When Should I Harvest Ripe Cantaloupe?

The Stem

• Watch the stem for signs of ripeness when harvesting cantaloupes. The stem should easily come off the fruit when it's properly ripened. This stage is called "full slip" and happens because a layer forms on the stem that allows the melon to separate from the vine. You can check if the stem is ready to separate from the fruit by placing your thumb by the stem and placing gentle pressure on its side to see if it easily releases the fruit. You may also notice a crack circling the stem base when the cantaloupe is ripe.

Rind Color

• Look at the rind color to determine when your cantaloupe is ripe. The rind should change from a grayish green color to a yellow or beige color when the fruit is properly ripe and ready for harvest. The netting pattern may also become more obvious as the color changes.

Smell

• Cantaloupes give off a distinct sweet, musky odor when they are ripe. You may notice this odor as soon as you enter your melon patch. If not, you can bend down close to your melons and see if you can smell the odor.

Other Suggestions

• Don't wait until the cantaloupe naturally releases from the vine; this means the fruit is over-ripe. Cantaloupe usually all ripen within a three- to four-week span. Once one melon is ripe, the others usually start to ripen quickly after. You can harvest a melon before full slip, but the cantaloupe is not as high in sugar content and has less flavor. On the downside, cantaloupes harvested at full slip do not have as long of a shelf life as those harvested before full slip.