How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Cantaloupe

As the summer comes upon us, most of us find sudden joy in cold, sweet melon flesh. Some prefer watermelons with their juicy red meat, but others tend towards the sweet orange flesh of the cantaloupe. And nothing is better than growing cantaloupe at home, so you have it fresh from the vine!

Part of the muskmelon family, this sweet orange fruit derives its name from the Italian town Cantalupo in Sabina. This township claims to be the origin point for this luscious treat, although its origins actually go back much farther than that. 

Because it’s easy to grow cantaloupe, it’s a popular addition to many gardens. The flavor of a vine-ripened cantaloupe is like nothing you’ll ever find on a supermarket shelf. We’ll go over all the important aspects of how to grow cantaloupe today. You, too, can have an endless supply of this lovely melon all summer!

Plant Overview

• Plant Fruit
• Family Cucurbitaceae
• Genus Cucumis
• Species Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis, Cucumis melo var. reticulatus, Cucumis melo var. cantalupo
• Native Area Africa and Asia
• Exposure Full sun
• Height 3-4′
• Watering Requirements Moderate
• Pests & Diseases Aphids, thrips, cutworms, cabbage loopers, cucumber beetles, squash bugs, flea beetles, root-knot nematodes, various leaf spots (alternaria, anthracnose, cercospora, septoria, pseudomonas), various wilts (fusarium, verticillium, bacterial wilt), powdery mildew, downy mildew, gummy stem blight, southern blight, charcoal rot, various viruses (aster yellows, cucurbit yellow stunting disorder, mosaic viruses)
• Maintenance Low
• Soil Type Well-draining, sandy or loamy
• Hardiness Zone 2-11

What is a Cantaloupe?

The cantaloupe is a melon that goes by many variations including, Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis, Cucumis melo var. reticulatus, and Cucumis melo var. cantalupo. They are all members of the Cucumis family, along with cucumbers and other types of melons, and are vining annuals.

Native Area

The origins of the cantaloupe go back further than Cantalupo in Sabina, as I mentioned above. It’s believed to have originated somewhere between Africa and south Asia. Due to its incredible flavor, it rapidly spread from its origin point. The seeds for the Italian cantaloupe were brought to their province from Armenia. But once grown in Italy, its popularity exploded across all of Europe.

First grown in the United States as a commercial crop in 1890, the cantaloupe is now produced heavily in California. The warm climate makes it the perfect location for huge crops of cantaloupe melons. But other regions still grow cantaloupe, and a wide variety of cantaloupe cultivars have been developed. 

Characteristics

The vine itself is slightly hairy, almost prickly like some squash vines can be. The leaves are wide and shade the vine. Each vine produces both male and female flowers, which are required for pollination. Male flowers tend to be smaller, with a slender base and a bright yellow color. The female flowers are larger and have a rounded bump at their base, which, once pollinated, will swell to become the melon we’re all craving.

Bees are among the primary pollinators for this fruit, but home gardeners can also self-pollinate using a paintbrush or cotton swab. Collect pollen from the male flowers, then brush it into the female flowers, and you’ll be rewarded with future fruit.

The melons, technically a berry by botanical terms, can be round to oval in shape. Their outer rind has a distinctive patterning with a more rigid tan skin over softer dark green skin. As the melons ripen, the green fades gradually to a lighter color, then can turn yellow. Inside, the flesh of most cantaloupes is distinctively orange, although a few varieties may be more yellowish.

The vine will mature to begin producing flowers in slightly over a month to a month and a half. Once it’s flowering, the individual melons will form and grow over the space of another month to a month and a half’s time. Limiting each vining branch to a single melon can be beneficial for the best flavor. 

Varieties

There are several varieties to choose from, but these are some of our favorites:

• Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe/Muskmelon Melon Seeds – very productive vines with a dark orange flesh. Good for short season climates.
• Minnesota Midget Cantaloupe/Muskmelon Melon Seeds – This variety can be grown anywhere but is suited to short season climates, and they have loads of four-inch fruits that are sweet and juicy.
• Hale’s Best Jumbo Cantaloupe/Muskmelon Melon Seeds – three to five-pound fruits are very sweet with a small seed cavity on this variety. More drought-tolerant than other types.
• Charentais Cantaloupe Melon Seeds – Fragile fruits with a smooth light green skin and a creamy yellow flesh. It has a good flavor and is one of the sweetest melons.

Planting

When planting cantaloupe, you’ll need to have a decent amount of space, as the vines take up a lot of room. Cantaloupes are not quite space-hungry as a watermelon or pumpkin vine, but they can still easily take up three to four feet of space. Space plants at least 18″ apart but up to 24″ apart if you have the space to spare.

When you grow cantaloupe, select a location that has lots of sunlight. You’ll also want to prepare your soil in advance, adding any amendments you believe to be necessary. Try not to pick a location that’s shaded when possible. If that’s not possible, aim for shaded areas during the hottest parts of the afternoon.

