threegardeners said:My first year growing watermelons...because I finally found a watermelon with a 75 day period...how do you know when they're ripe?
You asked this in August - so this is a bit late. I am harvesting mine now in Sept. I plant mine late to try to avoid the weeds.
Ripe - the vine that goes into the watermelon has a short little twirling stem about two or so inches. When it dries up even into the swollen part that goes into the vine - then it is ripe.
There are pictures on the internet.
Sometimes I wish I could draw pictures instead of using words.
The twirling little stem is using located next to the first leaf on the vine.
