How to Plant Cantaloupe Seeds
Unless you live in a warm or tropical climate, grow your cantaloupe in a greenhouse to keep your plants warm enough for germination and strong growth. If a greenhouse isn't an option for you, try to plant cantaloupe seeds in a cold frame (as long as you provide a horizontal framework to support the growing melons and allow for air circulation under the plant). Growing this delicious, sweet melon at your home is not only rewarding, but delicious. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Small 3-inch pots
- Hand trowel
- Garden soil or compost
- Cantaloupe seeds
- Water
- Large containers or grow bags
- Trellis support
- Netting or old pantyhose
Instructions
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1
Fill your small pots with a garden soil or rich compost. You'll need as many pots as you would like to have plants. As a precaution, you may want grow two to three extras in case some seeds don't germinate.
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2
Sow a seed into each pot 1-inch deep and cover without packing the soil down. Keep the soil moist for the first few weeks, but not overly wet or dry. The temperature in your greenhouse should be around 86 degrees during the day with a drop to no less than 75 degrees at night.
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3
Transplant the seedlings to individual large containers or into growing bags when the seedlings are large enough to handle. Depending on your conditions, this can take 2-4 months.
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4
Construct a trellis or other support for your cantaloupe plants to be able to grow up vertically. When fruits grow, wrap a netting around them and secure it to the trellis to hold the weight of the cantaloupe as it grows.
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5
Check the fruit for ripening by smelling it, which usually emits a sweet fragrance when ready, and look over the stem to see when it begins to crack. Harvest the melon when it is ripe.
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Tips & Warnings
Cantaloupes are prone to attacks from aphids, spider mites, and white flies so be prepared to treat the plant as necessary.
Good trellis support is important to increase air circulation between the leaves and along the stem of the plant. Without sufficient air flow, cantaloupes are susceptible to powdery mildew, which can destroy the entire plant when left untreated.
