If you’re one of the many people who are growing cantaloupe, you may be wondering when to harvest your fruit. Harvesting cantaloupe at the right time is important because it affects the taste and quality of your fruit. You don’t want to over- or under-ripen them!
In this post, we’ll cover everything from when to harvest cantaloupes to how long they stay fresh after harvesting and more so that you can have delicious cantaloupe on hand all year long.
When To Harvest Cantaloupe
Harvesting your cantaloupe will depend on its texture. If the fruit has been picked too early or too late, it will not taste as good as it should. If you’re unsure about when you should harvest cantaloupe, here are some signs that your fruit is ready:
Netting — When the netting appears on your melon, it means that the melon is mature enough to eat. This happens when the temperature outside reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).
Firmness — A ripe cantaloupe should feel firm and not soft at all when you press down gently with your thumb. If it feels soft or squishy, then it’s not ready for picking yet.
When Is The Best Month To Harvest Cantaloupe?
The best month to harvest cantaloupes is August, when the fruit ripens and the stem separates from the fruit with a slight twist. The fruit should feel firm and heavy for its size, and its rind should be smooth and free of blemishes.
How to Harvest Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is a delicious fruit that can be eaten raw or cooked. The most common way to harvest cantaloupe is by cutting it from the vine with a knife, but there are other ways that can help the fruit ripen faster and last longer.
Hand-Harvesting
The first method of harvesting cantaloupe is by hand-picking it from the vine. This method requires patience and skill, as you need to balance on top of the ladder while picking each melon. While this may not be the best option for large farms, it works well for small gardens where only a few melons will be harvested at once.
Cutting Method
This method involves cutting off the stem of the plant with pruning shears or loppers so that the melon drops onto the ground below. Some farmers will then use a pitchfork or trowel to pry open the stem and remove it from their melons before taking them into their homes or store for sale.
Netting Method
Another way that some farmers harvest their cantaloupes is by using netting over their vines to attract bees away from their plants so that they can harvest without damaging any other crops nearby.
Storing Cantaloupe After Harvesting
Cantaloupe is a fruit that can be stored for many weeks if properly stored. Here are some tips for storing cantaloupe after harvesting.
Storing Cantaloupe At Room Temperature
Store the cantaloupes in a cool place, preferably between 45 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have an unheated garage or basement, these are ideal areas for storing your cantaloupe. If you don’t have a cool area like this, you can use an unheated indoor closet or other room that doesn’t get too much sunlight.
The best way to store the cantaloupes is wrapped in newspaper and then placed them in plastic bags with holes poked into them so moisture can escape. This will prevent them from rotting while still keeping their natural moisture inside of them so they don’t dry out too much during storage.
If you want to eat some of your cantaloupes right away, make sure to remove them from any plastic bags first before cutting into them because plastic might give off fumes that cause the flesh of the fruit to taste bitter or bad when eaten fresh from storage.
Storing Cantaloupe In The Refrigerator
Cantaloupe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks after harvesting. This is because it has a high water content, which helps keep it from spoiling as quickly as other types of fruit.
If the fruit has been cut open, place them into an airtight container to prevent the cantaloupe from drying out.
Storing Cantaloupe In The Freezer
If you are planning to freeze your cantaloupes, then make sure they are completely ripe before freezing them. Ripe cantaloupes will not only taste better when you thaw them out later, but they will also contain more vitamins and nutrients than those that are still green.
If you want to freeze your cantaloupe, simply cut it into slices or chunks and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Put this cookie sheet into the freezer until they are frozen solid, then bag them up and store them in your freezer until you need them.
Conclusion
Harvesting cantaloupe will depend on how sweet you want it to be. By letting it ripen, the cantaloupe will be sweet. On the other hand, if it is not ripe, it will not be sweet.
