Cantaloupes

Planting cantaloupes

Start indoors 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost or direct sow after soil warms. Melons resent root disturbance, so use biodegradable pots.

Planting details

• Grow on a strong trellis to save space; sling fruit for support
• Spacing: 24 to 36 inches
• Seed depth: about 1 inch

Growing requirements

Cantaloupes want full sun, warm soil, and even moisture while vines grow. Reduce water as fruit approaches ripeness to concentrate flavor.

Harvesting and care

Ripe cantaloupe slips cleanly from the vine with gentle pressure and smells sweet at the blossom end. Harvest at full slip for peak flavor.

Common mistakes

• Picking before the stem slips, which gives tasteless fruit that never sweetens
• Inconsistent watering, which causes fruit to crack
• Starting transplants too early, so roots outgrow their pots

Companion plants

Melons fit beside corn or along bed edges where vines can sprawl. Avoid crowding them with other heavy feeders.