Sowing seed

You can grow cantaloupe seeds in the early spring, but they won’t germinate unless the soil is warm. Aim for a soil temperature of around 70°F. You can also sow seeds directly into the garden. This spares you the need to transplant young seedlings. But when you sow seeds directly, you need warm conditions to be successful.

Seeds should be sown about a half-inch to an inch deep. You can sow two to three seeds in a hole, select the most vigorous seedling to keep, and then pinch out the others.

Transplanting

Transplant your cantaloupe seedlings into the garden once there’s absolutely no chance of frost outdoors. Usually, aiming for mid-to-late spring is ideal. If your cantaloupes are not hardened off to the conditions outside, gradually let them adjust before planting them in the ground.

Cantaloupe planting itself is a very simple process. Seeds should be sown at least a foot and a half apart and can be spaced up to three feet apart. But it also depends on whether you plan on directing the vine growth as they develop. Closer spacing is an option if you encourage the vines to grow away from other types, such as in a raised bed or large grow bag.

Plant the cantaloupe seedlings into the soil no deeper than they were planted in their original pot. Unlike tomato vines, cantaloupes don’t produce extra roots along the stem, so there’s no need to set them extra deep.

With transplants, aim for a similar spacing. We prefer 18 inches apart to two feet apart when possible, providing ample room for their root system to spread.

Containers

Growing cantaloupes in containers is entirely doable, but containers must be at least a foot deep and at least a foot across at the bare minimum. A ten-gallon grow bag will more readily handle a vigorous cantaloupe vine than a smaller one would! Also, don’t forget to leave room around the bag to allow for that all-important vine growth. 

How to Grow

So now you’re growing cantaloupe. But how do you maintain your cantaloupe vines? Let’s go over that.

Light

Full sun is ideal for cantaloupes. In particularly hot climates, it can be beneficial to provide a little afternoon shade during the worst heat of the day. This is especially true if your heat soars consistently over 90°F, as the vines are more subject to wilting due to the hot conditions.

Water

To form all that succulent melon, your cantaloupes will need regular water. Keep the soil moist. You must water at the base of the vine rather than wet down the foliage. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation hidden beneath a thick layer of mulch to keep your plants hydrated. If you must use a handheld sprayer, water only in the early morning to allow any splashed water to dry off on the leaves.

An inch to two inches of water per week (depending on the temperature) is ideal. If it’s hot, water a bit more often to help keep those leaves green and to allow your cantaloupe to thrive. Don’t water to excess, though, as your cantaloupes don’t need muddy conditions.

That layer of mulch I mentioned is especially important. If exposed to constantly-damp soil, the ripe cantaloupe fruit can develop rot. 

Reduce watering as you’re approaching the point of ripe melon to ensure the sugars in the melon flesh develop their peak flavor. Watering through that phase will still produce a very good melon, but it won’t have the sweet flavor it could have had.

Soil

Well-draining soil is a must for cantaloupes. It should have a loamy or sandy base with ample compost worked into it to provide lots of nutrition. 

You’ll want a neutral range of soil to grow cantaloupe in. They prefer a pH range around 6.0-6.5 when possible. More alkaline soils can cause a condition called iron chlorosis, caused by iron not being taken upproperly. Acidic soils can reduce fruit production.

Temperature

They prefer temperatures of 70-90°F, and will sprawl happily out in the sun during those temps. If it gets below 50°F, the vines get chilled and just don’t perform well. They are frost-sensitive and will die off in colder conditions.

Fertilizing

If you’re applying plenty of composted manure (horse manure or steer manure are both great) and other plant-based composts, you may not need to fertilize as often. These will provide a good source of continual nutrition.

A boost of balanced organic fertilizer can be applied a couple of times during the growing season. Cantaloupe require nitrogen for vining, but when they need phosphorous or potassium, a balanced fertilizer ensures they’re there. You can side-dress with this or with additional composted manure or compost a couple of times to help them set fruit.

Maintenance

The best fruit comes from vines that have been allowed to produce lots of foliage. Try to avoid pruning your cantaloupe vines unless you absolutely have to. If there is plenty of space to grow cantaloupe, you should only need to prune when there is pest or disease damage to remove.

If you can manage it, only allow one fruit per stem and no more than five to six per vine in total. This ensures that it devotes its energy to making large, healthy fruit rather than many smaller, less-flavorful ones. 

You can use ties and a trellis to grow cantaloupe vertically. Place your vines about one foot apart at the base of the trellis. As they grow, spread out the foliage so that it has plenty of airflow. A trellis that is wider at the top than at the bottom allows for good spreading tendencies.

Propagation

Cantaloupe is propagated through seed. Their vines are not likely to develop viable roots when cut. Since it’s easy to grow cantaloupe from seed, there’s really no need to try to utilize other methods!

Harvesting

So you’ve provided everything your cantaloupes need to produce great fruit, and it’s nearly harvest time. How do you know if your cantaloupe is prime for the picking? Let’s talk about that.

The rind goes through a series of color changes as you grow cantaloupe. At first, it will have extremely dark green markings interspersed with the rough tan rind. Over time, that green will lighten in color. You want a shade that’s ideally a good medium green hue, and the melon should have a good weight to it. 

