growing cantaloupe

Plant cantaloupe in an area with warm soil (70°F+) and plenty of sun. Cantaloupes are sprawlers, so plant them 36 to 42 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil. Growing cantaloupes require a lot of nutrients, so it's best to improve your soil by mixing in several inches of compost or other rich organic matter.

Is cantaloupe easy to grow?

Cantaloupes (aka rockmelons, sweet melons, and spanspeks) are an easy growing specialty melon that can be direct sown after all danger of frost, or started indoors 3-4 weeks before setting out. Growing cantaloupe plants occupy a fair bit of space, so be sure to leave enough room for the vines to spread out.

How many cantaloupes does a plant produce?

If you're interested in growing cantaloupes, you must be prepared and know how many cantaloupes per plant you will get every harvest. One plant can produce up to 8 cantaloupes, but it depends on your area's cantaloupe variety and conditions.

What is the best month to plant cantaloupe?

Cantaloupe prefers warm weather, so don't plant it before temperatures have warmed in the spring. Cantaloupe does best when direct sown. Sow seeds outside about 2 weeks after the last frost date when soil temperatures are about 65℉.

Do cantaloupes come back every year?

A: Unfortunately, cantaloupes are an annual and will die off once the vine has finished producing its melons.

Can you grow cantaloupe in a 5 gallon bucket?

Planting Cantaloupe in Pots

Look for a container that holds at least 5 gallons of potting soil. ... You'll also need a location where the cantaloupes are exposed to at least eight hours of bright sunlight per day.

What can you not plant with cantaloupe?

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale, okra, spinach, sunflowers, lettuce, and Brussels sprouts also flourish in the companionship of melons. Avoid planting melons with potatoes. Marigolds – Adding a splash of brilliant color, marigolds are “great neighbors” to most any vegetable crop, especially melons.

How long will a cantaloupe plant produce?

Grown as a summer annual in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-10, the fruit develops on a trailing vine, which can trained up a trellis to save space. Most varieties mature in 65-90 days and produce round fruits that weigh up to 3-4 pounds. Cantaloupe melons are a variety of the muskmelon, C.

Do cantaloupes need to climb?

Melons need room to roam. ... Or, to save space, plant melons 12 inches apart at the base of a trellis. When trellising melons, tie vines to the trellis daily, using soft plant ties that won't crush stems. A trellis for cantaloupe should be large: up to 8 feet tall and 20 feet wide in warmest climates.

Can you grow cantaloupe from store bought?

Growing cantaloupe from seeds can be a fun and fruitful experiment, so don't throw out the seeds from the one you just bought from the store! Grow them in your garden this growing season for fresh and free cantaloupes!

Can cantaloupe be grown vertically?

Growing cantaloupes vertically allows gardeners with even the smallest garden area to enjoy the fruits of their labor. ... It's nearly impossible but it's easy to weed beneath trellised cantaloupes. So don't let the size of a melon patch deter you. Grow trellised cantaloupes and take advantage of that vertical space.

How often do you water a cantaloupe?

Cantaloupes need plenty of water, but not enough to make a soggy garden. Give your crops one to two inches of water per week, watering the soil directly to avoid wetting the leaves and promoting powdery mildew. Once fruit begins to grow, reduce your watering, as dry weather is best for sweeter melons.

Why are my cantaloupe plants not producing fruit?

The most likely cause of such fruit problems on squash, muskmelons (cantaloupe), cucumbers, watermelons and other cucurbit vegetables is a lack of pollination. ... Assuming there are both male and female blooms on the plant, a lack of fruit may be due to a lack of bees working the flowers to transfer pollen.

Where does cantaloupe grow best?

Other states that produce cantaloupe commercially in limited volume include Texas, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. In our opinion, of course, the best place to grow cantaloupe is sunny California.

How can you tell if a cantaloupe is ripe?

In fact, most cantaloupes are ready to be picked once they're fully ripened, changing from green to a tan or yellowish-gray color between the netting. A ripe melon will also exhibit a sweet and pleasant aroma. One way to tell if a melon is over ripe is by looking at the rind, which will appear quite yellow and soft.

How do you prune a cantaloupe plant?

Using pruning shears, cut lateral vines that grow from the primary up to the eighth leaf node. Take care not to damage the main stem when cutting back the cantaloupe plants. Leave 1-2 lateral vines untouched. Once the melons begin to form, remove all but a single fruit per vine.

How deep do cantaloupe roots go?

Soil Depth Requirements for Common Garden Vegetables

Shallow Rooting 12" - 18"	Medium Rooting 18" - 24"	Deep Rooting 24" - 36"+
Cauliflower	Cantaloupe	Parsnips
Celery	Carrots	Pumpkins
Chinese cabbage	Chard	Rhubarb
Corn	Cucumber	Squash, winter

How much sun does a cantaloupe need?

Plant cantaloupes in full sun in well-drained soil. Cantaloupe plants need about 85 days to mature, but don't rush planting. Sow seeds only when temperatures reliably stay above 50 to 60 degrees F. Plant in groups of two or three seeds spaced 2 feet apart.

How cold can cantaloupe tolerate?

In general, a frost (31-33 degrees F.) will kill beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peas, pepper, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelon. Colder temperatures (26-31 degrees F.)

Can I plant zucchini next to cantaloupe?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is “Can I plant cucumbers, melons and squash together?” The answer is an absolute yes, and no. Here's why. These are all members of the Cucurbit family, and as such they suffer from the same pests and diseases.

Can you plant cucumbers next to cantaloupe?

Cucumbers and cantaloupes, while in the same plant family, are not from the same species. This means the female flowers on the plants can only be pollinated by the male flowers on the same plant. You can plant the two in the same area of the garden, but they still need proper spacing for growth.

Can tomatoes and cantaloupe grow together?

Melons require plenty of space for their vining growth. ... Warm-season plants like tomatoes and melons thrive together with the same temperature, sun, nutrition and water needs, but they require generous spacing for growth. Plant these crops at the same time, and with the same considerations.