Garden How TO
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT CANTALOUPE?
The best time to plant cantaloupe is about 2 to 3 weeks after your last anticipated frost of the season. They do best when overnight lows don't dip below 50 degrees. Plant up till 3 months before your first frost of the fall season.
WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLANT CANTALOUPE?
The ideal setup for growing cantaloupe vertically is in a raised bed with a sturdy metal trellis. These plants need full sun at least 8 hours, 10 is better.
Here are a few tips on how I plant cantaloupe seeds. Plus tips on harvesting.
1
Spread a 2″- to 3″-thick layer of fresh compost over the planting area. This will give your cantaloupe a nice little nutritional boost.
2
Push the compost you added around the base of your trellises to form little mounds. Sow seeds 1 inch deep in these mounds and 6″-9″ inches apart around the base of your trellis.
3
Water the planting area well. While you don’t want the soil to be swampy, you never want to let it dry out completely.
4
As soon as your seedlings have a couple of leaves, thin them so that you have one plant every 3 feet or so.
5
1. Give your cantaloupe a good sniff. Ripe melons have a nice fruity aroma at the blossom end. 2. Look to see if the tendril closest to the fruit has turned brown. 3. If you tug on the cantaloupe and it feels really secure, it’s not ready yet. It should "slip" easily from the vine when it's ripe.
I’ve spent the last decade teaching my followers how to grow their own food. Growing veggies doesn't always mean you need a ton of space. Learn more about growing cantaloupe by tapping the link below.