Botanical Name: Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis
Light Requirements: Cantaloupes require full sun, which means at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth and fruit production.
Soil Requirements: They prefer well-draining, fertile soil with a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0. Sandy loam soils are ideal, as they provide good drainage while retaining some moisture.
Watering Requirements: Cantaloupes need regular watering, especially during dry periods. It’s crucial to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the foliage, which can lead to diseases.
Fertilizer Requirements: Before planting, amend the soil with well-aged compost or manure to provide nutrients. See my note, below, about our experiences here using mushroom soil, an organic by product of the mushroom farming industry!
If you prefer using conventional fertilizer, you can apply a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) once or twice during the growing season, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Too much nitrogen can result in excessive foliage growth at the expense of fruit production, so choose a fertilizer that is balanced or slightly higher in phosphorus and potassium.
How to Grow Cantaloupes from Seeds
It takes about 80-90 days from the day you plant seeds to the day you can harvest your cantaloupe, give or take a few days. Many things affect how quickly you can grow a good-sized melon: the quality of the soil, amount of water and light, weather, and temperature.
Here in the raised beds at Home Garden Joy, we amended the soil heavily this year with mushroom soil before planting and are seeing incredible yields. Mushroom soil, also called mushroom compost, is an organic fertilizer produced by the mushroom farming industry. Mushrooms farmers use a blend of aged cow manure, horse manure, ground up corn cobs, straw, and pine shavings (such as the bedding used in horse stables). The resulting mix offers a rich compost with slow-release nitrogen that plants love.
This year, we added four inches of mushroom soil to the beds. The vegetable plants LOVE it, and we had the most abundant spring harvest ever. I have two cantaloupe plants growing in a raised bed with a thick layer of mushroom soil and two plants in containers in my own blend of homemade compost and soil. By far, the plants growing in the mushroom soil blend are more vigorous and the melons are larger despite both groups planted the same day. I think there is a lot of benefit to using mushroom compost. Look for it in bags sold at your local garden center or sold in bulk through soil or mulch companies.
Starting Cantaloupe from Seed
Start cantaloupe seeds indoors about 3-4 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area. Use biodegradable pots or seedling trays filled with seed-starting mix.
Plant 2-3 seeds per pot or cell, about 1 inch deep. Water gently after planting to settle the soil. Keep the soil consistently moist and maintain a temperature of around 75-85°F (24-29°C) to encourage germination. Germination typically takes 7-10 days.
Once seedlings have developed 2-3 true leaves and all danger of frost has passed, transplant them outdoors into prepared garden beds or containers. Space plants 2-3 feet apart in rows spaced 4-6 feet apart.
Caring for Your Melons Plants
As the plants grow, provide support for the vines by using trellises or allowing them to sprawl on the ground. Mulch around the plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. I let mine sprawl on the ground. The only drawback is that the vines tend to overextend from the raised beds, reaching out to the grass beyond. I simply tuck them back up into the beds, but I have to be vigilant about it, or they sprawl out to the fence.
On the deck, I have one cantaloupe vine growing up the lemon tree in the pot next to it. If you’ve ever wondered if cantaloupes grow on trees, the answer is yes – if they use the tree for support!
Flowering and Pollination – Bees to the Rescue
Cantaloupe plants produce both male and female flowers. Bees and other pollinators are usually responsible for transferring pollen between flowers, which is necessary for fruit formation. Bees love the flowers, and you shouldn’t have any problem with pollination. Be patient, however, as it can take a while from the time you start to see flowers before you see fruit formation.
Watering
Be sure to keep the soil moist. This is the biggest mistake gardeners make when learning how to grow cantaloupe. They let the soil dry out. We water diligently. The pots get watered twice a day until the water runs out of the bottom. The raised beds are watered each evening without fail unless we get a heavy rainstorm.
How to Tell When Cantaloupe Is Ripe – Harvesting Cantaloupes
It’s been 80 days and you can see all the beautiful melons in the garden. How do you know when it’s time to harvest cantaloupe?
