How Much Room to Grow Honeydew Melon?

Honeydew is a smooth, pale-skinned melon, part of the Cucumis melo species. Despite what look like major differences in appearance, honeydew, muskmelon--what the United States calls cantaloupe--and true European cantaloupe are all the same species.

Purpose

Honeydew, like other melons and their squash and cucumber relatives, are vines and require a substantial amount of room for growth. Crowding them together increases competition for nutrients, so the fruit isn’t as big or tasty as it would be if planted with sufficient space. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service says leaf overgrowth is another result of not giving melons enough room.

Planting Distances

General spacing requirements for honeydew melons are 5 to 6 feet between rows or hills, and about 1 1/2 to 2 feet between seeds within the same row or hill. The University of Minnesota Extension advises giving transplanted seedlings 2 feet of room.

Small Space Solutions

Gardeners who want to grow melons but find themselves with limited space, such as a patio, can train honeydew vines onto a trellis, moving many of the vines and leaves off the ground and out of the way. Set trellis stakes about 5 to 6 feet apart, and monitor the plant for forming melons, which must be supported by a sling. Smaller dwarf and bush varieties that spread out less than 4 feet are suitable for large container gardens.

References

• Iowa State University: Melons
• University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service: Muskmelon
• University of Minnesota Extension: Growing Melons (Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Honeydew) in Minnesota Home Gardens
• University of Minnesota Extension: Trellises and Cages to Support Garden Vegetables
• Texas A&M University: Melons