From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ohio

My first year growing giant cantalope. Whats the best way to tell when its ready to be picked?

Brooks

8/5/2007 5:10:57 AM

Long Island,New York

When they smile and wink at you Brooks.

8/5/2007 6:30:31 AM

Long Island,New York

Actually...can't wait THAT long...I believe they change color (almost overnight) to a yellower appearence.

8/5/2007 6:31:32 AM

Farmington, Utah

When you gently pull on them and they slip of the stem they are ready. Field ripened cantalopes are the best.

8/5/2007 9:46:27 AM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

These big ones Brooks need to be picked a couple days earlier then the regular. But still go by color(yellow-reddish and smell.The bugs will find it too if you wait too long. How big did it get Brooks?

8/5/2007 10:29:18 AM

western PA

when they will turn a light orange color, roll them to thier side. if it pops easily off the vine, it is ready.

or

since you are just growing a few for size. get down next to it and smell it at the stem. They will smell sweet when they are ripe.

8/6/2007 9:09:00 AM

Rochester, Minnesota

I put a hand on the melon and apply light pressure to the side of the stem. It if knocks the stem off, it's ready. In fact it's so ready it's about a day away from being bug food.

8/6/2007 2:21:20 PM

Ohio

Sorry , I forgot about this post guys, but thanks for all the info.
It appears that what I was growing wasn't a giant cantaloupe at all like it said on the seed package it was giant muskmelon seeds that I got from ''4 kids'' LOL.(I been trying to email you 4 kids) Mistakes happen I know ''4 kids'' and its not a problem at all, I would have grown ether one since it was my first year growing them. But they turned out growing pretty darn big! Not as big as Marty grows em though. But I will grow the seeds out of it next year.

What is the main difference's in the two anyway? Is it that Muskmelon are sweeter and have a darker skin color maybe or are they the pretty much the same thing? They also dint seem to have as much meat inside then a cantaloupe has. I never ate mine but did open it up to collect the seeds and a friend of mine said it was a muskmelon and not a cantaloupe. I then looked in your diary Marty and sure enough that is what I was growing. They are fun to grow though.

Brooks

9/1/2007 4:57:59 AM