 Cucumis melo |
How to Grow Cantaloupe How to Grow Cantalope and Muskmelon luv2garden.com - Abigal Gordon's Gardens ®
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Cantaloupe are a source of polyphenol antioxidants, which are
known to provide health benefits to the cardiovascular and
immune systems. These antioxidants promote the formation of
nitric oxide, a key chemical in the prevention of heart attacks. How to Grow Cantelope From Seed
Cantaloupe is a
warm-season crop and should not be planted until
all danger of frost has passed. The ideal
climate for growing cantaloupe consists of a
long, frost-free season with plenty of sunshine
and heat, and relatively low humidity.
USDA
Zones 4 -10 are suitable for cantaloupe and
muskmelon . Planting should commence in the spring, when the soil temperature is 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Soil should be turned with the previous crop residues buried at least two to three weeks prior to planting. This will allow sufficient time for these residues to decompose.
Plant seeds about
1 inch deep. Sow about 3 to 6 seeds per foot.
Your rows should be approximately 50 to 70
inches apart.
After emergence, thin down to about 1 plant
every foot. After the seedlings have developed their third set of leaves they should be thinned to three plants per hill. Remove weeds as they grow, and hoe lightly to avoid disturbing the shallow root system of the plant.
Layer the ground around the plants with Mulch to cut back on weed growth, increase soil moisture, and keep the soil continuously warm. Some growers prefer to use transplants from as a way of obtaining early melons. When growing transplants, seed 2 to 4 weeks ahead of transplanting date. Commercial potting mixes work well since the growing medium must be sterile and drain freely. The diameter of transplant containers can range between 1.5 to 4 inches, with 3 inches being optimum for early production.
Pollination : Many Gardeners sometimes wonder why the earliest Melon blossoms do not set fruit. The first flowers developing on the vines are male or pollen-bearing flowers. Only the female flowers are capable of developing into fruit.
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Watering Cantaloupe
Irrigation prior to and after planting should be applied to
ensure seed germination and emergence Drip
irrigation provides the plants with a more uniform application
of water, placing it near the root zone and using less water.
Drip irrigation also minimizes the amount of foliage and fruit
disease compared with overhead irrigation . Drip Irrigation does
not interfere with honeybees and subsequent pollination and
fertilization. Inexpensive
Drip Irrigation Systems
are available.
For larger plantings - Drip systems can be easily adapted for the injection of fertilizer. This allows plant nutrients to be supplied to the field as needed.
When setting out transplants, apply a common
starter solution
The optimal Soil pH range is 5.5 -7.0. See Soil pH for information on adjusting Soil pH
Also See: Understanding Fertilizer Labels
Pruning and trimming Cantaloupe Vines
Many cultivars produce
excessive vine growth. Pruning the vines is
necessary only if the melons are to be trellised,
optional otherwise. Pruning is
performed to achieve a balance between vine growth and fruit set, it
increases fruit weight while reducing the number of undesirable melons.
Melon vines produce a primary
stem with many secondary branches [laterals]. A suitable pruning
treatment for cantaloupes and muskmelons is to retain the primary stem
and one of the first laterals while pruning all additional laterals up
to and including the 6 -7th leaf node. All secondary branches after the
eighth node can be left unpruned on the plant. This method of pruning
permits the vine to be easily trellised either by a net trellis or by
using strings and vine clips
How to Harvest Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes are usually harvested at what is known as "three-
quarters-" to "full slip."
At three-quarters slip, cantaloupes will slip easily from their
stem. Smaller fruits should be pinched off the stem as the
season closes to encourage the ripening of the larger fruits.
The growing points of all the vines should also be pinched off
at this time. one-fourth of the stem usually adheres and breaks
rather than slipping free.
To avoid over-ripening, harvest cantaloupes before they
naturally separate from the vine. The best way to check maturity
of cantaloupes is to place your thumb beside the stem and gently
apply pressure to the side. If the stem separates easily, the
cantaloupe is ripe.
Cantaloupes mature in 80 to 110 days depending on the variety
and growing conditions. Sugar content is the primary measure of
maturity and quality. Sugar content does not increase once the
melon has been removed from the vine.
refers to two varieties of Muskmelon. Both of which are
Cucurbits along with watermelons, squash and cucumbers. Like all
melons, cantaloupes grow best in sandy, well-aerated,
well-watered soil that is free of encroaching weeds.