Farmall Cub

I planted a few items in my garden this year for the first time and have no idea on how to tell when they are ready to harvest.
Watermelon, Cantelope, Acron squash, and Musk-melon.
Any help/suggestions on how to tell when these are ready for harvest would be great.

Everyone has different procedures. Mine are
Watermelon - put a hand on each side, and use one to thump it. A ripe melon will have a dead sound, with the vibration not beign transmitted through the melon very well. One still green will pass the vibratin through it bettter.
Cantelope and Musk melon I use smell, the stronger the smell, the riper.
Acorn squash, I ask my wife. LOL

My uncle was a high school auto shop teacher. His best friend was a italian english teacher. When I was a kid I ask him what ripe was. His answer was ripe is just before rotten Now that I am older I see what he ment. Almost anything bought in a store was picked way before it was ripe (still green). When you get to harvest your crops which you "vine ripened" you will love it.

Hey Lonny...Cantelope and Muskmelons get that nice tan color as they're ripening. I agree with John and Cowboy though that the STRONGER the smell...the riper the melons . Although, don't let your melons git soft...by then they're rotten!