How to determine the time of harvesting watermelons. When do watermelons ripen and how to distinguish ripe berries?
At the end of every summer, everyone eagerly awaits the ripening of an unusual green berry - watermelon. Sweet and juicy berries are loved by adults and children. They serve as a wonderful decoration for any holiday table and are a great substitute for dessert. But not many people know that watermelon is also a medicinal berry. Due to its huge water content, it has a positive effect on kidney function and lowers blood pressure. It is recommended to be used for diabetes mellitus, as well as for the prevention of heart and eye diseases. There is an opinion that the substances included in its composition reduce the risk of developing cancer and help improve immunity. Also, the striped berry saves those who want to lose weight, providing them with a light and satisfying snack.
Unfortunately, every year in the markets the price of watermelons is getting higher and higher, and the quality of the berries raises huge doubts, so many are trying to grow the crop on their own plot. Despite all efforts, this is still a rarity in the gardens of the Moscow region. It is not easy, but it is possible to grow a heat-loving crop in a temperate continental climate. In order for your efforts to be successful, you need to choose the right seeds. Given the relative short duration of summer, it is worth paying attention to early ripening varieties.
The most popular variety in the Moscow region is considered to be “Crimson Sweet”. The round and very sweet fruits ripen in just 70-80 days, and such watermelons can weigh more than 10 kg. The Ogonyok variety is also popular. The fruits grow small, weighing only 2-3 kg, but their taste is very soft and delicate.
A good harvest can be obtained from the Skorik variety. The berries of this variety are small, with small seeds and pleasant-tasting aromatic pulp. Thanks to their thick crust, they are suitable for long-term storage.
Watermelons of an unusual elongated shape with a marble pattern of the “Honey Giant” variety also take root well in the climatic conditions of the Moscow region and produce a good harvest, somewhat pale, but no less tasty. The “Peasant” variety is similar in color and shape, the only difference is the thickness of the peel. The second variety is thicker-skinned.
Fans of traditionally striped fruits can plant hybrid varieties Farmer F1, Delicious F1 or Cinderella F1.
Growing seedlingsTaking into account the climatic conditions of the region, planting seeds in open ground will not give results. It is better to plant watermelons in the Moscow region in seedlings when the weather is already warm outside. Particular attention should be paid to the air temperature at night. It should not fall below 12-13 degrees. At the time of planting in open ground, the seedlings must reach a month of age, which will allow them to take root without problems and quickly grow.
In order to obtain viable seedlings, the seeds must be planted in peat pots. Mixed peat, turf soil and humus in equal parts with a total volume of 0.5 liters are ideal for growing. It is better to plant 2-3 seeds in each pot, and then leave one, the strongest shoot. Weak plants are carefully pruned. Under no circumstances should they be pulled out, so as not to damage the roots of the main shoot. The only care for the plant at this stage is regular watering. You should not water the sprouts during the day when the bright sun is shining. They may fall and stunt growth. It is better to postpone watering until the evening.
Before planting, you can harden the seeds. To do this, you need to put them in a gauze bag and dip them three times alternately in cold and then in hot water (not boiling water!). It is believed that such hardening will increase the resistance of seeds and plants to changing weather conditions.
Choosing a landing siteEvery year watermelons are planted in a new place. Ideally, if cabbage, onions, legumes or root vegetables previously grew in this place. You should not plant them after potatoes, sunflowers, cucumbers or squash. Ideal “neighbors” would be peas and corn. They will promote the growth of the seedling and improve the taste of the fruit. It gets along well in neighboring potato beds.
You should not plant plants that are similar in structure next to green berries: melons, pumpkins, etc. They need the same substances that are actively absorbed from the soil, thereby depleting it. If such a neighborhood is inevitable, it is worth regularly applying fertilizers so that all plants have enough “food” and there is no negative impact on the harvest.
Planting seedlings in the groundWhen the temperature outside has stabilized and the third full leaf has appeared on the seedlings, the watermelon is ready to be planted in the ground. Most often, despite the warm spring days, the soil has not yet had time to warm up, which is detrimental to tender seedlings, so it is necessary to warm it up artificially. I water the place chosen for planting hot water and cover with film to keep warm. Next, holes are prepared at a distance of 50 cm, a spoonful of complex fertilizer is added to each hole, the plant is planted and sprinkled with soil up to the root collar, after which it is watered again.
After planting, you should not expect rapid growth from the watermelon; the plant spends the first few weeks forming a long root stem.
