From the Melon/Punkin Patch...

Behind Gloria and the melons are the pumpkin, cantaloupe, and watermelon vines that apparently plan to take over the world.  We are blessed with a bountiful harvest of melons and even some pumpkins that are orange in July!  I still have to "Google" when the best time is to harvest pumpkins...whether right when they are completely orange or when they fall off the vine or what?  With cantaloupe it is when they either are off the vine or when they come off the vine easily...I think it's the same with watermelon...

Our favorite "punkin" is the one with the blond hair and cute dimples.

Just learned from "Googling" that it is hard to tell when to harvest watermelons.  I guess the best ways are to look at the place where the watermelon has been resting on the ground...if it is yellowish instead of green or white it is an indication of ripeness.  And if the skin is firm and doesn't dent or scratch easily when pressed, then it might be ripe.  Same goes for pumpkins except for the part about the yellow bottom.  When pumpkins are orange throughout and their rinds are tough, then they are ripe.

I also looked up when to harvest sweet potatoes.  They can pretty much keep growing until right before the first frost.  We may have a long ways to go...  The plants aren't taking over the world as much as the melons.  They do have pretty purple flowers on them though and are hopefully growing sweet potatoes mysteriously and secretly underground.  Did you know that sweet potato plants are related to morning glories?  The flowers on some varieties look like morning glories.  Also, "potato" is spelled without an "e" when single..."Google" reminded me of this:0).

Now you know...