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Planting and Growing Cantaloupes: Sweet Summer Melons

Botanical Name
Cucumis melo
Grown as
Annual
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
High
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
6-10 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Fragrant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Pollinators
Resilience
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Fruit
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Nothing whispers summer like a chilled slice of sweet, orange cantaloupe juice dribbling down your chin. 

Good news: These sun-loving melons are easy to grow—and even easier to devour. Let’s get planting!

Cantaloupes are a type of melon with a tan-green rind. Typically, the rind is covered in a spiderweb-like pattern, though some varieties may also be striped. Inside, the flesh is bright orange and sweet. Their growing requirements are similar to those of other popular melons, such as watermelons and honeydew melons.

Cantaloupes sliced

Planting

Plant in a spot that gets full sun (6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day) with well-draining soil that’s a mix between loamy and sandy. (Growing the plants in raised rows—a.k.a. “hills”—ensures good drainage.) Amend the soil with aged manure or compost before planting. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.

Mulching the planting site with black plastic will serve multiple purposes: It will warm the soil ahead of planting, hinder weed growth, and keep developing fruits clean.

When to Plant Cantaloupes

This warm-season, very tender crop thrives in heat and hates the cold! It thrives in warmer climates with longer growing seasons.

  • It’s best started directly from seed. If you live in a warmer climate, you may direct sow seeds outdoors after all danger of frost is well past and when the soil temperature warms to at least 70°F (21°C).
  • However, if you’re set on growing cantaloupes in a colder region, you can start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date. Transplant outdoors 2 to 3 weeks after the last spring frost when the soil is at least 70°F (21°C). 

How to Plant Cantaloupes

  • Plant seeds 1 inch deep, 18 inches apart, in hills (or hilled rows) about 3 feet apart.
  • If you have limited space, vines can be trained up a support, such as a trellis.
  • If you plant indoors, use peat pots or soil blocks to avoid root disturbance. Harden off seedlings before transplanting. 

Cantaloupes growing

Growing

  • If a soil test indicates that nutrients are lacking, fertilize with a standard liquid fertilizer when vines start growing and spreading. Later on, avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilizers, as too much nitrogen can result in lots of foliage and less fruit.
  • Row covers are a good way to keep pests like squash bugs and vine borers at bay.
  • Watering is key. While the plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need about 2 inches per square foot of water (about 1.5 gallons) per week.
    • Water in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the leaves, as wet foliage encourages fungal and other diseases.
    • If possible, use drip irrigation to keep plants consistently and evenly watered.
    • Mulching around the plants can help to retain moisture.
    • Reduce watering once fruits are growing. Hot, dry weather produces the sweetest melons.
    • If you’ve had an exceptional amount of rainfall during the ripening stage, this can cause bland fruit.
  • Once fruit begins to grow, prune end buds off vines. Your plants may produce fewer melons, but they will be larger and of better quality.
  • Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. (Don’t be discouraged when the first blooms do not produce fruit.)
  • As with other cucurbits, melons have flowers that require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees!
  • If your muskmelons taste bland, the trouble could be a lack of magnesium in sandy soil. Sweeten the fruit by spraying the vines with this solution: Dissolve 6-1/2 tablespoons of Epsom salts and 3-1/3 tablespoons of borax in 5 gallons of water. Spray the foliage when the vines begin to “run” and again when the fruit is about 2 inches in diameter.

Harvesting

How and When to Harvest Cantaloupes

  • When rinds begin to change from green to tan or yellow, the melon is typically ripe enough to pick. Be careful not to pick too early, however.
  • Look for a crack in the stem where it attaches to the fruit. This is a sign of ripeness as well. The fruit should be easy to separate from the vine, but if the fruits fall off by themselves, they are usually overripe.
  • Harvest melons when vines are dry, and be careful not to damage them.
  • Melons will soften after harvesting but will not continue to sweeten off the vine.
  • Cantaloupe can be stored uncut for 5 or 6 days. If cut, they can last in the refrigerator for about 3 days, wrapped tightly in plastic.

