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To Pick or Not To Pick....

mycoupons | 25 June, 2007 06:00

This week's gardening question was submitted by Trish W.  from New Jersey.  Here's her question:

 

Hi Annie,

I hope you can help me out with this.   I live in New Jersey and I decided to try growing cantaloupes this year in my garden .   How do I know that the cantaloupes are ripe and ready to pick?

Trish W.

 

 Hi Trish,

Great question!    I remember the first time I tried my hand out with cantaloupes and trying to determine when they were ready to pick.    The  general rule is, that a melon is ripe when the stem begins to dry out.

The best way to check  to see if the cantaloupes are ready to pick, is to place your thumb beside the stem and gently apply pressure to the side. If the stem separates easily, or when you press your thumb at the end of the melon and it's soft,  the melon is ripe and ready to pick.    However,  if the melon is soft all over, it's overripe.   As a guideline, cantaloupes usually ripen between  75 to 90 days (depending on the variety) after you've planted the seed.   The maturity date of a variety can be found on the seed packet.

You  can pick a melon just prior to ripening and it will ripen indoors, but it will not be as flavorful as if you had left it on the vine to fully ripen.   

An important thing I've learned growing cantaloupes over the years, is to stop watering  when the fruits begin to ripen.    They will definitely develop better flavor if you avoid excessive watering, especially during the last week or two.    The exception to this would be, if you are suffering from a prolonged dry spell,  then you will want to water a little.

Another tip on growing cantaloupes, if you haven't done so already,   is to be sure to slide a board or a wood slat  under each of  the melons when they are about half-grown.   This prevents it from rotting.    I  learned this the hard way, after my first season of growing them.   If the ground is full of moisture from an over abundant amount of rain and you do not do this,  you have a chance of some of them rotting.

One more trick,  when you know your growing season for cantaloupe is coming to an end,  make sure you pinch the smaller fruits off the stem, as well as all the growing points on the vine.    This will encourage the larger fruits left on the vine, to ripen.


Thanks again for the great question Trish!

Keep on gardening!
Annie~

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