How to know if a watermelon is ripe is a proven method.

When you bite into a ripe watermelon, you are rewarded with a bland taste of an un ripe melon.

It's not a good idea to just buy a watermelon and let it mature on the counter because watermelons don't continue to mature after being harvest.The sweetness of cantaloupes and other melons is determined by when they were picked, not by how soft they are on the counter.

Here are a few tips on how to tell if a watermelon is ripe for eating, whether you buy it at the market or grow it yourself.

A "field spot" is the belly of watermelons, which is in contact with the ground throughout its growth.This spot on a ripe watermelon is sometimes referred to as "buttery" and is indicative of an un ripe melon.

If you want to rap on the watermelon, hold it up to your ear, or flick it with your finger.A ripe watermelon will have a hollow sound when knocked.An overripe watermelon will have a higher-pitched sound than an un ripe one.One way to get a head start on learning the difference between ripe and unripe watermelons is to ask a melon grower at your local farmers market to demonstrate it for you.

Take the watermelon away from the rest of the melons and give it a good smell.A ripe watermelon should smell similar to a melon, but not overly sweet, which can indicate an overripe watermelon.The sniff test works better on other types of melons than it does on watermelons.

If there's a bit of "Give" to the watermelon, you can squeeze it.The rind of the melon shouldn't be soft, as the skin of some fruits get when ripe, but it should be hard as a rock with no give to it at all.

If you can't narrow down your choices between a couple of watermelons, try comparing the weight of similarly-sized ones and pick the one that seems heavier to you.This isn't a fail-proof test, but it can be reliable.

Did you remember to save your watermelon seed package and write down the date you planted it?It's a good idea to keep a record of when the melons should be, since many of the commercial watermelons grown in home gardens will be true to their descriptions on the seed package.A ripe watermelon from these varieties should be approximately the size indicated on the seed package, although that can vary quite a bit depending on conditions in your garden.

If you look at the watermelon's belly, you can see if it is yellow or white.This is a good time to check for and remove slugs or sow bugs that may be looking to eat the melon at your expense.

On a ripe watermelon, the tendril closest to the fruit will tend to be brown and dried.The watermelon is ripening if the tendril is still green.It might be best to harvest the watermelons before they go bad if the vine and leaves are getting brown.

Don't knock the watermelon off the vine, but rather thump it.The thump test is a good way to find out if a watermelon is ripe.