Cantaloupes are a warm season crop, requiring a relatively long growing season of 80 to 100 days.
Cantaloupes can be grown from transplants but do best when direct-seeded in the garden. Place rows at least 5 feet apart with hills spaces 2 to 3 feet apart in the rows. Plant seed 1/2 to 1 inch deep after the danger of frost is well past. A sidedress application of fertilizer when the plants start to run greatly increases yields. Avoid overwatering as the fruits mature, because low sugar content and poor flavor result.
Harvest cantaloupes at the full slip stage when fruit pulls away easily from the vine. Exercise care when walking through the plants to avoid injuring the foliage. Plants can be trained during the early developmental stages to grow in rows to enable easier harvesting. |
