Crop guide · Cucumis melo
Cantaloupe
Dates below are counted from the average last spring frost or the average first fall frost. Enter a ZIP in the calendar for NOAA 1991–2020 station averages, or pick a zone and use the zone table.
When to plant
Direct sow2 weeks after the average last spring frost.
Soil and site
Warm, well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Melons want heat from day one.
Seedlings
Direct sow after soil is thoroughly warm; melons hate root disturbance.
In the garden
Cut back on water the final week before ripening — drier vines make sweeter melons.
Picking
Wait for “full slip”: a ripe melon separates from the stem with gentle thumb pressure and smells like melon at the stem end.
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Dates by zone
These pages turn the same frost offsets into calendar dates for each zone the calendar covers.