago, I grew Sugar Baby watermelons. They were the best little watermelons, and I am going to grow some of those, and also some big ones. We jave very sandy soil here, and they are grown commercially around here. Thanks for your video!
I checked my gardens right after your clip and followed your helpful suggestion. They were ripe according to you- and they were perfectly ripe. 🥰 Thank you
this was so helpful! thanks for showing the difference in the tendrils! First time growing, didn't realize it needed to be dried all the way back to the main stem.
I've watched several videos tonight of people harvesting these unripe, LOL. Yours was the first with it ripe and of course explaining how to determine whether it is ready or not. Thank you, have seeds coming and will be trying this plant for the first time this year. Oh btw, to hell with what others think while you meddle in your garden!
Thank you! This helps so much. This is the first year I'm successful with growing watermelon and I was afraid to ruin my work by picking too early. This video is just what I needed.
Thanks for the tip. It looks like you may have made the same mistake I did in overwatering your watermelon. At least yours waited until you brought in inside to crack open. I found mine gaping open, cracked from stem to stern right out in the garden. You grew some very nice watermelons. ~ Lisa
Trying my best to not crack mine, I have one that's light green almost yellow looking an hard to press a nail into it but the little tandral is still green very tempting to pick 😢. Then there is one on vine that is dark green an soft you put your finger nail in easy
Thank you for being direct and not having a lot of filler. I was standing out in the Texas sun because my bf didn't want me to pick it without proving it was ripe.
Funny how your video just popped up after I picked my first watermelon half an hour ago. Luckily there are still two Mellon’s on the vine to wait for the best time to harvest by your tip. Many thanks!
The best wisdom is usually short, straight forward, and all encompassing. Kudos to you watermelon whispering guru! Can't wait to upload that into my kids brains. They'll probably pick up a cush dream job by dropping that hack on a rediculously rich CEO. Thanks!
Thank you, makes so much sense. The vine wants to drop its seed so it lets go and the melon drops, splits, seeds fall out or picked up by birds & life continues. Thanks
Wow, it really worked. I didn't think any of my watermelons would be ripe yet but went to check just to see if I could find that curly thing. I found one that was a dry stick and thought, that video said that means ripe, but it seems kind of small. I picked it, thinking the chickens would be grateful if it didn't work. But it was ripe. It might have needed a few more days, but was sweet enough. Thanks. I don't know why this isn't common knowledge.
TY very much. All this time I thought people were talking about the other end of the mellon. They never showed what you did. They just say check the end of the mellon, make sure it's dry. Going to check mine now, got a realy big one
The one you cut open looked like it had a few weeks to go, imho. I look for the stem connection to the watermelon to almost get a brown ring around it (on the melon side of the stem, not the tendril) and as an OP here already said, if you can easily push that 'ring' into the melon, it's ripe.
Awesome thats is clear advice. Also I had a lot of problems with rats because I live next a river. I caged my patch but it didn't stop them. I like the pot idea cause I can mesh the top of the pot to keep them off the melons. Thanks from South Yunderup Western Australia 👍
If you use bird mesh please make sure to keep it off the ground. Lizards get stuck in it and it’s a terrible death. My ex wife did it after I warned her and I found 8 beautiful little blue belly’s dead. Told her again and cleaned it up. 3 days later she had done the same thing and there was 4 that time. I felt so terrible. I’ll never ever forget that lesson.
You tap on the melon with the tip of your finger. Solid = not ready a hollow drum like sound = ready it will sound hollow when ready + tendril must be dry
Been considering growing Watermelons, since my dog will probably think its a soccer ball or something, Your pot idea overcomes that issue, I would grab the phone out if my dog decided it was a soccer ball !
Oh my gosh do I see horse nettle. Omg in my watermelon too Ty. I cut one Saturday poked it with the knife to get it started and it split almost all the way around. Was delicious Your sign/ method works
So glad I found your video! Can’t wait to check my two melons in the morning lol already made the mistake of thumping one thinking it was ready and it wasn’t 😩
I don't know, that looked sort of pale red, especially around the periphery, not the deep red that indicates full ripeness. I am sure it was ready in the middle but did it fade toward the outside?
