How To Know When to Harvest Watermelons

Watermelons might be the most challenging plant when it comes to knowing when to harvest. The best practice is to keep track of the date you planted and the days to maturity based on the variety of seeds. This way you can mark on your calendar a date to know when to start looking for the following clues:

• Look for the surface of the watermelon to change from shiny to dull.
• Gently flip it over to look at the underside of the watermelon that rests on the ground to see if it has started to turn from green to yellow.
• Some people swear by knocking on it to listen for a hollow sound.
• Lastly, the tendril that is closest to the watermelon stem will completely dry up and turn brown. ​

This Sugarbaby Watermelon weighed over 18 pounds. Although our watermelon has a "hollow heart" or cracked center it is still safe to eat. Actually, it was by far the sweetest Sugarbaby we grew due to the concentration of the sugars along the cracks. Watermelon cracks can be caused by changing weather conditions during the growing season including cold spells, heat waves, and of course too much rain. This watermelon grew in sandy soil covered by rocks, was fertilized at planting with composted manure, and was only watered once a week. ​

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Watermelon Grown in Back to Eden Vegetable Garden

On the East Coast, Mark McOmber who was featured in the documentary Back to Eden is growing the most epic watermelons. Mark's favorite heirloom varieties of watermelon is Crimson Sweet. After 10 years of Back to Eden gardening with wood chips, Mark harvested a 56 pound Crimson Sweet watermelon! Watch Mark's video to learn how to harvest watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydew. 

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