Is this editable and when, Watermelon!

[gunslingor]

I grew Crimson sweet and Yamato watermelon. Went away for a few weeks, squash bettles murdered it. Don't think it will come back. Are these edible? How do I know when to eat em?

 

[Meadowlark]

The only way to know for certain is to cut them open and see. From the picture, the vines look very bad. but there may or may not be edible fruit there. Cut them and see.

 

[jjenning04]

As long as the beetles didn't break through the skin of the fruit they will still be edible. Such a shame insects ruin fruit plants, especially when it takes ages to grow them.

JJ

 

[Ruderunner]

Well, now I know what killed our pickles.

 

[gunslingor]

Well, now I know what killed our pickles.

Which pickle? The squash bugs destroyed my squash, then moved to the watermelon. Cucs just gave up basically.

 

[Ruderunner]

Couple varieties but my vines look like yours.

 

[deckman22]

What has always worked for me in the past is check the tendril closest to the stem with melon attached, When it gets dried out the melon is ready. With this years brutal heat out in the Texas hill country it's not holding true. I knew they should not be ripe for another two weeks according to how long they are supposed to grow, but looked ready. It was nice and red inside. It split in two soon as I put the knife in which usually means a good ripe melon. Just was not sweet as I expected.

 

[gunslingor]

What has always worked for me in the past is check the tendril closest to the stem with melon attached, When it gets dried out the melon is ready. With this years brutal heat out in the Texas hill country it's not holding true. I knew they should not be ripe for another two weeks according to how long they are supposed to grow, but looked ready. It was nice and red inside. It split in two soon as I put the knife in which usually means a good ripe melon. Just was not sweet as I expected.

Thanks. I cut the smallest one open... I was surprised to see nice red flesh. Thought it was a yamato. It split when I put the knife in, good to know. It is pretty good, not the sweetest, but 10x better than I was expecting at best.