Answer: Watermelon or cantaloupe splitting is usually caused by sudden or too much watering in the last few weeks before harvest. Uneven watering of melons can cause cracks to form before the melons reach maturity, especially on thin-skinned varieties of melons.
Why did my cantaloupe crack?
Melon splitting occurs when the vine takes up too much water too quickly. The fruit rind is unable to expand rapidly enough to accommodate the growing flesh. A heavy rainfall just before harvest is often responsible for this. Even if fruit does not split, heavy rain or irrigation will decrease its sweetness.
Can you eat a cracked cantaloupe?
Savor it. If there is a slight crack or crevice where the stem connects but it resists breaking free of the fruit, it needs a few more days. If the melon begins splitting at this stage, it will still taste good, but it won’t be as flavorful as a fully ripened one.
How do you keep melons from splitting?
Water pressure within the fruit can build up when it gets too hot, causing the melons to split open. One way to help alleviate splitting is by adding straw mulch, which will help retain moisture in the soil and insulate plants. Adding shade covers during excessively hot periods may help too.
How do you tell if a cantaloupe is going bad?
How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad?
- Feel light, hollow, or super soft. If the melon seems empty inside or the rind is soft, it’s lost most of its water and it’s no good.
- Have large bruises or discolored areas.
- Smell off.
- Are cut up and sit in storage for too long or are moldy.
Can you over water cantaloupe?
Your cantaloupe plants will need lots of water up until the time they start to bear fruit. However, if you over-water, the root systems will become waterlogged and the plants will die. Cantaloupe plants do well if they get about an inch of rainfall per week.
How often should cantaloupe be watered?
Cantaloupes need plenty of water, but not enough to make a soggy garden. Give your crops one to two inches of water per week, watering the soil directly to avoid wetting the leaves and promoting powdery mildew. Once fruit begins to grow, reduce your watering, as dry weather is best for sweeter melons.
Should a cantaloupe be refrigerated?
If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice. After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly. Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes. Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating.
How long will cantaloupe keep in the refrigerator?
seven to 10 days
A whole, uncut cantaloupe or honeydew melon should last for seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. A whole, uncut watermelon is even sturdier: It should be good for two weeks.
Can overripe cantaloupe make you sick?
Overripe fruits are prone to developing moldy patches. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat them or that they will make you sick if you do. According to the Food and Drug Administration, it’s fine to eat fruit with moldy patches as long as you remove the affected area.
What could be the reason for melons and pumpkin cracking open while on the plant?
Melons are fleshy. So, they can’t dry into a pod and shoot the seeds out. But they develop a very favourable aroma to attract animal/birds and crack open to expose the seeds to the dispersal agents thus ensuring that their progeny survive and develop into next generation.
Why are my cantaloupe rotting on the vine?
Your Cantaloupe fruits are rotting on the vine most probably due to overwatering. Rotting of the Cantaloupe fruits is also seen when it’s infected by Anthracnose. Even some kinds of insects might rot the fruits of Cantaloupe. Rotting on the vine proves to be very damaging to the produce.
What causes watermelons to bust open?
Causes of Splitting Watermelons
Watermelons split on the vine for several reasons, with erratic watering patterns being the No. 1 cause. Heavy rain, especially after a period of excessive heat, is another common factor. High temperatures can also cause watermelons to split, though this occurs much less frequently.
Can you get listeria from cantaloupe?
Listeria can get in cantaloupe
Cantaloupes may look innocent, but they are the source of the most deadly foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years. In 2011, a listeria outbreak in cantaloupes caused foodborne illness in 147 people and killed more than 30. Shockwaves from the outbreak are still felt today.
What is the best way to store cantaloupe?
The optimal relative humidity is 95 to 100 percent, which prevents drying. If possible, place cantaloupe in the refrigerator crisper, where the humidity tends to be higher. Under these conditions, freshly harvested cantaloupe, picked at full slip, lasts about 5 to 15 days, depending on variety and growing conditions.
Will a cantaloupe ripen in the refrigerator?
Will a cantaloupe ripen if it is in the refrigerator overnight? No, it will not ripen once it is in the refrigerator.
Is Epsom salt good for cantaloupe?
For sweeter watermelons and cantaloupes when the plant starts vining and again when small 1-inch melons appear, spray with 6 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salts and 3 1/2 tablespoons borax in 5 gallons of water. For more fruit on your pepper plants, fertilize the plant by burying an open one-half pack of book matches near it.
What is best fertilizer for cantaloupes?
Compost manure for Cantaloupe. Compost and well rotten manure make the best fertilizer for Cantaloupes. The elements are not so concentrated, so you have to use about 450 grams for every 4 or 5 square feet. Compost and aged manure improve the soil structure as well as fertility.
Does cantaloupe like full sun?
Cantaloupe Planting Basics
Plant cantaloupe seeds in full sun in well-drained soil. They’ll need about 85 days to mature, but don’t rush things.
How do you make cantaloupe sweeter when growing?
Sweetness Starts in the Soil
To encourage strong growth, blend 4 to 6 inches of composted manure into your melon beds prior to planting. Then add a balanced organic fertilizer (such as a mixed blood meal/bone meal product) every 3 to 4 weeks.
How often should you fertilize cantaloupe?
Fertilize once every two weeks with half-strength fish emulsion fertilizer when the first two or three leaves have developed on the seedlings.
Marilyn Medina is a food expert with over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry. She has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton and The French Laundry.
What makes Marilyn stand out from other chefs is her unique approach to cooking. She believes that food should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their budget or dietary restrictions. Her recipes are simple, delicious, and healthy – perfect for anyone who wants to cook like a pro!