When fully ripe, melons only last for around one to three weeks at room temperature, which is why they are often harvested early in the countries of origin. There are a few tricks to recognize the ripeness of a melon from the outside.
How do I know if a melon is ripe?
To tell when a melon is ripe, pay attention to the weight, the sweet scent and the texture of the peel. With watermelons, a dull sound when struck and a yellow spot at the contact point ensure ripeness.
The different types of melons and their signs of ripeness
Not all types of melon can be easily recognized as ripe or unripe. This is of course easier with home-grown melons, where the death of the plant parts in late summer or autumn indicates the time of harvest of the fruit. This complete death of the plant is also the reason why even sweet honeydew melons are not scientifically classified as fruits, but as vegetables. In many sugar melons such as honeydew melon and Charentais melon, the peel does not adequately indicate the state of ripeness. However, you can distinguish the ripest fruits from unripe specimens by their heavier weight. In addition, fully ripe sugar melons exude a slightly sweet, gently perfumed scent and can be easily pressed in with strong pressure with your fingers. A clear sign that the fruit is overripe is when the base of the stem is brown or black.
Identifying a ripe watermelon
If you want to identify a watermelon in the garden or in the supermarket as ripe, you can use a combination of visual and acoustic tests. Ripe fruits of the common varieties Crimson Sweet and Sugar Baby have a rather dull sound when lightly struck with the hand. The color of the peel depends on the variety and whether the green watermelon is covered in net-like, yellowish stripes. However, a yellow spot at the contact point is an unmistakable sign that the fruit on the plant has been allowed to fully ripen.
Store ripe melons properly
A ripe melon can be kept at room temperature for about one to three weeks, depending on the type and exact time of harvest. The following storage options can then be considered:
- storing in the refrigerator
- the freezing
- pickling as a spicy vegetable side dish
tips: Since all melons tend to become mushy when frozen and thawed, this storage method is only suitable for preparing smoothies or other uses in pureed form.
