A honeydew melon with the right degree of ripeness is not only delicious, but also a low-calorie refreshment on hot summer days. However, it is not always easy to determine the degree of ripeness of these fruits.
How do you recognize a ripe honeydew melon?
A ripe honeydew melon can be recognized by its sweet scent, which should not smell too perfumey, the uniform golden-yellow skin color and a slightly yielding flesh when pressed. Overripe melons yield more and have an exaggeratedly perfumed taste.
The different commercial classes of honeydew melon
As a rule, two different classes of imported honeydew melons are available in stores in this country. Category 1 fruits must not have any dents or discoloration on the peel and should have a perfectly oval shape. Their size usually weighs between 1.3 and 3 kilograms. These golden yellow honeydew melons are not only ideal for fresh consumption, but also for artfully decorating a table with exotic fruits. The cheaper fruits in the second category may have certain bruises on the shell or dents, but they should also be harvested ripe and have no cracks in the shell. Since honeydew melons don't ripen well when harvested green, these fruits should only be bought when ripe.
Color, degree of hardness and smell of a ripe honeydew melon
A ripe honeydew melon can be recognized by various factors. Ripe fruits exude a pleasantly sweet scent, which, however, should not smell too pungently like perfume. In addition, the color of the shell should be uniform all around as a rich golden yellow. If the melon was harvested while still a little green, the flesh is usually very hard. A ripe honeydew melon, on the other hand, should give a little when you lightly press the rind with your fingers. However, if the pulp yields too much during this pressure test, it is an overripe specimen and the pulp usually has a pungent, perfumed taste.
Store the honeydew melon correctly
A ripe honeydew melon can be stored at room temperature for about one to two weeks, depending on the actual degree of ripeness. However, this guideline only applies if the shell is intact. Honeydew melons that have already been cut should be used as quickly as possible and, like watermelons, can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of a few days. However, even in the refrigerator, melons should always be covered with a little cling film on the cut side. This at least partially prevents foreign odors from other foods from penetrating the flesh of the melons.
Grow your own honeydew melons
Actually, most of the honeydew melons sold in this country come from the following growing regions:
- Italy
- Spain
- Greece
Out of season, honeydew melons are also available as airfreight from Costa Rica and Brazil. In your own garden, you need to plant the honeydew melon in good time in the spring if you want to harvest ripe fruit by autumn. Ideally, you should plant the young honeydew melon plants in a greenhouse in May, where, with good care, the fruit will change color from green to honey yellow by autumn.
Tips & Tricks
When growing in the garden, you can also tell when the fruits are ripe by the fact that the parts of the honeydew melon die and begin to dry out despite the water supply.