The reason why you probably hear different tips on how to tell whether or not your melon is ripe is because it depends on the type.
Watermelons
We normally think of the large green watermelons with pink flesh and black seeds. They can be grown in all sorts of shapes and sizes and in a variety of colors.
- Tap the melon. If it sounds hollow, it's ready to be eaten.
- Observe the color on the top. It's ripe when there is a slight contrast between the stripes.
- View the color on the bottom. Usually, a ripe melon will have a yellow-colored bottom.
- Press on it. If the watermelon sounds like it gives a little, it's ripe.
These include every melon that's not a watermelon. The most common are cantaloupes, honeydews, casaba, cranshaw, Juan canary, and Santa Claus melons. They're in their peak during August and the beginning of fall.
- Feel them. The skins of honeydews and casabas feel hairy when the fruit is not ripe. As the fruit matures, the skins become smooth and slippery.
- Smell its rind. If it smells sweet and fruity, it's perfect for eating.
- Shake a honeydew. It will rattle from loose seeds when ripe. Knock on a cantaloupe. And, if you hear a deep and thick dense sound, it's ripe.
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