Me, watermelons, and canteloupes just don't get along. The first year I ever grew a garden (15 years ago I guess) I had excellent watermelons and canteloupes. Ever since then something happens and they turn to crap for some reason or another.
This year I started Crimson Sweet watermelons way back in April. I have been waiting on a "ripe" watermelon since then. The "signs" say the oldest set fruit isn't ripe, tendril not dried up, sound isn't hollow, you know. Well I decided to go ahead and pick the oldest one anyways to see. Tedril is not dried up and thumping sound is a dead sound. Stuck it in the fridge yesterday. Today I cut it open and clear water literally poured out like a faucet and the flesh is pink. No fermentation. Pics are attached. Did I really pick it too early? It should have been ripe around the first of July. What is wrong? I just don't get it.
Actually the next set fruit sounds dead too so it has to be the same. I have two other way younger fruits that are almost the same size that sound hollow ("ripe") but the tendril isn't dry yet.
![20220928_120952.jpg 20220928_120952.jpg](https://www.gardening-forums.com/data/attachments/93/93033-678aa1ff171136d625878cb3ff6d56ce.jpg)
![20220928_121009.jpg 20220928_121009.jpg](https://www.gardening-forums.com/data/attachments/93/93034-ffed43e18de04a9ac7e580f0d4c559f0.jpg)
This year I started Crimson Sweet watermelons way back in April. I have been waiting on a "ripe" watermelon since then. The "signs" say the oldest set fruit isn't ripe, tendril not dried up, sound isn't hollow, you know. Well I decided to go ahead and pick the oldest one anyways to see. Tedril is not dried up and thumping sound is a dead sound. Stuck it in the fridge yesterday. Today I cut it open and clear water literally poured out like a faucet and the flesh is pink. No fermentation. Pics are attached. Did I really pick it too early? It should have been ripe around the first of July. What is wrong? I just don't get it.
Actually the next set fruit sounds dead too so it has to be the same. I have two other way younger fruits that are almost the same size that sound hollow ("ripe") but the tendril isn't dry yet.
![20220928_120952.jpg 20220928_120952.jpg](https://www.gardening-forums.com/data/attachments/93/93033-678aa1ff171136d625878cb3ff6d56ce.jpg)
![20220928_121009.jpg 20220928_121009.jpg](https://www.gardening-forums.com/data/attachments/93/93034-ffed43e18de04a9ac7e580f0d4c559f0.jpg)