Seedling careOnce in the ground, the plant experiences stress. To reduce the negative impact on the seedling, it is recommended to cover it with a film attached to the arches for the first few weeks and allow it to “breathe” for only a few hours. This way the seedling will more easily withstand changes in temperature.
Seedlings need to be watered regularly twice a week. Do not use cold water from a hose. It is better to water watermelons with water heated in the sun and settled.
Twice a month it is worth feeding the plant with complex fertilizers. Over time, it is worth shaping the plant into a single stem, cutting off all the side shoots to get one excellent fruit on each plant.
Pests and diseasesThroughout their growth, watermelons should be protected from various diseases:
- white and black rot,
- angular spotting,
- powdery mildew,
- anthracosis,
- downy mildew
and pests:
- melon aphid,
- slugs, etc.
Naturally, when green balls appear in the garden, you want to try them as soon as possible. But don't rush. Like any other fruit, a watermelon must ripen well in order to delight with its taste. Determining ripe is quite simple. The stalk of such a fruit begins to dry out. In some varieties, the leaves and tendrils next to the fruit also dry out.
A ripe berry acquires a uniform glossy green color with a yellow spot in the place where the watermelon came into contact with the ground. If you are not sure about the ripeness of the fruit, tap it; a dull sound indicates readiness. You can also press on the watermelon, if you hear a cracking sound - the berry is ripe.
Harvesting continues as it ripens until frost. Before the first frost, you should remove all watermelons from the beds. By the way, it is not necessary to throw away unripe fruits; you can pickle them for the winter.
How to storePreserve the harvest for a long period, preserving all of it beneficial features and taste qualities is not at all easy, but if you take this task seriously, you can even New Year treat yourself to watermelon from your own garden.
Thick-skinned fruits are best stored. Their pulp is reliably protected from any type of influence. Before storing a watermelon, it is worth checking it for mechanical damage (cracks, dents, cuts, etc.). The surface of the fruit should be smooth and even. For storage, it is better to choose berries that ripen at the end of September. Maximum term storage up to 5 months.
It is necessary to pay special attention to the place where crops are stored. It must be reliably protected from light. The humidity required is quite high, about 60-80%. It is worth observing quite strict temperature regime from +6°С to -1°С. There should also be good air circulation in the room, which will prevent the watermelons from starting to rot ahead of time.
Storage methods:
Well, I finally understood how to determine when watermelons are ripe in the garden and when it’s time to pick them and eat them)) Until recently, it was a dark forest for me, and I asked everyone who was even a little in the know about it. Moreover, tapping a watermelon is generally not an effective way for me to determine its ripeness, because in this case I guess 50% of the time, and in 50% the watermelon turns out to be completely unripe.
Here are 4 ways to determine the ripeness of a watermelon in the garden that work for me.:
1) A dried tendril opposite the watermelon (closest to it). So far, it has never happened that a watermelon with a dried tendril was unripe. At the same time, the tail that connects the watermelon itself to the “bush” always remains green. It's nonsense that it should be dry! They become dry not because of a good life - when the watermelon has long been picked and lies, lies, lies... The landmark is precisely
a completely dried antennae, not a tail.
2) A yellow spot (where the watermelon touches the ground), or a slight yellowing of the watermelon pattern (if it is not a variety with a completely dark rind).
3) When squeezed, the watermelon makes a cracking noise. This is simply a guarantee of a ripe watermelon! At first, we both thought this method was stupid and were afraid to squeeze the watermelon, because... They thought that this would spoil it, if it had not yet ripened. But in fact the method is super!
4) Hardening of the bark. If the watermelon is unripe, it is very easily crushed with a fingernail. If it is ripe, then it is difficult to do this.
And of course the fact that the watermelon has completely stopped growing. When you notice that the growth of fruits has stopped, then you need to observe the appearance of the above signs.
The most significant point for me is point No. 1.
Even these mini watermelons are delicious)) But, by the way, not all of our watermelons are sweet. The larger ones turned out to be less sweet... it’s unclear why...
This is what yellowing watermelon looks like: 
Dried mustache (most often it is curly): 
But with melons, everything is generally simple - when they are fully ripe, they fall off the branch on their own. Or this happens when you take a melon in your hand. And the ripe melon begins to smell fragrant. So it’s much easier with them than with watermelons.
By the way, in the very first photo is our home-grown Torpedo melon (haven’t tried it yet).
