Question
We live in Kingman AZ We picked a cantalope today that was splitting.  It was 5 lb 4 oz and it still could have been a little more ripe.  Why was it splitting and is there a way to ripen cantalope after it is picked.

Answer
As with tomatoes, cantalope split when they receive too much water at one time. I see you live in Arizona, so I'm not sure if you had rain recently or if you've been overwatering. But that is the most common reason.

One other possibility is that the cantalope grew beyond it's normal size but simply did not ripen. This is due to dry conditions, which may make more sense given where you reside. When there is a lack of adequate rainfall and excessive heat, the plant is stressed and does not draw in the nutrients needed to properly ripen its fruit. That is the same reason why tomatoes will sometimes stay green longer than expected. Eventually they will grow but not ripen, and like what happened to your cantalope, crack or split.

In the future, mulch around the plants heavily with straw or dried grass clippings. This will help cool the soil and retain moisture.

Cantalope will ripen in a dark and cool location over time. Many gardeners harvest the remaining cantalope in the fall just prior to their first expected frost, and store the fruit in a dark basement where the temperatures stay at 70F or below. Although they will eventually ripen, they will not be as sweet as those cantalopes left to mature on the vine.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if i can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike