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Sophia WV

when do these melons get ripe I have 2 at 150

10/11/2011 9:13:58 AM

Ut

Hey there Robert. Others will have more info, but from what I've gathered it depends more on days from pollination, weather(heat), and if you covered it from the sun(ripens quicker if not covered). I had a melon that was fairly good to eat at 62 days, and another that was pretty good at 74 days. I think they say the ones that keep growing 80-90 days are usually over-ripe. By ripe I think most of us mean sweet and at its peak for eating, but not necessarily done growing. Some have also posted that if you lean on it and hear a crack inside then it’s ripe. The ones we ate this year both cracked when I turned them and pushed on them(I was just curious to hear the crack). My thought there is that once it’s mushy it won’t crack anymore. Am I right here? I fed one to a crowd and they said they loved it, but CC certainly aren’t your first choice for eating. I think it’s fun to be able to do so however, especially at a big event.

10/11/2011 10:12:33 AM

formerly RGG

The things you look for in a regular melon for ripeness mostly do not apply to Carolina Cross. The tendril next to the leaf node adjacent to the melon turning brown is not an indication of ripeness. Neither is a hollow sound when you thump on one. Also the belly of the melon may turn yellow before it is ripe. These melons grow longer and take longer to get ripe than any other watermelon.It is fairly safe to assume they will be plenty ripe around 60 days post pollination. They may be red inside well before that. But these melons are known to grow for as long as 100 days or more after pollination. If you are growing for size grow it as long as the stem is green & it is getting bigger. Keeping the plant healthy for a long time is key to growing the big ones. I slacked off my spraying late in the season this year and after a few days of rain disease took over my patch and my vines went down quickly. You are certainly right WD, these giants are real crowd pleasers.

10/11/2011 7:12:45 PM