Ripe honeydew have a sweet fragrance.
The mildly sweet, green flesh of the honeydew is reminiscent of the flavor of honey, earning this melon its common name. Honeydew melons begin to ripen in midsummer and the plants may continue to produce until early fall. The melons must develop their full sweetness on the vine, since they stop converting starch to sugar once harvested. Picking a honeydew at the peak of ripeness ensures the best flavor and juiciness. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Inspect the honeydew melons daily for color change. The rind fades from green to yellow or cream as the honeydew reaches peak ripeness.
2. Run your hand over the rind of the melon. Underripe honeydew rinds feel slightly rough, while mature honeydews have smooth rinds.
3. Apply gentle pressure to the rind next to the stem. The area around the stem begins to soften in comparison to the rest of the rind once the honeydew is ripe. Some, but not all, honeydew varieties slip and separate from the vine on their own once mature.
4. Harvest honeydew melons in the morning after the dew dries but before the heat of the day stresses the fruit. Cut the melon from the vine, as pulling it off may damage the fruit or the plant.
Tags: from vine, peak ripeness