When ripe, it should easily and cleanly pop free of its vine when moved. It shouldn’t take pulling or tugging at all, it should readily release. If it still seems firmly attached, it’s not quite ready. In addition, a ripe cantaloupe rind should smell lightly of cantaloupe.

Overripe cantaloupe will lose virtually all of its green hue and turn yellow. You can still eat that for a while, but it has a very strong flavor, almost as though the natural sugars were fermenting. It also has a very strong aroma. 

Storage

While it’s essential to know how to grow cantaloupe, it also helps to know how to store it. Often, multiple melons will ripen at the same time, and you’ll be hit with an abundance of produce!

Store your fresh melons at room temperature until you cut them. Once cut, refrigerate the melon to reduce spoilage before you can eat it.

Cantaloupe can be frozen but will change in texture. You can freeze it in slices or cubes. Additionally, some like to puree cantaloupe and freeze it in ice cube trays to make a frozen cube that’s easy to add to a smoothie or mixed drink. It dehydrates into a fruit leather-like consistency, so dry storage is also an option.

Common Problems

What problems can arise for your vines? Let’s explore what you might encounter.

Growing Problems

Cold conditions can damage the leaves and vines. In addition, cantaloupes require warm conditions to properly flower and form melons. Make sure you don’t start yours too early, as they really don’t do well in the cold.

Underwatering can result in yellowing leaves and blossom drop. Too much water can also pose a problem, resulting in root rot. Make sure the soil is well-draining but maintains consistent soil moisture. A thick layer of straw mulch reduces moisture evaporation and protects your cantaloupes as they develop.

Pests

Sucking pests like aphids and thrips are disease-spreaders, particularly viral diseases. They suck the sap from leaves, stems, and sometimes flowers. Use neem oil to wipe these out.

Cutworms and cabbage loopers are annoying caterpillars that will cause serious damage to your cantaloupe leaves or stems. Bacillus thuringiensis spray is effective against these and other caterpillar species.

Beetles such as cucumber beetle, squash bug, and flea beetle are also common. For cucumber beetles, flea beetles, and squash bugs, use insecticidal soap to smother any eggs and larvae.

Root knot nematodes cause damage to the roots. The roots will develop nodules of scar tissue from these microscopic pests and won’t be able to take up nutrition properly. The yellowing and wilting of leaves can occur. Adding beneficial nematodes to the soil will rapidly solve the problem, as the good nematodes find the bad ones delicious!

Diseases

A whole host of diseases can wreak havoc on your cantaloupe harvest. 

Alternaria leaf spot, anthracnose leaf spot, cercospora leaf spot, and septoria leaf spot can all cause a variety of spotting on your leaves. These spots come from different types of fungi.

The common thread is that the cantaloupe leaves likely got splashed with water contaminated by fungal spores. Infected material should be removed and destroyed. Anthracnose can also cause fruit rot.

Angular leaf spot is caused by Psuedomonas bacteria, and Bacterial wilt is spread by the cucumber beetle. Eliminating beetle populations will stop it from spreading.

Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are both fungi that live in the soil for potentially years. Planting resistant cultivars can help to prevent these from taking hold

Both powdery mildew and downy mildew are common when growing cantaloupes. Powdery mildew is a fungi that creates a white, powdery-looking substance on leaf surfaces. Downy mildew is caused by an oomycete. Both can be treated with neem oil.

Two forms of blight, the gummy stem blight and southern blight, can occur. Gummy stem blight causes spotting and lesions on leaves, cracking in stems, and a gummy oozing material coming from inside the stem. Southern blight causes yellowing leaves, browning stems, and can result in vine death. Both of these are fungal and live in the soil.

Charcoal rot acts similar to southern blight but also causes dark lesions on the stem at soil level and can result in rotting fruits.  Crop rotation reduces the risk of these blights. Grow resistant cultivars.

Finally, a few viruses are transmitted by pests. These viruses include aster yellows, cucurbit yellow stunting disorder, and four different mosaic virus strains. No treatments are available. Infected plants should be removed and destroyed. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take to grow a cantaloupe?

A: It can take around 90 days from when the cantaloupe seed germinates to when you’ll get your first melon.

Q: How many cantaloupes does a vine produce?

A: Most vines can produce four to six cantaloupes. 

Q: Do cantaloupes come back every year?

A: Unfortunately, cantaloupes are an annual and will die off once the vine has finished producing its melons.

Q: Is cantaloupe easy to grow?

A: Growing cantaloupe is pretty easy as long as you can keep it in check!

Q: Do cantaloupes need to climb?

A: They enjoy it but don’t require a trellis as long. As you have room for them to sprawl, you’re good.

Q: What month do you grow cantaloupe?

A: Grow them in spring, and start the cantaloupe seeds indoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost.

Q: Should cantaloupe vines be pruned?

A: If they’re getting way out of hand, you prune them. You want them to have copious amounts of foliage for flower and fruit production.

Q: What is the best fertilizer for cantaloupe?

A: When growing cantaloupe, use applications of manure and a well-balanced fertilizer to keep all parts healthy and productive.