That was what I thought, too. I would think he should have waited for the actual stem to turn a bit brown and make the "thumb sound test" for final "approval".
Where I live the deer won't eat a watermelon until it is ripe. Then they eat them all. It's like a dance they do. Approach the melon, raise the front foot, strike downward and contact the melon with the hoof. The melon pops open and the deer eats the heart out of it and moves to the next one. The deer eat them in the day and once a few are popped open the bear will come and finish any left overs during darkness.
The brown tendril is not a foolproof way to tell if your melon is ripe for picking. Having a brown tendril is one indicator that its developing sugars. But not THE indicator its ready . Sadly you missed a deliciously ripe melon by about a week. But this is how you learn. I encourage you to save seeds from your fruit and veggies and grow them again next year.
Yeaup my first season growing them too and the thump and yellow spot is nonsense. That tendril is spot on. Everytime the tendril was brown I cut into it and it was ripe EVERY SINGLE TIME. 🎉I hope this helps someone
Whoa! Nice timing--was just about to get mine off the vine WITH NO IDEA how to test ripeness-- except it's been "long enough". I will now go check ✅ Just one question: how'd you figure this out 🧐
Interesting. Always waited for the stem to start to dry, this way lookes more reliable for early picking. As for store bought, there is no relyable method i have found to find a ripe (not over or under) ,, tired of dry or grainy ones, even harder is to find a sweet one... met an ole timer who told me the reason its hard to find sweet ones is they need to have lime applyed as the vine fruits to make them sweet. A coupke years ago i got a rattlesnake mellon so sweet it was like eating watermellon candy, the sweetest one i ever had of any variety i have eaten.
Having commercially grown and picked thousands of watermelons in my life the tendril is one indicator pickers use to initially calibrate their eyeballs when they begin picking. As a watermelon ripens its skin colors will become duller and will take on a more waxy appearance and at the same time develop little goosebumps on its surface. If raised in contact with the soil the melon will generally have some areas of black dots on its belly that we called pepper and the belly color will generally develop a more yellow or cream color as it ripens. The traditional seeded watermelons, which sadly now many people have never seen, would belly out or go from a stove pipe appearance to a pronounced egg shape once it was ripe. As far as the fake seedless melons you see in stores now, I could probably tell you if one is no good but I doubt if I could tell you if one is good. Big watermelons like we used to grow and that people wanted are not in the stores anymore because the big chains will not buy them due to fears some one might sue for hurting their back trying to pick one up. The stores used to want a 32 lb average for watermelons you sold them, now they won't accept anything above 20 lbs. Most city folks have never had or seen a good watermelon. If you want a good watermelon get it at a farmers market or drive into melon country and buy one at a roadside stand and be prepared to spit some seeds. By the way, the fellow in the video needs to spray his melon vines with some fungicide or they won't be around much longer.
I would agree! Funny to see that's the same all around the globe. Here in Germany seedcontaining melons (melons usually are grown in Spain or Italy) are still seen every now and then but I think customers prefer convenience over taste.
What kind of organic fungicide would you recommend?
The altered melons don’t even taste the same to me. I mean it’s still watermelon, but that’s like eating a yellow one, they all have a particular flavor… I grew up on a farm and spitting seeds as I ate my slice and that’s the only way I like mine lol!
If you find a seeded 1 , collect the seeds and plant them .
As a kid, long ago, we would buy our watermelons off of the back of a flatbed truck piled high with giant Texas watermelons and everyone would have that ear-to-ear red watermelon smile. I personally would swallow half of the seeds. Grandma said if I didn't spit them out a watermelon plant would grow out of my ear. Not true!
Simple explanation and love how you showed samples of different stages of ripeness. Thanks!
I cut a melon with a brown tendril last year. It was still green.
Me too. After watching this video, I went out and found one with a fully brown tendril and harvested it. I cut it open and it was only partially red, mostly white and yellow. It wasn't ripe yet. It tasted moderately sweet and had good water though. But I think it still needed a week or two more. I feel like I wasted a perfectly good watermelon using this technique. This is a big thumbs down for me.
