I have very limited experience in growing watermelons, but I've had pretty good luck so far, (knock on wood), with guesstimating ripeness. What has worked well for me is to check them every single day very thoroughly, so that subtle changes are more likely to be noticed. If you err one way or the other, it's usually best to wait. Sometimes a little too ripe can still be good, but underipe just doesn't cut it. Several ripeness indicators together is usually the best bet. The stems on mine always start to develop cracks and die when it is ripe. The tendral and/or closest leaf dying is also a good reliable sign.
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Holly
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