This is our Sundae Melon: 
And also, if you want to give a good, unusual and at the same time really necessary gift to a girl, then be sure to visit this site. He has already helped many of my friends choose an amazing gift.
Many people don’t know, but according to experts, watermelons are divided, relatively speaking, by gender.
There are "boys" and "girls". You can tell which one is which when you cut a watermelon.
Those that are sweeter and contain fewer seeds are “girls”.
Others, also professionals in their field, say that all this is fiction, in fact, watermelons are hermaphrodites.
We simple gardeners are of little interest to these disputes; the most important thing for us is to find out whether the watermelon is ripe or not.
Amateur gardeners who grow these large berries in their dachas have long known how to determine ripeness. These signs are described below.
The watermelon is ripe if:
- A good ripened watermelon, usually correct form, that is, it has a slightly elongated ball shape.
- The fruit should not be small, preferably medium, about 8-12 kg. Small ones are usually not very sweet. If you choose a watermelon on the market, do not take large specimens, more than 12 kg, as they may contain a large amount of harmful nitrates.
- The ripeness of a watermelon is also indicated by its tail. When ripe and sweet, it is dried out. These appear on the shelves after mid-August. If the tail is greenish and not dry, then it was removed before it was ripe.
- The crust should not have any damage (dents, cracks, stains). Such a watermelon, even if ripe, loses its taste. It might be sour.
- Well, the last sign is the well-known knock on the watermelon. The sound of a ripened watermelon is ringing, as if crispy. A dull sound indicates that the fruit is limp and stale. In addition, storage conditions were violated.
By the way, watermelons can be stored for a long time. For this purpose, watermelons without external 
damage, and if possible without a yellow spot on the side, or so that it is as small as possible. Weight is about 7 kg.
We place it in a net and hang it in a dark place with a temperature no higher than +5C. The watermelon should not be in contact with the wall or anything else.
If stored properly, you can enjoy watermelon on New Year's Day.
If anyone else is interested in the gender of a watermelon, it is determined by its butt. In the “girl” watermelon it is flatter and has a large spot, while in the “boy” there is a depression inside and turns into a small point.
After choosing a ripe watermelon, it’s time to prepare a cocktail for guests called “drunk watermelon”.
Cut a round hole in the watermelon, the size of a bottle neck, and about 7cm deep. After this, turn the bottle of vodka over and insert the neck into this hole.
Make sure that the depth is sufficient and the contents do not spill out. We wait until everything is absorbed.
Seal the hole and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
After the time has passed, the watermelon cocktail is ready for use, all that remains is to cut it into slices. The watermelon must be ripe.
Watermelons appear on sale quite early, but most of us are suspicious of them. When do watermelons ripen and how to identify a ripe berry? Let's look at the answers to these questions below.
Fruit ripening periodThe ripening time of berries directly depends on the area in which they are grown. So in Uzbekistan, watermelons can be found on the shelves as early as May. However, buyers are in no hurry to buy them up. This is due to the fact that early fruit ripening is often a consequence of the use of chemicals. In terms of their taste and benefits for the human body, such early-ripening samples are significantly inferior to their normal counterparts. In this regard, it makes sense to wait for the real watermelon season, August, when the berries acquire sweetness and aroma.
The Astrakhan region is rightfully considered the best climatic zone for cultivating watermelons in Russia. The combination of hot days and warm nights makes it possible to grow the largest, juiciest and most sugary fruits there. Early varieties of watermelons appear here at the beginning of summer and this has nothing to do with the use of chemical fertilizers.
Thus, the following factors influence the ripening time of watermelons:
- variety: early varieties manage to ripen in 60 days, while late varieties need about 90 days;
- the climate zone in which they were cultivated;
- soil and level of care.
Still, how do you know that the watermelon you want to buy is ripe? Here are some recommendations on how to purchase ripe and high-quality fruit.
One of the most popular methods for determining the ripeness of a fruit is to knock on it. If the berry is ripe, it will answer you with a dull sound; a ringing sound will be a signal that the berry is not yet ready to eat.
Another popular method for determining the ripeness of a berry is to take it in the middle and hold it to your ear and squeeze it. If the berry is ripe, it will make a crackling sound.
The watermelon rind should be glossy with clear contrasting stripes, and in no case should there be a waxy coating. If you rub the peel, you should not notice the aroma of cut grass. This is a sign of unripe berries.
On the side of a ripe berry there is a small spot of yellow or orange color, this indicates that the fruit has spent quite a long time in the garden.
