Questions about ripe melons?

[tankgirl73]

I planted some melons as an experiment this year. They were started late -- just straight outside after frost, not 6-8 weeks before inside. So I knew it might be unlikely for them to have time to develop enough before the fall frost -- which could be any day now. (There have been 2 frost warnings in the last couple weeks, but so far not frost)

For the longest time, the plants were growing but small. Then they got BIG!!!! Then they were covered with flowers! And then they were covered with... more flowers! And then... um... more flowers...

Finally, some of the flowers started to develop fruits. I believe that melons have the male and female flowers thing, where only the females develop fruits. First 2 melons only. Then a week or 2 later, a few more. Then a few more. Even up until just a few weeks ago there were new tiny melons starting.

But now here's the rub -- I have NO idea how to tell if a melon is ripe. And I don't remember what the variety of melon is either! It's not a watermelon. It's white, round, with greenish stripes -- but I don't know if it's supposed to change colour when it ripens or not. I don't know how big it's supposed to be when full-grown. It seems to me that the oldest melons haven't grown much since reaching a certain size... but how do I know?

And a related question -- if the frost comes before they're all ripe (as it certainly will), can I do something to speed ripening, or ripen them indoors like I can do with tomatoes?

[cschick]

Originally Posted by tankgirl73

I planted some melons as an experiment this year. They were started late -- just straight outside after frost, not 6-8 weeks before inside. So I knew it might be unlikely for them to have time to develop enough before the fall frost -- which could be any day now. (There have been 2 frost warnings in the last couple weeks, but so far not frost)

For the longest time, the plants were growing but small. Then they got BIG!!!! Then they were covered with flowers! And then they were covered with... more flowers! And then... um... more flowers...

Finally, some of the flowers started to develop fruits. I believe that melons have the male and female flowers thing, where only the females develop fruits. First 2 melons only. Then a week or 2 later, a few more. Then a few more. Even up until just a few weeks ago there were new tiny melons starting.

But now here's the rub -- I have NO idea how to tell if a melon is ripe. And I don't remember what the variety of melon is either! It's not a watermelon. It's white, round, with greenish stripes -- but I don't know if it's supposed to change colour when it ripens or not. I don't know how big it's supposed to be when full-grown. It seems to me that the oldest melons haven't grown much since reaching a certain size... but how do I know?

And a related question -- if the frost comes before they're all ripe (as it certainly will), can I do something to speed ripening, or ripen them indoors like I can do with tomatoes?

Have any of the older ones started to develop any sort of ridging on them? If yes, they're cantaloupe. If no, that doesn't mean they aren't cantaloupe :P

Melons pretty much have to ripen on the vine. Their sugars stop forming once they are removed. One thing you can do is smell the place where the blossom dropped off of the oldest ones. If that area smells very sweet, there's a pretty good chance that that melon is ripe. Take one in, chop it open, taste it.

[BellaClaudia]

http://www.produceoasis.com/Hierarch...er/Melons.html

try to find your guys in one of the links on the above page
and you can find more info about it there

hope this helps.