How to grow cantaloupes

Cucumis melo · cucurbitaceae family · annual crop

Cantaloupe — hero (AI-generated reference image) — AI-generated reference image. Have a photo of this plant? Suggest one below.

Growing basics

Cantaloupe is a warm-season crop, started from seed in the garden or transplanted.

Seeds germinate once soil reaches about 65°F.

Varieties in the library run 70 to 86 days to maturity.

Grows best in full sun.

Frost-tender: plants go out after the last frost.

Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.

Sources

5 cantaloupes in the library

Ambrosia · Hale's Best Jumbo · Sugar Cube · Minnesota Midget · Honey Rock

Each has a full cited page in the library.

Pests and diseases we cover

Aphid
Pickleworm
Spotted cucumber beetle
Squash bug
Striped cucumber beetle
Two-spotted spider mite
Whitefly
Angular leaf spot
Anthracnose
Bacterial wilt (cucurbits)
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
Damping off
Downy mildew (cucurbit)
Gummy stem blight
Phytophthora blight
Powdery mildew

Identification and treatment for each, with photos, in the library.

Row & Bed covers 5 cantaloupe varieties, each with a cited care timeline and fertilization schedule, identification and treatment for the 7 pests and 9 diseases that reach them, and planting windows worked out for your ZIP.

Set up your garden

See something that does not match your garden? Write to andy@rowandbed.com.