Honey Dew

[california_grown]

I'm wondering when I should pick my honeydew. Some are larger than the ones in the store- yet, they arent all the way white yet. Will they contunie to ripen on the counter top? or should I just wait until they fall off the vine.
I'm worried because my Cantelope was unripe one day- and over ripe the next with cracks and ants.
I don't want to risk my honeydew...I saw sonme wandering ants yesterday.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I generally go by smell. If I can smell the melon, and it smells fruity, I'll pick it and let it go the rest of the way on the counter. Fortunate for me, They almost always slip from the vine when I go to pick it. The nose knows

[garden5]

I'm wondering when I should pick my honeydew. Some are larger than the ones in the store- yet, they arent all the way white yet. Will they contunie to ripen on the counter top? or should I just wait until they fall off the vine.
I'm worried because my Cantelope was unripe one day- and over ripe the next with cracks and ants.
I don't want to risk my honeydew...I saw sonme wandering ants yesterday.

Well, they may change color, but their flavor will not change when you ripen them off of the vine.

Perhaps keeping a close eye on it is the best idea.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

In my personal experience, they sweeten and ripen off the vine on the counter. But I'm not talking about picking them extremely green. Mine have either had at least a blush of color or mostly colored. I try to leave them as long as I can, but if I can smell them, I pick them. Simply because if I can smell them, so can everyone and everything else... Including the neighbors dog, who has an insatiable appetite for melon! Even immature watermelon