Very good explanation. Me and my dad have a pretty big watermelon farm and we've learned a few ways to tell when they are ready as well. Of course, it depends entirely on what variety the watermelon is, but I can give you some general advice. PS: numbers 2 and 3 are the only good ways to tell when the watermelon is ready, not including the tendril you covered in this video. Numbers 1 and 4 are "do not waste your time" things.
1. Knocking on it: Throughout thousands of watermelons of different varieties, we have not found that to tell us anything useful as they all have different sounds regardless of if they're done or not.
2. Checking the spoon: Checking the spoon if a good way to tell if a watermelon is done or not. The spoon is located around where the tendril is and will dry up when the watermelon is done growing similarly to the tendril. The spoon looks like a small leaf unlike any other watermelon leaf.
3. Squishing the butt. Squishing the butt of the watermelon tests if the watermelon is done growing as well. The butt will be squishy when the watermelon still has room to grow, and the butt will be stiffer when the watermelon is done growing. The butt is located at the opposite end of the watermelon as where the stem connects to it. It's got a black spot around where the butt is.
4. Checking the bottom: Checking the bottom is a pretty bad way to check if a watermelon is ripe. The bottom looks more yellow or white because it doesn't get sunlight, or it has been sitting in water. It tells nothing.
Also, the watermelon you picked in this video is not ripe. It's very obvious to tell for me. It didn't split open when you cut it because the watermelon was hot, it split open because it had too much water. Maybe it rained too much, or maybe you watered it too much. A good way to try to prevent your watermelon plants from getting too much water is to put the plants themselves in mounds of dirt that measure 1 foot off the ground. Of course, too much water leads to them getting overripe, but if that's the case, it's because you didn't pick it in time. I bet you didn't check the spoon or the butt when you picked the watermelon for this video. Also, you don't need to put the watermelon in the plant buckets if you lay black plastic over everything. Over were the plants come out of the ground (of course cut a hole for the plant to come out of the plastic, and over everywhere where the watermelon plant might reach its leaves. This prevents weeds and dirt from getting on the plant. Also eliminates a lot of bugs. Also, might want to try a different variety.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for this post! Great info!!
Will they continue to ripen after you pick them, like other fruit?
@@rosskstar No. They stop when you pick them. That’s why you gotta eat it in like a week
Great true info. Thanks
Direct to the point, and no filler that was a perfect example, thx so much
When it comes to picking a ripe one in the store push with your thumb on the "button" that's the opposite where the vine was attached. If it gives any then it's good to eat. The more you can push it in the riper it is. If you can push it in a lot it may be too ripe. If it doesn't budge at all it's typically not ripened enough. This always works!
As a tween, I decided to container grow a watermelon on my parents damp, oak-tree shaded deck (it was pre-Internet, and I didn’t know better). It did okay as far as leaf growth, but made one sorry little “watermelon” the size of a lemon, which was really adorable.
Thank you for the video! Very good information. I’m a first time watermelon grower and your explanation of the tendril is perfect.
I watched your video and all the ripen signs were there, but the watermelon was light pink/some red . Are there a type of watermelon that doesn't get completely red.
@@evelenejohnson7148 yes a few actually.. orange tendersweet to name one
Me too, 1st time grower, very helpful video!
If only I had watched this before picking my first watermelon last week! The middle was pink-ish, the rest was green. No flavor whatsoever, but I ate it anyway... this is so helpful, thank you!
Same lol
I tell myself that they're oversizec cucumbers so that I don't get disappointed when they're not sweet.
@@vaccinefraud5570water melons are just sweeter cucumbers anyway they’re related and there are watermelon cultivars that aren’t sweet used just like cucumbers as a vegetable
This is the best “when is watermelon ripe” explanation, quick & easy tutorial… Thanks!!
Only thing I would add to this is you get a much cleaner red to green rind if you let the melon cord dry up after the tendril. Typically when the tendril dries up you know you can turn your watering way down and let the plant pour all its nutrients into the fruit
The yellow patch means the watermelon was allowed to ripen while on the ground, not picked too early.
'Watermelon being almost synonymous with having a garden'... literally never heard that before.
Certainly not something you'd ever hear when you live in zone 4a.
