Ripe & Ready: How to Harvest Watermelon Like a Pro

[@CaliKim29]

25% off CaliKim Seed Collections, CK Smart Pots, books, and garden kits with code “CALIKIM25” at calikimgardenandhome.com. (ends 9/13/23). 🥬September "Fun Fall Greens" Subscription Box is here! $9 off 1st box w/ code “FUNFALLGREENS”. FREE BONUS: Vermisterra Earthworm Casting Tea, a concentrated soil enricher that supercharges plant growth and makes gardening easy. Visit vermisterra.com for organic fertilizers and soil amendments. Thanks for gardening with us! -CaliKim & CameraGuy

[@colleen4574]

I'm growing my 1st watermelon. It's a bigger variety and not ready yet. Been checking that tendril and still green. I did harvest one and it wasn't ripe, darn. I'll have to try the sugar baby. I did harvest 18 cantelope. They were amazing and had to freeze some there was so much. I canned your pepper jelly today, amazing. Thanks for the good recipe.

[@amberwilson1982]

I love cantaloupe. Last year I to had a wonderful harvest with only one variety ... This year I have three varieties . I also tried sugar baby they did wonderful. Trying Three varieties this year. Thanks for sharing and good luck in 2024...

[@chirpycats]

5:17 I was so stoked with my three sugar baby watermelons that I harvest this past weekend! I knew they were ripe because I followed one of your past videos. So sweet and flavourful, I am actually having some for dessert here at work. Thanks for your informative videos. Love it!

[@CaliKim29]

Great job harvesting Chirpycats - nothing like the sweetness of a watermelon at it's peak! Especially for dessert at work. Keep on growing your groceries!

[@chirpycats]

@@CaliKim29 Thanks! And I forgot to mention, I’m in zone 5b (Montreal) so especially happy I can still grow watermelon, despite our short growing season! 👍

[@jackieperez1274]

I did grow sugar baby watermelon. I had it growing in my raised bed. I was able to harvest 2 so far. More to come! I can't wait so excited!

[@CaliKim29]

That is awesome Jackie! Sorry for the delay !

[@dlo5808]

Thanks for the video, it's almost as if you were reading my mind! I was tempted to harvest, but it's a bit too soon. I will post pictures after I harvest.

[@nAs1bReEd]

I literally went out this morning to check mine and thought to myself let me leave it for a few more days. This was perfectly right on time!

[@CaliKim29]

Yes, I have a tendency to do that with gardeners! LOL! Go for it! Kim

[@CaliKim29]

Good thing!!! CK

[@kele1264]

I have sugar baby seeds. The very next time I plant a garden, I'll have cattle panel, and it'll be all about these little melons. 🍉🍉🍉 And other vining things like peas and beans. I'm craving watermelon like crazy. It's not being sold here anymore this season. Pumpkins bins have replaced watermelons. So sad. Great video!

[@cocobrwngl]

Thank you. I grew watermelon successfully for the first time. Years ago, I tried to plant them and did not know how and planted too many way too close. They took over. I only planted 3 watermelon and 1 cantaloupe this time. They were not trellised so I had trouble finding the tendril. The ground hogs let me know they were ready and tried to harvest one and it rolled down the yard a little. I got that one and another. I also got one cantaloupe. The ground hogs harvested and ate the rest. I am glad I at least got to try them though. They were yummy. I do have some sugar babies in a container. I think I will check on those today.

[@maritzacruzplantingwithsalsa]

Thank you so much for this video. I am just planting my sugar baby seeds to sow and hopefully will transplant those to follow your method of using different ways of holding those in place on the trellis. Super helpful...I'll keep you informed if I am successful. Thank you again love your videos..

[@CaliKim29]

Glad it was helpful! And DO keep us all posted on how it goes. You can ask how-to questions in here as well and other gardeners may reply, as well. I will pass on your words to my husband/video producer, CameraGuy (Jerry). He'll appreciate them for sure. Thanks again for watching and commenting. Please subscribe and like my videos as that is very helpful for my channel, best!!! CaliKim

[@maritzacruzplantingwithsalsa]

@@CaliKim29 Done & Done1 ;-))))

[@CaliKim29]

Thank 🙏 🙏 ❤️

[@whytryhard-t2178]

like your videos. I planted some sugar baby first time but i don't know if i need to harvest it. It has the yellow spot but the the tendril is still green or i need to wait for the tendril to dry up. thanks

[@CaliKim29]

Sounds great!

