Montreal Melons~ when to harvest??

I am not familiar with the variety montreal melon but wanted to answer your question on when it is ripe. There are two types of melons , true melons and muskmelons. If it is a muskmelon the outside rind will turn from green to yellow and the stem will seperate from the vine or do what is called "slip". If it is a true melon like European type melons and watermelons or casaba melons, honeydew etc the way to tell if ripe is by the tendril at the leaf where the stem from the melon attaches. When this tendril or pigtail or curly cue turns brown the melon is ripe. Experience with a certain melon type will help, some are at their peak when the tendril dries but still has some green , maybe a 1/4inch at the best left, others are at their peak when the tendril is fullty dried. Best bet check for days till maturity on the seed package if it says 90 days at 80 start checking melons every couple of days when tendril nearly fully dried ie 1/4inch still green harvest one and see how it is. if it was hollow and soft it is over ripe then harvest the others a little earlier. If it is very firm not very sweet and has a large area of the rind not ripe then it was under ripe so wait till the tendril is fully dried. If good and sweet and juicy you gaged just right. Muskmelons will continue to ripen after picked so can be picked when just starting to turn yellow and will ripen of the next couple of days. Muskmelons have a very short shelf life only a few days till they begin to go bad. True melons and watermelons once picked will not ripen any further but will only rot. But true melons and watemelons have a long shelf life up to several weeks in a cool place out of direct sun. Rodger

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RE: Montreal Melons~ when to harvest??

RE: Montreal Melons~ when to harvest??

RE: Montreal Melons~ when to harvest??

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