Absolute best way to tell if it is ripe, the tendril has to be brown, AND if you hook your finger under the vine going into the melon and pull up if it pops off easily the melon is ripe. If you have to tug pretty hard don't break it, it is still ripening. Best way right there!!
Anyone can make good watermelons, but only a good and experienced farmer can make good sweet watermelons.
Thank you so much. I planted my watermelon garden and I continue to make mistake with harvesting unripe ones. The enlightening video has correctly showed me how to identify a ripe watermelon.
I prefer seeded watermelons, but seldom see them in stores. I found one, and after eating it, there were a few seeds left in the dish. I rinsed water in it and tossed it outside on an area where I clean horse stalls. I gave no thought to whether they would come up or not. But shortly, there were about 4 or 5 plants that germinated. I didn't do much for them....just water once in awhile. Lo! I have 10 watermelons! The first one I picked was about 3 weeks ago, and it wasn't perfectly ripe. I have put off picking my next biggest melon, which is pretty large. I checked with your hints and I believe it is ready. For sure I am growing some next year. Forty years ago, I grew Sugar Baby watermelons. They were the best little watermelons, and I am going to grow some of those, and also some big ones. We jave very sandy soil here, and they are grown commercially around here.
Thanks for your video!
Best watermelon video on TH-cam. Short and to the point. A+. Ty for sharing your experience!
I checked my gardens right after your clip and followed your helpful suggestion. They were ripe according to you- and they were perfectly ripe. 🥰 Thank you
Thank you so much for your video I just subscribe I planting watermelon had no idea when it would be ready truly thank you for your knowledge❤
Tried it last evening in our patch. Was the perfect ripe melon. Thanks for the info.
this was so helpful! thanks for showing the difference in the tendrils! First time growing, didn't realize it needed to be dried all the way back to the main stem.
Great video! I kept reading about it, but no one was explaining it. You had lots of good examples. Thanks for taking the time to make the video!
Awesome. So glad it helped.
Thought my wife was yelling to me in the background at the end and was really confused when I realized she wasn't home.
This is a simple, yet completely accurate way. Thank you for posting this, and making it easy for the rest of us. Peace and bountiful blessings.
Its not accurate. That melon isnt close to ripe.
@@ricsgarden7394thanks u are right
Dude, if your neighbors think you're "crazy" or weird for checking your watermelons and garden- you need new neighbors! That's silly
It made sense to me lol
Pretty much my same thoughts, why worry about ignorant neighbors when it affects the quality of the food on your table?
Because people have anxiety which make thoughts like this.
He’s making a joke about the neighbors… are you guys boomers or just retarded?
@@DronosDrakkaryes it's a response to your childhood but it's not healthy. Gotta evolve. 🙏
We always waited until the vine near the melon started to turn lite brown. Much riper, redder and ready to eat.
I've watched several videos tonight of people harvesting these unripe, LOL. Yours was the first with it ripe and of course explaining how to determine whether it is ready or not. Thank you, have seeds coming and will be trying this plant for the first time this year. Oh btw, to hell with what others think while you meddle in your garden!
Straight to the point no fluff
Thank you! This helps so much. This is the first year I'm successful with growing watermelon and I was afraid to ruin my work by picking too early. This video is just what I needed.
Thank you. Short, sweet, and to the point.
Thanks for the tip. It looks like you may have made the same mistake I did in overwatering your watermelon. At least yours waited until you brought in inside to crack open. I found mine gaping open, cracked from stem to stern right out in the garden. You grew some very nice watermelons. ~ Lisa
Trying my best to not crack mine, I have one that's light green almost yellow looking an hard to press a nail into it but the little tandral is still green very tempting to pick 😢. Then there is one on vine that is dark green an soft you put your finger nail in easy
@@Dimension855 Best of luck to you! I hope your watermelons are delicious. ~ LIsa
Thank you !!! Our first time growing this was so helpful ! Just pulled out first one and it is ripe and soooo sweet !!!
You are right about the ripening but the best method is when you see the watermelon garden sitting (stopping its vibrancy).
The resonance of the thump is my method. But I'm watching yours. It's always good to have more than one arrow in the quiver!