Pests and Problems

Cantaloupe Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers; leaf drop; sticky “honeydew” (excretion) on leaves; sooty, black moldKnock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; inspect new plants carefully; use slow-release fertilizers; avoid excess nitrogen; encourage aphid pests such as lacewings, ladybugs, spiders.
Cucumber beetlesInsectHoles in leaves/flowers; rasped fruit; plants stunted/die; may transmit bacterial wilt (Bacterial wilt signs: wilting; plants die; ends of cut stems, when pressed together for 10 seconds and pulled apart, release stringy, white sap)Handpick; mulch heavily; use row covers; destroy plants infected with bacterial wilt.
Cucumber mosaic virusVirusStunting; mottled green/yellow/white pattern or ringed spots on leaves/fruit; distorted leaf growth; warts on fruitDestroy infected plants; choose resistant varieties and certified virus-free seed; use row covers; disinfect tools; weed; control aphids; use mulch.
Fusarium wiltFungusPlants wilt (sometimes on just one side) in daytime; leaves turn yellow (lower ones first); later, entire plant wilts/dies; stunting; stem cross section reveals brown discolorationDestroy infected plants; avoid excessive nitrogen; in acidic soils, raise pH to 7.0; choose resistant varieties; disinfect tools; rotate crops.
Powdery mildewFungusTypically, white spots on upper leaf surfaces expand to flour-like coating over entire leaves; foliage may yellow/die; distortion/stunting of leaves/flowersDestroy infected leaves or plants; choose resistant varieties; plant in full sun, if possible; ensure good air circulation; spray plants with 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 quart water; destroy crop residue.
Squash vine borers (moth & larvae)InsectLarge, wrinkled larvae become orange-red/black, wasp-like, daytime moths; larvae bore into vines; vines wilt suddenly; plants die; mushy area and/or green to orange-yellow, sawdust-like excrement on/near base of plant stemIf detected early, slit infested stem lengthwise halfway to remove borer(s), then bury the cut in moist soil to encourage rooting; wrap seedling stems in aluminum foil collar; catch moths with yellow sticky traps; use row covers if no pests previously, but uncover before flowering; destroy crop residue; rotate crops.

Types

  • ‘Ambrosia’ – 85 days to maturity. Among the sweetest varieties.
  • ‘Athena’ – 70–80 days to maturity. Early variety that produces large, 5- to 6-pound fruits.
  • ‘Hale’s Best Jumbo’ – 80–90 days to maturity. Produces 3-pound aromatic melons.
  • ‘Minnesota Midget’ – 70–80 days to maturity. Early variety well-suited for gardens in colder regions. Produces 1-pound, sweetly flavored melons.
  • ‘Bush Star’ – 90 days to maturity. Bush variety suits gardeners with limited space.

Wit and Wisdom

  • Oddly enough, the melon that is commonly referred to as a “cantaloupe” in North America is not a true cantaloupe, which is more common in Europe. In fact, our “cantaloupes” are a type of muskmelon. (True cantaloupe has a rough, warty rind and is not widely grown or commercially available in the U.S. and Canada.) In North America, the names “muskmelon” and “cantaloupe” are used interchangeably, but we refer to this fruit simply as “cantaloupe” on this page to avoid confusion!
  • Cantaloupe was named for Cantalupo, a former papal villa near Rome.

Fruit

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Brenda Lopez</span> Wed, 08/05/2015 - 10:30
The most important thing fir cantaloupe is water,soil,and sun if you get at least 6 hours of sun and water it every day and your soil is fertile meaning flowers can grow and have lots of blooms then you should do great.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 06/10/2015 - 06:39

We're not sure what you mean by humidity. Cantaloupes require a constant supply of moisture during the growing season. High humidity could certainly lead to more problems with fungus and disease. Humidity is more of factor post-harvest when it comes to storage.
We're also not clear what you mean by light. Cantaloupes grow best if the temperatures are between 65° and 95°F.