The skin of a ripe cantaloupe changes from green to a tan or yellowish color between the netting. The netting pattern on the skin becomes more pronounced as the fruit matures.
Gently press the blossom end (opposite the stem) of the cantaloupe. When ripe, it should yield slightly to pressure but not feel mushy. The skin should also have a slight tackiness to it.
Ripe cantaloupes also smell like cantaloupe. If you can, stick your nose next to the stem and inhale. You should detect a strong, sweet fragrance near the stem. If it smells like cantaloupe, it’s a good sign that the fruit is ripe.
Another way to tell if cantaloupe is ripe is to give it a gentle tap or thump. It should produce a deep, hollow sound rather than a dull thud. This indicates that the flesh inside is juicy and ripe.
When you’re ready to pick a fruit, the stem where the cantaloupe is attached to the vine (the “stem end”) typically starts to naturally separate (or “slip”) from the fruit when it is ripe. If the cantaloupe easily separates from the vine with a gentle twist, it’s likely ready to be picked.
It’s important not to rely on just one indicator but to consider a combination of these factors. If you’re unsure, you can gently check these indicators periodically as the fruit nears maturity. Harvesting at the right time ensures the best flavor and sweetness in your cantaloupes.
Our Cantaloupe Growing Experiment
We’re growing Ambrosia cantaloupe this year in Zone 7 (Central Virginia, Piedmont Region). I purchased started plants from B & M Nursery, a local garden center, but I’ve grown cantaloupe from seed before, and it’s easy to grow it either way.
One thing we did this year as an experiment was to underplant beets and cantaloupe in the same bed. It worked very well. We just harvested the beets. The cantaloupe vine twined around some of the beets’ stems, but for the most part, the earlier harvest of the beets ensured that now the cantaloupe has plenty of room to spread out while we were able to get two crops out of the same bed. Actually, I count it as three crops, because I harvest beet greens (the leaves) and can these, then the beets, and then we will harvest cantaloupe in a week or two. Amazing, really, how much food we were able to grow in one large, raised bed.
Cantaloupe Varieties to Try
Here are some great cantaloupe varieties to grow In Zone 7 gardens, which typically experience hot summers and mild winters
- Hale’s Best Jumbo: This heirloom variety is known for its sweet, juicy flesh and classic cantaloupe flavor. It has a firm, heavily netted skin and is a reliable producer. I’ve grown this in the past and it is a super producer with very sweet flesh.
- Ambrosia: Ambrosia cantaloupes are popular for their exceptionally sweet flavor and aromatic flesh. They have a creamy texture and are known for their disease resistance and good yields. This is my choice for the year, and we expect to harvest it in a week or two.
- Sugar Cube: This hybrid variety is prized for its small, personal-sized fruits that are exceptionally sweet and flavorful. It’s a compact plant, making it suitable for smaller gardens or containers.
- Sarah’s Choice: Sarah’s Choice is another excellent choice for Zone 7 gardens, producing large, sweet fruits with a dense, orange flesh. It has good disease resistance and performs well in warm climates.
- Earli-Dew: As the name suggests, Earli-Dew is an early-maturing variety, perfect for getting a jump start on the season in Zone 7. It produces medium-sized fruits with sweet, aromatic flesh.
- Galia: While not a traditional cantaloupe, Galia melons are a cross between cantaloupes and honeydews. They have a unique sweet flavor and juicy green flesh. They perform well in warm climates like Zone 7.
When selecting a variety, consider factors such as disease resistance, days to maturity (especially important in shorter growing seasons), and your specific taste preferences for sweetness and texture. Most cantaloupe varieties will thrive in Zone 7 if provided with full sun, well-draining soil, and adequate water during the growing season.
The only drawback to growing cantaloupe is that it all seems to mature at once. This year, if we have any extras we can’t eat, we are donating them to the local town community market. Any proceeds from the sale will go to the building of the community canning kitchen to offer residents a central gathering place to cook and preserve their food. And if they don’t sell, we have asked the market to donate them to the food pantry at the local Catholic church.
Share generously of your harvest, my friends. I hope you have as good a yield in your garden this year as we are experiencing so far!