Thank you! So glad I saw this ... It was the difference between an 8lb watermelon that was not ripe and a 38.8lb perfectly ripe watermelon!!! Thanks!
Thank you! Well explained! helped out a lot for us to see if our melons are ready!
Thank you for being direct and not having a lot of filler. I was standing out in the Texas sun because my bf didn't want me to pick it without proving it was ripe.
Funny how your video just popped up after I picked my first watermelon half an hour ago. Luckily there are still two Mellon’s on the vine to wait for the best time to harvest by your tip. Many thanks!
The best wisdom is usually short, straight forward, and all encompassing.
Kudos to you watermelon whispering guru! Can't wait to upload that into my kids brains. They'll probably pick up a cush dream job by dropping that hack on a rediculously rich CEO. Thanks!
I heard that, if you hold a baby by it’s feet, over the watermelon and it swings to the right, the melon’s not ripe. To the left and it’s ready.
Btw, home grew watermelons are very sweet even if they are pink inside, not red.
Look for a nice bright yellow spot on the bottom where it is in contact with the soil
I picked watermelons growing up one summer. The way to tell is to look at the stem. If it is brown then it is ripe.
Helpful & concise info! Thanks. I’m a new cropper so this was gold for me!
Thank you! I’ll know what to look for now when my watermelons get close.
I love the melon in a planter ! I lose so many to soil rot!! Great idea!😊
Yes! I did it because I had rats eating them but it kept them from rotting too.
Thank you for the idea on identifying ripe watermelon.
That pot idea is brilliant! Thank you!
Thank you, makes so much sense. The vine wants to drop its seed so it lets go and the melon drops, splits, seeds fall out or picked up by birds & life continues. Thanks
You also need to look for the webbing in the darker green part of the Mellon
Omg! This is the best way to find out if it's ripe or not! Thank you
Wow, it really worked. I didn't think any of my watermelons would be ripe yet but went to check just to see if I could find that curly thing. I found one that was a dry stick and thought, that video said that means ripe, but it seems kind of small. I picked it, thinking the chickens would be grateful if it didn't work. But it was ripe. It might have needed a few more days, but was sweet enough. Thanks.
I don't know why this isn't common knowledge.
Thank u!! We planted our 1st garden and I had no idea when to pick them
Thank you for this. First time growing watermelons and can’t wait for a ripe one!
very informative thank you. I didn't know u could grow them in somethin that small. I'm def going to try that out, Thank you.
I like how you put them in pots. I'm going to go check the tendrils and put mine in pots.
After the tendril turns completely brown give it another week. Check the bottom for a cream yellow spot not a white spot.
Super helpful! Best explanation I've ever heard. Thank you.
Best to wait like a week after tendril has completely dried out
That was great advice, thank you. 👌
TY very much. All this time I thought people were talking about the other end of the mellon. They never showed what you did. They just say check the end of the mellon, make sure it's dry. Going to check mine now, got a realy big one
Best watermelon video on TH-cam! Thank you.
I wait til the tendrils up and down the vine from the watermelon are dry too. They will usually be within a foot of the melons stem.
The one you cut open looked like it had a few weeks to go, imho.
I look for the stem connection to the watermelon to almost get a brown ring around it (on the melon side of the stem, not the tendril) and as an OP here already said, if you can easily push that 'ring' into the melon, it's ripe.
I had never heard of this method. A great tip! Thank you!
No tendrils at the Piggly Wiggly. To test for ripeness there, I roll the melon down an aisle. If it doesnt knock someone over, it's ripe.
Why does it say it only takes 5 secs, who watched the 5 min video just to be disappointed because the vines aren’t on the STORE MELONS duh!!
Awesome advice. Can't wait to test it.
thank you. best, most helpful explanation ever!🍉
Thank you for the much needed advice 😊😊 I just subscribed to your channel, I'm looking forward to seeing more tricks yo the trade👍
Watermelon + frezzer= MOST NATURAL BEST SUMMER FRUIT ICEBLOCK
Awesome thats is clear advice.
Also I had a lot of problems with rats because I live next a river. I caged my patch but it didn't stop them. I like the pot idea cause I can mesh the top of the pot to keep them off the melons.