[@Fred.pSonic]

Wait a second, now hold on there. CaliKim gets a slice, CameraGuy gets a bite but my main man Mac doesn't get a taste? He even had his watermelon kerchief on, to take care of the juices. Maybe next time Mac, wait patiently buddy.

[@CaliKim29]

CameraGuy and I are busting on this one, Fred!!! Mac doesn't fruit. HA HA!

[@AaronCoomer]

Hey, Cali! How are you? I've got a quick question for you. For my pumpkins, do you have to water the entire plant from end to end or just at the base where the plants started growing when they were seedlings earlier in the summer? Thank you for your help. I've got two big ones that are fully orange and 4 more that are still green and growing good!

[@rickwashek478]

I just picked my last sugar baby couple days ago. They are the best tasting watermelon there is in my opinion. Here in S/W Pa. The melon plants are done. Dried and brown. Had a nice crop this year. Best I ever had. Only grow a few plants had about 10 size nice melons. Plus a few about softball size.

[@BrianF.1969]

I have a sugar baby I'll be picking tomorrow. It's a pretty big one too. I also picked one last week. I have a crimson sweet and a black diamond growing also. I almost lost the crimson and black diamond due to me not watering enough. on July 21 I cut them back at the stem to a single one foot vine and surprisingly they started growing back faster than when I first planted them. I've got three growing on the crimson. I had five but two of them split on me. Probably not consistent watering by me for the second time. I've also got two on the black diamond that I can see getting close to picking time. This is my first year growing watermelon and with the extremely hot summer we've had here in Texas and the mistakes I've made I'm glad I have something to pick.

[@cynthiamarangoni5218]

Hello! I am growing sugar baby watermelons for the 1st time! They are not quite ready yet. I do have a question about the smart pots. How do you recommend cleaning them in the washing machine?😊

[@juliekovach9784]

Thanks! I better go out and check mine tomorrow because they are larger than these. I didn't know that sugar babies are that small!

[@juliekovach9784]

No brown tendrils near the vine closest to the melon yet, so I'll wait for all the yumminess!

[@JuneGarden88]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@CaliKim29]

No problem 😊

[@daysinmylife9901]

Do we need only dry tendril or dry tendril and stem because my tendril is dry

[@danielleosentoski520]

Can you pick too late? What if you’re unsure and you wait longer?

[@CaliKim29]

If you wait too long, the watermelon might become overripe, affecting its taste and texture. Signs of overripeness: a dull rind, soft spots, and a yellowish underside. If you're unsure, it's better to err on the side of caution and pick it a tad earlier vs. risk it being overripe. Even if you pick it a bit early, it'll still be delicious. Thanks for watching, and if you haven't subscribed yet, I hope that you do. Hope this helps! Kim

[@tawfikelshazly8127]

very nice aunt

[@keithrodz6485]

I thank that was me lol

[@keithrodz6485]

Good I hear the train

[@CaliKim29]

Someone else commented once that they like hearing the train horn off in the distance...kind of in the distance, LOL!!

[@debbiealexander184]

I have sugar baby growing but have only seen one melon so far and its about the size of a marble.

[@CaliKim29]

That's great...keep an eye on it, Debbie!

[@bethb8276]

Even one is still a success, I've heard others in my fb garden group say they had no luck at all. Don't give up!

[@bcgardeningexperimentshomestea]

😊

[@MarjorieBurnett]

I just saw a copycat channel with the same name as you, but different picture. I clicked on it and it has no videos and no followers. She was offering to help Lady Yayas channel grow. I hate to see this kind of stuff. Love you btw.

[@CaliKim29]

Thank you for looking out for me! It’s tough keeping up with all the false links and accounts, etc.. Much appreciated! Kim

[@MrJPPIZZA]

Yes. I have Sugar Baby growing in bucket of water. It’s 3x taller than my one in soil.

[@CaliKim29]

Brilliant!! Way to go !

[@beckymartinez9926]

Why would you have it in water?

[@Crystal-iy6gx]

Haha just sat down to cut an eat my sugar baby so so good!

[@CaliKim29]

Right?! I LOVE these kinds of comments, Crystal!

[@angelaraum1545]

Wish they didn't have so many seeds. Can't enjoy them cuz of seeds.

[@CaliKim29]

Sorry to hear that