When to Plant Cantaloupes
Sow cantaloupes outside 2 to 4 weeks after your last frost.
Cantaloupes at a glance
- Sow outside
- 2 to 4 weeks after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 70 to 90 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 5 weeks
- Spacing
- 1 plant per 4 square feet
- Frost
- Tender: frost kills it
Growing cantaloupes
Cantaloupes want heat, sun and well-drained soil. Sow once the soil is warm, or plant out young plants gently, since melons dislike root disturbance. Keep the soil evenly moist until the fruits are full-sized. In a damp or cool summer, a mulch of black plastic or straw keeps the fruit off wet soil and the roots a little warmer.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Jun 11–25 | Aug 20 – Sep 14Pick a fast variety. |
| Zone 3b | May 31 – Jun 14 | Aug 9 – Sep 13 |
| Zone 4a | May 26 – Jun 9 | Aug 4 – Sep 8 |
| Zone 4b | May 22 – Jun 5 | Jul 31 – Sep 4 |
| Zone 5a | May 17–31 | Jul 26 – Aug 30 |
| Zone 5b | May 15–29 | Jul 24 – Aug 28 |
| Zone 6a | May 13–27 | Jul 22 – Aug 26 |
| Zone 6b | May 7–21 | Jul 16 – Aug 20 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 30 – May 14 | Jul 9 – Aug 13 |
| Zone 7b | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 28 – Aug 2 |
| Zone 8a | Apr 12–26 | Jun 21 – Jul 26 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Jun 9 – Jul 14 |
| Zone 9a | Mar 16–30 | May 25 – Jun 29 |
| Zone 9b | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 26 – May 31 |
| Zone 10a | Feb 15 – Mar 1Nights are still cool before mid-February, so this starts a little later. | Apr 26 – May 31 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so cantaloupes can go in from late winter, and again in late summer for a fall crop. | |
Good neighbors
Questions about cantaloupes
Why are my cantaloupes not sweet?
Sweetness builds in the last weeks, with warm, sunny days and healthy leaves. Heavy watering near harvest, a cool spell or leaves lost to disease can leave melons bland.
Can cantaloupes grow on a trellis?
Yes, and it saves space, but each fruit then needs a small sling of cloth or netting. On the ground, a board or some straw under each melon keeps it dry.