Thanks from South Yunderup Western Australia 👍
If you use bird mesh please make sure to keep it off the ground. Lizards get stuck in it and it’s a terrible death. My ex wife did it after I warned her and I found 8 beautiful little blue belly’s dead. Told her again and cleaned it up. 3 days later she had done the same thing and there was 4 that time. I felt so terrible. I’ll never ever forget that lesson.
@@davidelkinton Ok Thanks
They tunneled into at least half of my winter squash last year.
Fantastic. Just checked, and I had 2 ripe melons in the garden. Tiger baby and sugar baby, both pretty tasty.
I've been growing watermelon for years and never knew that. Thanks
Thank you. As old as I am. I'm still learning something every day.
You tap on the melon with the tip of your finger. Solid = not ready a hollow drum like sound = ready it will sound hollow when ready + tendril must be dry
Perfect, thanks so much this is my first year growing them
Been considering growing Watermelons, since my dog will probably think its a soccer ball or something, Your pot idea overcomes that issue, I would grab the phone out if my dog decided it was a soccer ball !
Fantastic! I have watermelon (1st time) and this is super helpful. 😊 thanks!
No time for checking for minor details, when it's pitch black dark and the dogs are barking
Oh my gosh do I see horse nettle. Omg in my watermelon too
Ty. I cut one Saturday poked it with the knife to get it started and it split almost all the way around. Was delicious
Your sign/ method works
I just wait until the stem is getting hard and turning brown and I can snap it off the melon with very little effort.
So glad I found your video! Can’t wait to check my two melons in the morning lol already made the mistake of thumping one thinking it was ready and it wasn’t 😩
When the first curling part of the vine is dry.
This was the most detailed video on how to pick a watermelon. It was EXACTLY what I needed.
Thank You for such detailed instructions.
Don't think I ever seen a tendril or whatever in the grocery store so idk what to do now. I love watermelon yum
I don't know, that looked sort of pale red, especially around the periphery, not the deep red that indicates full ripeness. I am sure it was ready in the middle but did it fade toward the outside?
That was what I thought, too. I would think he should have waited for the actual stem to turn a bit brown and make the "thumb sound test" for final "approval".
Where I live the deer won't eat a watermelon until it is ripe. Then they eat them all. It's like a dance they do. Approach the melon, raise the front foot, strike downward and contact the melon with the hoof. The melon pops open and the deer eats the heart out of it and moves to the next one. The deer eat them in the day and once a few are popped open the bear will come and finish any left overs during darkness.
The brown tendril is not a foolproof way to tell if your melon is ripe for picking. Having a brown tendril is one indicator that its developing sugars. But not THE indicator its ready . Sadly you missed a deliciously ripe melon by about a week. But this is how you learn.
I encourage you to save seeds from your fruit and veggies and grow them again next year.
bro just picked an unripe melon 🤣
Tried it in the UK last year. No good but like the bigger plant pot idea.
I use the tendrils and the bottom because some will give you false signals, if the bottom is cream colored also it should be ready "should"
Yeaup my first season growing them too and the thump and yellow spot is nonsense. That tendril is spot on. Everytime the tendril was brown I cut into it and it was ripe EVERY SINGLE TIME. 🎉I hope this helps someone
Yooo, watermelon has a built-in progress bar? How sweet is that?
Great idea with the pots.
Whoa! Nice timing--was just about to get mine off the vine WITH NO IDEA how to test ripeness-- except it's been "long enough". I will now go check ✅ Just one question: how'd you figure this out 🧐
The tendrils won't be there in the grocery store.
Interesting. Always waited for the stem to start to dry, this way lookes more reliable for early picking. As for store bought, there is no relyable method i have found to find a ripe (not over or under) ,, tired of dry or grainy ones, even harder is to find a sweet one... met an ole timer who told me the reason its hard to find sweet ones is they need to have lime applyed as the vine fruits to make them sweet. A coupke years ago i got a rattlesnake mellon so sweet it was like eating watermellon candy, the sweetest one i ever had of any variety i have eaten.
Like ur pfpf
Letting it grow in a pot, seems like a good idea to keep critters away. Thanks for sharing.