The rind of the watermelon hardens, and it is difficult to press it with your fingernail; if the watermelon is not ripe, this is easy to do. If the crust has acquired a brown tint and is slightly moist to the touch, this indicates that the watermelon is overripe.
The tail of a ripe watermelon is dry, but you cannot focus only on this feature, since it can dry out during transportation. In this regard, try to focus on the listed properties as a whole.
Determining the maturity of a watermelon in the gardenIf you grow watermelons yourself, it is advisable to choose varieties with early maturity. Try not to plant different varieties next to each other to avoid cross-pollination.
Usually in central Russia, watermelons ripen in August, but of course, the characteristics of the variety should be taken into account. Do not forget that berries that ripen early are not suitable for long-term storage. They should be stored for no more than 10 days.
The harvest is harvested as the berries ripen. Most often, the fruits from one plant are harvested in several stages. The exception is those that will be selected for seeds. The berries are removed using sharp pruners or a knife, because if you do this manually, you can damage the integumentary tissue and cause rotting of the fruit.
If you notice that the stalk of the fruit in the garden begins to dry out, as well as the mustache and leaves around it, this means that the watermelon is ripe and ready for harvesting. By constantly observing the plants, you will notice that the fruit has stopped growing. In addition, you can focus on the size of the berry; the larger it is, the more likely it is ripe. All of the above methods for determining fetal maturity should also be kept in mind.
Also, when observing the crop, you can notice that the berry stops growing.
Ready fruits should be harvested in clear weather. Late ripening watermelons can be stored for about two months. Cold rooms with high humidity are suitable for this. Fruits should be periodically inspected and spoiled ones should be discarded.
The last time the crop is harvested is before the first frost; it is necessary to collect all the berries, including unripe ones. Unripe fruits are suitable for pickling.
Experienced gardeners can determine the ripeness of watermelons at a glance, but this skill does not come immediately. In the meantime, you don’t have such a skill, you can use our advice.
Unfortunately, in last years people began to like watermelons less and less. And this is not due to the fact that someone stops liking the taste of dark red pulp with a wonderful aroma, but to the fact that the chances of purchasing a good and ripe watermelon are very small. What can they do with them to speed up ripening! They pump you full of nitrates, give you an injection of urea to quickly turn red - they use any means to quickly sell their products to customers. Naturally, both quality and taste suffer from this. This is why so many buyers remain disappointed. So, how to check a watermelon for ripeness? Let's try to answer this question.
Time to buy
Time is main indicator. The first watermelons appear in markets and stores long before their normal ripening time, which means they have clearly been helped. It is not worth purchasing such products. The optimal time to buy watermelons is from late August to mid-October.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by its rind
The rind of a ripe watermelon is harder, woodier, and if you press on it with your fingernail, it will not damage it. The striking contrast between the stripes on the rind also shows that the crop was harvested in optimal time. The characteristic yellow spot is also an indicator of ripeness, but it should not be too large.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by the tail
Contrary to popular belief, a dry tail does not guarantee the ripeness of a watermelon. You can use this sign only if you are waiting for your own harvest - during the ripening period, the vine begins to gradually die off. In store-bought watermelons, a dry tail can indicate both ripeness and the fact that unripe berries have been in storage for a long time. However, it is worth paying attention to the “button” - a small calloused seal at the point where the whip is attached. If it is dense, light and convex, then the watermelon is ready to eat.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by sound
A ripe watermelon makes a very characteristic sound when tapped - light, ringing and slightly rattling. This is due to the fact that ripe berries have looser starchy pulp, which resonates well. This same property explains the good buoyancy of watermelons - a ripe berry should float at least halfway. When squeezed, ripe watermelons crackle.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon using smell
Unripe watermelons have a strong grassy smell. Ripe berries have a different aroma - lighter and sweeter. It is difficult to explain this in words, but with a little practice you can learn to distinguish watermelons well by smell.
This explains how to tell the ripeness of a watermelon without cutting. However, it is best to determine quality and ripeness by appearance pulp. It should be red, starchy, without large yellow streaks. The optimal weight for a good watermelon is 5-7 kg. Remember: the main indicators of the presence of nitrates are large veins, as well as the coloring of water pink when a piece of pulp is stirred in it. For watermelon without nitrates, the water will become cloudy, but will not change color. You should not buy cut watermelon, even if it is ripe - there is no guarantee that microbes have not already settled in it.
