Find the ripest watermelon in the bunch.
Watermelons, unlike other melons, don't have a strong smell when they are ripe or fall from the vine on their own. However, there are a few ways to tell when they are at their ripest. After they're picked, melons do not continue to ripen and will not get sweeter. A fully ripened watermelon has a deep red color on the inside and juice will run from the melon when it's cut. You do not have to cut the melon to find out if it's ripe.
Instructions
1. If the watermelon is still attached to the vine, check the leaf and stem-like curl at the end. On a ripened watermelon, these will be brown and dry. The surface may also become dull as the fruit continues to ripen.
2. Check the underside of the watermelon. Once fully ripe, the part of the watermelon that touches the ground will become flattened and yellow. If the spot is too white or pale, the melon is not ready for harvest.
3. Tap a watermelon, whether on the vine or at the store. The watermelon will sound dull and hollow -- similar to a thud -- at its ripest. The more dull and hollow the sound, the more ripened the watermelon.
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