Planting guide · zone 5b
When to plant cantaloupe in zone 5b
In zone 5b, the average last spring frost is May 8 and the first fall frost is Oct 8. Here is cantaloupe's whole year, counted from those dates.
May 22Direct sowSpring
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Soil & site
Warm, well-drained soil with plenty of compost. Melons want heat from day one.
Seedling care
Direct sow after soil is thoroughly warm; melons hate root disturbance.
Growing notes
Cut back on water the final week before ripening — drier vines make sweeter melons.
Harvest
Wait for “full slip”: a ripe melon separates from the stem with gentle thumb pressure and smells like melon at the stem end.