This is my first year growing watermelons and I have two on the vine right now of the Picnic variety from baker creek. We are very excited since we all love watermelon. Tomorrow I will go out and check the tendrils to see if they have changed colors, but I was wondering if the underside changing colors still occurs if I have them setting up on something? I checked the baker site and it seems they are 90 -100 days so, will the four small ones I have growing on another plant need 90 days to ripen? I also noticed that it seemed everyone grew larger sized watermelons. I picked Picnic due to the size, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to eat multiple huge watermelons. How long can they keep for if you don't eat them right away? Thank you for your help. Seems I jumped in feet first without looking. Christine

Wayne, Disease is always a problem and wilt is a problem I deal with each year. I lost 6 plants under the netting due to wilt, it seem to went straight across in a line down the middle. I also lost one of my Stone mountains. I am completly Organic and I choose not to spray anything even organic sprays. Mainly I choose this approach because I don't have the time to spend worrying about each problem that arises and spending time and money trying to battle it. Instead I choose cultural practices to minimize the effects of insects , birds, deer ,rabbits, coons, squirrels and ever bacterial, fungal and viral microbes out they that want the vegetables and flowers of my garden. I have found the more I learn to let nature take its course and creat a garden inviting to beneficial insects and keeping the ground covered at all timeswith the use of mulches, cover crops, and employing tactics to ward off critters, including vigilant trapping of some pest such as squirrels the garden takes care of it self and I have more time to enjoy my garden and I feel a lot better about the produce I eat and raise. But wilt is probably my worst problem with melons and roatation is the key. I too have grown melons for years but not as long as you have especially in this garden spot. Hopefully I can continue to get a sweet summer melon for my troubles. Frank if referring to the Missouri yellow meated it is a big melon the one pictured is probable 35lbs I picked one the other day and that 's what it weighed. It was devine juicy and sweet. This was the first year growing it. Rodger

I've never had a good melon that was odd shaped. The shape indicates incomplete pollination. Also it's too small to be really good. The best melons are medium to big size. But it will be ripe when the tendril by the stem turns brown.

Third time was the charm! I literally covered it with the vines so I wouldn't be tempted to pick it every time I saw it. Was at least two weeks from when the tendril dried up but this time I waited til the thump was dull and hollow wherever it was tapped..the second one would make different sounds at different spots...and then I still waited another 4 days. Also stopped watering it the last couple weeks as well. Was absolutely perfrct and the best watermelon I've had since I was a kid.