 <span>Snurre</span> Wed, 04/01/2015 - 04:30
How many seeds go per hill? Also is it possible to use a drip irrigation system when planting in hills? Thanks!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 04/02/2015 - 15:52

Start out by sowing 6 seeds per "hill" no earlier than 2 weeks after the last frost date. Then thin to 2 or 3 plants per "hill".

 <span>Paul S.</span> Tue, 03/31/2015 - 19:14
Being that, I have animals of all kinds. I push all the manure from all of them into a pile every year. I do not add sand and, do not have to water at all. My suggestion to anyone wanting a work free garden (After planting) is to, ask you local farmer to drop off a (Mason Dump) truck load of manure in one pile. Take a shovel and, shove it into the pile with the spade straight down then pull it straight out to create a ledge (Strawberry Pot, Sandcastle kind of effect). Plant in the ledge be it seed or, plant and, let it go, walk away, you're done. The manure stays warm and moist all summer even in a dry year. If you plan on going on vacation for a month? Run the hose out and soak the entire pile so, you won't have to worry about it. I yield more zukes, cukes, melons, beans tomatoes, carrots, beets, pumpkins, watermelons, swiss chard, etc, etc, etc, and especially collard greens than I can eat, give away or, put up. I feed the animals any blemished fruits during the growing season to make next years compost even better. I still have collards in the freezer from last years harvest and they are still DELICIOUS ! I do not use store bought pesticide or, fertilizers of any kind. I did throw down food grade D.E. for the stink bugs last year and, it worked great but, it worked great on the bees and, my oh so loved ladybugs as well so, I had to hand pollinate which takes forever. This year I am raising praying mantis as my only means of pesticide. They will assist in pollination and, eat the stink bugs and other creepy crawlies. The ladybugs stand a chance this way too. Happy planting to all I hope this helps? "Store" your own food, Stay out of the pesticidal stores"
<span>Patrick Schweri</span> Sun, 08/30/2015 - 12:03
Your plan is a very good one. I live in the Ssese islands, Uganda and here rain and sun is guaranteed... Would like to plant the melons and I know will need help from time to time. I do other things as well so I don't want the new initiative to take so much of my time...advise. Thanksgivings
<span>Pippit Carlington</span> Mon, 01/26/2015 - 20:53
I have a Melorange Cantaloupe that I took the seeds out of and was wondering what the growing time is from seed germination to harvest. These are small melons, so somebody asked me if they should be treated like the midget melons or like full sized melons. Apparently they are a cross between an heirloom French melon and a regular Cantaloupe. They are currently being grown in Guatemala but there doesn't seem to be much specific info on them other than the name Melorange is a brand name rather than an actual species. They haven't divulged the two species used to produce them other than in vague terms.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/27/2015 - 08:30

Melorange is a hybrid that's meant to ship better and extend shelf life (as well as good flavor). Since it is a hybrid, you really can't grow it from seed true-to-form.

 <span>David Gunter</span> Fri, 01/23/2015 - 18:57
I have 11 acres of sandy loam along an irrigation ditch. The property is located in a warm area in Mexico. Please advise.
<span>Brenda Lopez</span> Wed, 08/05/2015 - 10:22
I would say melons are really easy to plant and care for and that would b a great start all i did was i bought a melon at the local grocery organic of course, then i dried the seeds and about a week later i put them in a dark garden container and after that they surprised me , i figured i would get one or 2 from the 50 plus seeds but i got about 50 plants out of that one melon, i left them to get roots for about 1 week and then transfer them to my plot not all plants took on the ground but that's why i planted so many just in case, i can tell you i have some beautiful fruit and it was all ease but i do suggest you planting flowers around and in between your crop so that the bees can pollinate that will give you alot of fruit unlike hand pollination.