The way to Tell If Cantaloupes Are Ready to Pick?

The sweet, pungent taste of a freshly picked cantaloupe would be reason enough to develop it, but this melon is also saturated in nutrients like vitamins A and C. Cantaloupe can be expanded in virtually any sunny yard which has well-drained, fertile soil and at least a 12-week growing year. For your freshest fruit having a pleasant texture, then pick the fruit when it’s fully ripe. Clues like appearance and scent will tell you when it’s time to harvest.

Easy Removal

One of the surest signs your cantaloupe is prepared will be to lift the fruit off the ground. If it feels heavy for its size, give the fruit soft twist at the stem. As you twist, a ripe melon will readily come off of the main vine. If you twist and the stem provides any resistance to falling the cantaloupe, the fruit is not ripe yet. Place the melon back on the ground and then try again in a couple of days. Cantaloupe that slips off easily from the vine is in its peak of ripeness and should be eaten within a day or two or stored in the fridge.

Appearance

Unripe cantaloupes have a smooth skin along with green shade. As they mature, the skin will stay green but will start to demonstrate a netting pattern on the surface. When the netting design becomes raised and turns out a tan color, the fruit will be ripe and can be harvested. The cantaloupe might not be in its peak of sweetness in this time but will still taste wonderful. If you would like, you can save the fruit unrefrigerated for up to a week prior to eating it. During this time, the fruit will ripen slightly more and produce a somewhat sweeter flavor.

Smell

The characteristic odor of a ripe cantaloupe is familiar to anybody who has eaten one. The scent includes a strongly floral and somewhat tropical perfume. Should you bend down and give your cantaloupe a sniff, this scent indicates the melon is ripe and ready to pick. The melon is fully ripe at this point and needs to be kept in a fridge or eaten within a few days.

Timing

If you’re wondering when to expect to crop your cantaloupe, it is possible to judge the opportunity to ripeness by once the plant flowered. When the vine flowers, the fruit will take between 30 to 45 days to mature. A warm garden with rich ground may have cantaloupes ripening in the lower end of this range; cooler yards or those with less fertile ground will be toward the upper selection.

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