How to Grow Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes, also called muskmelons or melons, grow on vines during the spring and summer. The orange fruit inside of a cantaloupe tastes musky, yet sweet, and they're popular to eat with breakfast or as a snack. Plenty of space is required for cantaloupes because they grow on lengthy vines. However, if you don't have a lot of space, you can plant bush varieties of cantaloupes, which grow on shorter vines.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start the cantaloupe seeds indoors, then transplant them outdoors. Plant the cantaloupe seeds during the early spring after the last frost, when soil temperatures reach 60 to 80 degrees F.

2. Space out the seeds so that you have four to six rows in your garden. Make sure the seeds are planted 1/2-inch to 1-inch deep into rich soil.

3. Thin the seedlings by clipping any excess cantaloupe leaves or plants. Keep three or four of the healthiest plants. This spacing process ensures that the cantaloupes get even sunlight and moisture during the growing stage.

4. Fertilize the cantaloupes with rich soil or compost. Water them once or twice a week.

5. Treat the garden with insecticide to prevent insects or use pest control methods, such as traps, to prevent moles or mice. Use fungicides to treat mildew or fungus diseases. Treat insect, pest and disease problems early so that your crop doesn't get destroyed.

6. Wait for the cantaloupes to mature. Cantaloupes usually take 75 to 95 days throughout the summer to reach full growth. Pick the cantaloupes right before they ripen. The fruit becomes ripe when the stem dries out.