Watermelon healthy, vine dead for awhile

[Francis Barnswallow]

I have a watermelon that's about the size of a bowling ball. It's still alive but the vine providing it nutrients has been dead for at least 2 weeks now.

Should I go ahead and pic the watermelon?

[thanrose]

Yes, because it's sorta picked itself. Nothing feeding it through the vine, so all it can do is cook and degrade sitting there. If it isn't really ripe, it may never do better, but give it a rest in a cool dark place before you give up on it.

[Francis Barnswallow]

Can I put it in the refrigerator?

[thanrose]

Only if you think it's ripe. Refrigeration will stop any ripening it might continue to do. I don't know if watermelon continues to ripen after it's picked though. I don't think most in that family will.

Maybe someone else will have more insight. I'm just thinking with our recent 90 degree days that sitting outside in the sun with no sustenance from the vine can't be good for it.

[Francis Barnswallow]

It's been in the frig for 24 hours now.

[jal_ut]

Tell us how it was?

[Francis Barnswallow]

I cut it open this morning and it was ripe and tasty. Had I not come here for help, it would still be on the dead vine.

[thanrose]

Glad to hear the few days without the vine feeding it didn't hurt it any.

Ain't it great to be eating stuff you grow in your yard at this time of year?

[Francis Barnswallow]

Glad to hear the few days without the vine feeding it didn't hurt it any.

Ain't it great to be eating stuff you grow in your yard at this time of year?

This was my first homegrown watermelon. And I have about 50 tomatoes ripening and will be ready to pick in about 2 weeks. And the Orlando area will be in the upper 60's for a high temperature this weekend......good times.

[nedwina]

I don't know about the big oblong watermelons, but the small "icebox" ones last a remarkably long time after the vine vine is dead or the melon is picked. I had one last 4 weeks on the porch! And it was fab when I ate it.

They won't continue to ripen off the vine though- and determining ripeness is a combination of art & science. Good color (ivory underneath) and if the nearest tendril is dead are two clues. A good resounding thump when struck with the flat of the hand is another.