From Melons to Squash: A Gardener’s Guide to Perfect Harvest Timing

There are few things more disappointing to a gardener than waiting for the right moment to harvest a beautiful veggie, taking a bite only to find it lacking flavor, sweetness, or the right texture. One of the most rewarding parts of cultivating your own vegetables is being able to eat produce at perfect ripeness, and one of the key reasons homegrown produce is so vastly superior to what you can buy in a store.

Over the years of helping Sacramento gardeners thrive in their yards, we've gained valuable insights into the key factors to watch for when it's time to harvest those particularly tricky plants.

Melons

Melons are one of the fruits that consistently cause gardeners frustration. With some varieties it is easy to decide when they are ripe and for others such as honeydew and watermelon, it can be really quite difficult to decide when to take the fruit off the plant. The confusion arises as some melons will slip from the vine when ripe, and some will not. Further complicating things some melons will ripen after picking while other melons will never develop more sweetness once cut from the vine. 

With watermelon, the main indicator of ripeness that people often use to decide when to pick is the drying of the closest tendril. If you follow the stem up from the fruit, where it attaches to the vine there will be a small tendril shaped like a pigtail. This tendril will be brown, shrivelled and dry if the melon is ripe or close to ripe. Another indicator of ripeness is that the light green patch where the melon had been resting on the ground will turn from light green to a creamy yellow color. As watermelons do not continue to ripen once harvested, it is best to wait a few days once you have noticed these signs before cutting the fruit from the vine. Some varieties of watermelon will start out glossy and become more dull as they ripen, and it should be difficult to dent a ripe watermelon with your fingernail. 

Honeydew is another melon that will not slip from the vine when ripe. The main signs of ripeness for these fruits are a colour change, smell and softness on the blossom end. Often honeydews are picked underripe for sale in the supermarket, as they need a week or two to make it onto the shelves. For this reason people often think that they should be white or very light in color. In fact ripe honeydews are a light creamy yellow in color. The blossom end of a ripe honeydew will give slightly to light pressure from a finger, and this part of the melon will have a sweet, floral smell. 

Squash

Closely related to melons, winter squash can pose similar challenges when deciding when to harvest. The winter squash tend to store very well, so you can afford to take your time and ensure you are not picking them too early. For the winter squashes, waiting until the expected color change has occurred, the skin is hard and not easily pierced with a fingernail, and the stem has turned brown and woody is the best practice. 

Conclusion

Knowing when to harvest is one of the key elements of successful gardening, especially when it comes to tricky plants like melons and squash. With a little patience and understanding of the signs of ripeness, you can ensure that your homegrown produce will be full of flavor, sweetness, and the perfect texture. Whether you’re picking melons or squash, paying attention to the details and trusting your instincts will reward you with the best harvests. So, next time you’re in doubt, remember: the perfect moment to harvest is the one that brings out the full potential of your plants—and the best part is, it’s all part of the journey of growing your own food. Happy harvesting!