Single Plants: 2' 11" (90cm) each way (minimum) The North American Cantaloupe is now grown in warm regions across Mexico, Canada, and the US. Cantaloupe is like candy in melon form. Pick it when it's mostly yellow but still has some green. It's overripe when it falls off completely. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. When to Plant Cantaloupes. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Grow-Cantaloupe-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Cantaloupe-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3b\/Grow-Cantaloupe-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid1400342-v4-728px-Grow-Cantaloupe-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"

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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. This year I added cantaloupe. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Keep soil moist, but not waterlogged. Plant cantaloupes in full sun in well-drained soil. My vines are growing in the garden, on the ground. If you plan to grow the cantaloupe on the ground, space the hills 36 to 42 inches (91 to 107 cm) apart. Rows: 2' 11" (90cm) with 2' 11" (90cm) row gap (minimum). If you started your cantaloupe indoors, plant your biodegradable pot in the middle of each mound, as close to the center as possible. Fruit size, flesh color and texture varies with variety and type of melon. (Once a fruit is selected, leave it on the plant, so you end up with one fruit from each two week period.). Is this a problem? Fresh melons from you garden taste much better than those found in the grocery store. Should I re-dust them when dry? Often grown in widely spaced enriched hills, or in well-aged compost heaps that include some soil. These plants need plenty of sun with warm, well-draining soil—preferably with pH levels between 6.0 and 6.5. Most garden centres offer starter melon plants or seed for sale. The small sweet fruits of the compact cultivars generally require 60 to 90 days from seed to harvest. Black plastic will have your melons ripen prematurely and that'll spoil it. 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. Wet the soil generously during planting. However, these diseases can be contained through a combination of precautionary and control measures. Both types of cantaloupe have a sweet-tasting orange flesh, which is commonly consumed as a … This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. As mentioned, cantaloupes can take up a good chunk of the garden, around 3-4 feet (about a meter or so) between plants and a potential sprawl of 20 feet (6 m.)! This article received 18 testimonials and 91% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Give plants a fabulous start to the growing season by improving native soil with several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter. Each month Redawna Kalynchuk draws on her extensive gardening experience to guide you through Growing Your Own Food in Canada. Cantaloupes are sprawlers, so plant them 36 to 42 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil. My plants are 8-10 weeks old and have lots of blossoms but no melons yet. The more sun the plant gets the better chance we will have of harvesting at the end of the season. While not all of the information, "The time for the various fertilizers to be applied and well as watering and the cracking of the stems when ready, "I like the trellis idea, maybe next year. How long does it take to produce melons from blossoms? Pay attention to the quality and vigor of the leaves: they should be dark green, with stiff structure and a healthy color. Mix in a thick layer of manure and a smaller layer of compost on top, replacing the earth you excavated. Because it would be a tragedy to pull your budding plant, try to mark your start with a plant card, or wait until it distinguishes itself from the clover to start pulling weeds. ", "Very helpful for someone planting melons. If you're growing cantaloupe in a greenhouse, or live somewhere that bees are scarce, you might need to. After plants set fruit, feed twice, at two week intervals, with a water soluble plant food. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Harvesting Cantaloupe: Most varieties will be ready to harvest between 70-90 days. Before the vines begin running from the fruit, weed the area and fertilize the plants periodically. Start cultivating soil by tilling the ground at least a foot deep, aerating and thoroughly mixing the rough soil, removing any rocks, twigs, or other hard bits. Cantaloupe Growing Tips. You can cover the plants again once the fruits have set. Only pick them off if you don't want any fruit. With more and more people on the planet, space is at a premium in the garden and out. ", "I have many flowers and no fruit. Try smelling them up close and you'll notice a difference when they are ripe. Fast-growing muskmelons often do best where summers are cool and rainy, while warm, dry climates favor smooth-skinned honeydews. Grow cantaloupe in rows spaced 3 to 4 feet apart or in "hills" with groups of 2 or 3 plants per "hill". Melons that do not “slip” often sound hollow when tapped, and the skin color takes on a yellowish cast. Cantaloupe, though, is one of my favorites. Last Updated: December 5, 2019 This article has been viewed 320,002 times. For more tips from our Gardener reviewer, including how to recognize pests, read on! Growing melons (Cucumis melo, Citrullus lanatus) inside poses some difficulties, but it is not impossible. Select a hardy variety appropriate for your climate. Is there a way to make my cantaloupe plant self-pollinate? This isn't necessarily a sign that you need to water the cantaloupe more, however, so look at the quality of the leaves, not the limpness. There are many delicious varieties of melon that all require similar conditions for planting and growing, including watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe and muskmelon.