Cantaloupe is slightly different from musk melon. Although cantaloupe grows in the same manner, a different variety of fruit. It grows similarly to the melon on vines and needs full sunlight to grow and become mature.
It is easier and less maintenance is required to grow cantaloupe in the home garden. But you only need some arrangements during earlier growth to adjust the fruits. Once you will have done that, you can grow them in the least requirements for many years in your garden. It is an annual vine plant that produces fruits only for a season in a year. These kinds of plants grow best in warm climates and perform better in enough moisture and regular sunlight.
Growing cantaloupe in the home garden
Growing cantaloupe is not a very big task even for beginners. They can grow them easily if they are starting from scratch but they need at least basic info. Don't worry, I'm here to help every one of you grow cantaloupe in your home garden because I'm growing them in my yard as well.
But before discussing the growing method, I want to mention all the growing conditions and seasons of growing cantaloupe.
Season of growing and harvesting
Cantaloupe like warm climates to grow either at a commercial scale or in gardens. Spring is not effective to grow cantaloupe vines till the temperature is not started rising. From late spring to mid-summer, you can start sowing cantaloupe seeds in your gardens. Cantaloupe plants don't get enough duration of warm temperatures in cool climates so avoid growing them without a greenhouse in cool climates.
Within 80 to 100 days, cantaloupe becomes ready to harvest. It generally takes initial time to establish the roots and vines. With time, it starts producing cantaloupes that take a couple of weeks to become mature and sweet.
Growing conditions for cantaloupe
- Soil type
A high percentage of organic-rich materials, nutrients, and moisture-holding soil is very good for cantaloupe vines. If you just have ordinary garden soil, then don't worry. You can make it rich enough for cantaloupe easily by mixing organic matter, compost, and biomass.
- Temperature
At the time of harvesting, the temperature should be 65F for cantaloupe vines. Till harvesting, it shouldn't drop below 65F but should raise to 85F. If you are living in a warm climate region then don't worry it's quite an ordinary range.
- Fertilizers
Organic rich material compost is good enough for cantaloupe farming in your garden. You only need to mix it with soil at once before sowing seeds. Because it is a seasonal fruit, it doesn't give you enough gap to use fertilizers twice or thrice in harvesting.
- Sunlight
Sunlight is the most important thing for cantaloupe. In a day, they need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight to grow in the best conditions. But with temperature increase and intense heat, you should maintain the moisture in the soil for sure.
- Humidity
The least humidity is required for cantaloupe vines. It should remain at 20% at the time of seed germination and up to 5% till harvesting.
- Shade
Cantaloupe doesn't like shade for longer. They can grow in partial shade only if they remain in full sun for the day long.
Other requirements to grow cantaloupe
Materials required
- Compost
- Garden soil
- Rich organic matter
Tools required
- Cultivators
- Spade
- Spraying bottles
- Harvesting Knife
Stands and solid nets
Letting the cantaloupes on the ground may start to make the fruit surface too much smooth or it affect the overall growth. Also, unknowingly you may walk on them and destroy the fruit on the ground.
To avoid these, you better should add a platform where you can keep the vines and fruits at once. These platforms are made of metal nets with thin gaps and are stronger enough to hold the weight of fruits. Generally, it is always better to keep the platform height about two feet above the ground.
Method of growing cantaloupe
Step 1- Prepare rich soil mixture for cantaloupe
To improve your garden soil fertility and composition, you need to add compost and organic matter to the soil to prepare a good quality soil mixture. For that, use a spade to plow the area you selected for Cantaloupe farming. Mix the organic materials and compost in the soil with the help of a spade or any mixing machine. Improve moisture in this soil mixture or spray some water.
Step 2- Seed sowing and germination
Sow a few seeds just ahead of all the corners of the area and cover them with soil(not more than 2 cm deep). If the soil has enough moisture then it will hardly take a week to 10 days to germinate seeds. Let them grow in full sunlight and spray water regularly. But don't wet the soil too much or manage drainage.
Step 3- Setting a platform for further propagation
After a month, when these vines will start to get rapid growth, you need to set up a platform in the area as I mentioned above in the requirements. Just find the end of every vine and put them up on the platform. They'll start getting expansion on this and cover the whole area easily with time.
Make this platform either from wood, plastic, or metal.
Step 4- Care for the cantaloupe plants
From here, you need to keep plants in full sunlight and check the regular moisture in the soil. Don't fertilize or use growth boosters unnecessarily. Irrigate once or twice a week according to soil moisture. If there is any kind of shrub shade or any partial shade then you need to avoid that at least for 6 to 8 hours a day.
Step 5- First appearance of cantaloupe fruits
After 50 days of sowing, the cantaloupe will start growing on the vines. The platform you used earlier will provide them with enough support above ground. These fruits remain green in earlier growth. From the first appearance, they take hardly a more couple weeks and become ready for harvesting.
Step 6- Harvesting cantaloupe
Finally, with less work and maintenance, your cantaloupe fruits will start becoming mature in 80 to 100 days from sowing seeds.
Don't get confused because of their size. There is a difference between a raw cantaloupe and a mature one. Choose the slightly yellowish and brownish fruits first to harvest. Leave the green ones because they need some more time and sunlight to become mature.
Use a harvesting knife to harvest cantaloupe. Wash them, clean them, and enjoy them as fresh as possible.