A honeydew melon with the right degree of ripeness is not only delicious, but also a low-calorie refreshment on hot summer days. However, the degree of ripeness of these fruits is not always easy to recognize.

The different commercial grades of honeydew melon

As a rule, two different classes of imported honeydew melons are commercially available in this country. Category 1 fruit must not have any dents or discolouration on the skin and should be perfectly oval in shape. Their size usually weighs between 1.3 and 3 kilograms. These golden-yellow honeydew melons are not only ideal for fresh consumption, but also for the artistic decoration of a table with exotic fruits. The cheaper fruits in the second category may have certain bruises or dents on the skin, but they should also have been harvested when ripe and have no cracks in the skin. Since honeydew melons harvested green do not really ripen well, these fruits should only be bought when they are ripe.

Colour, hardness and smell of a ripe honeydew melon

A ripe honeydew melon can be recognized by various factors. Ripe fruits exude a pleasantly sweet scent, which should not smell too penetratingly of perfume. In addition, the color of the skin should be uniform all around as a rich golden yellow. If the melon was harvested while it was still green, the flesh is usually very hard. A ripe honeydew melon, on the other hand, should give slightly if you press lightly against the skin with your fingers. However, if the pulp yields too much in this pressure test, it is an overripe specimen, which then usually has a penetratingly perfumed taste of the pulp.

Store the honeydew melon correctly

A ripe honeydew melon can be stored at room temperature for about one to two weeks, depending on the actual degree of ripeness. However, this guideline only applies if the shell is intact. Honeydew melons that have already been cut should be used up as quickly as possible and, like watermelons, can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of a few days. However, even in the refrigerator, melons should always be covered with some cling film on the cut side. This at least partially prevents foreign odors from other foods from penetrating the flesh of the melons.

Grow honeydew melons yourself

Actually, most honeydew melons on the market in this country come from the following growing regions:

  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Greece

Off-season honeydew melons are also available by air from Costa Rica and Brazil. In your own garden, you have to bring the honeydew melon plants in good time in spring if you want to harvest ripe fruit by autumn. Ideally, place the young honeydew melon plants in a greenhouse in May, where, with good care, the fruit will change color from green to honey-yellow by autumn.

tips and tricks

When growing in the garden, you can also tell the ripeness of the fruit by the fact that the parts of the honeydew melon plant die off and begin to dry out despite the water supply.

Category:

Vegetable garden