How to Decide on a Ripe Cantaloupe

Also known as muskmelon, cantaloupe is a sweet, juicy member of the gourd family. At the U.S., many cantaloupes are chosen in California between May and November, with peak season from midsummer to October. However, cantaloupes found in American supermarkets are also increased in Mexico and Central America. In the home garden, the plants need plenty of heat and sun for growth. The melons older about 35 to 45 days later blossoms appear. Selecting a ripe cantaloupe guarantees that a sweet, juicy melon.

In the Garden

Watch for cantaloupes from the home garden to change color, which suggests ripeness. The melons start out green and switch to creamy tan or yellow.

Look for the maturation of a slight crack around the stem. The crack is an indication that the cantaloupe is prepared to pick from the blossom.

Harvest cantaloupes when the melons can easily be removed from the plant with a slight tug. Do not wait until the cantaloupe falls from the blossom by itself, since the melon is very likely to be too blessed to enjoy.

In the Supermarket

Look for cantaloupes without the bruises, cuts or soft spots. A blemished or scuffed area on one side of the melon could be in which the cantaloupe rested on the ground. This sort of melon is nice to eat.

Smell the melon. A mature cantaloupe has a sweet, fragrant aroma.

Look for a cantaloupe with a tan or yellowish color between the netting, which is the raised grid-like pattern on the cantaloupe’s vertical rind.

Examine the blossom end, which is the end opposite of the stem. The blossom end of ripe cantaloupe yields softly when pressed with your finger. The stem end of a ripe cantaloupe is rounded and smooth.

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