Summer Melons
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting
Summer Melons
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow summer melons in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- How many melons to plant
- Growing conditions for summer melons
- When to plant summer melons
- How to plant summer melons
- Watering, fertilizing, and pruning summer melons
- Companion plantings for summer melons
- How to harvest, store, and use summer melons
Growing Summer Melons
Summer melons are warm-season vegetables. Early-ripening muskmelons (Cucumis melo ‘reticulatus’) and watermelons—are vining plants, to 20 ft. (6 m) long, bearing round or oval fruit with firm rinds surrounding light green, orange, red, or yellow, succulent flesh and seeds.
Muskmelons have thin, textured skins and generally are small.
Watermelons are thick skinned, solid green or striped, seedless or seed bearing, and are available in dwarf, early-ripening, and full-season cultivars, to 30 lbs. (11 kg) or more.
True cantaloupes (Cucumis melo cantalupensis) are a green-skinned, related species grown mostly in Europe and seldom seen in North American gardens.
Summer Melon Plant and Care Guide
How Much to Plant
Allow 2–3 plants per household member, pinching back flowers to permit only 4 fruits to form per vine.
How to Plant
Seed germinates in 5–10 days. Choose disease-resistant cultivars by letter codes: fusarium wilt (f) and powdery mildew (pm). All Climates: Sow seed in full sun when soil warms to 60–90°F (16–32°C). Sow 4–6 seeds, 1 in. (25 mm) deep, 1 ft. (30 cm) apart, thinning to 2 plants per drill, in rows 6–8 ft. (1.8–2.4 m) apart, or in mounds 2–3 ft. (60–90 cm) tall, 2 ft. (60 cm) wide, spaced 6–8 ft. (1.8–2.4 m) apart, installing sturdy tripod supports at time of planting.
Best Conditions for Growth
Growing temperature: 70–90°F (21–32°C). Requires sustained temperatures over 80°F (27°C) to set flowers and develop fruit; flowers may drop if temperatures during bloom exceed 90°F (32°C).
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich. 6.0–6.8 pH. Prepare soil at least 2 ft. (60 cm) deep.
Proper Care
Challenging. Keep evenly moist; avoid wetting foliage. Apply ample water during the flowering and fruit-development stages. Fertilize at planting with 5–10–10 formula, monthly thereafter with 10–10–10 formula. Cultivate. Keep heavy fruits from direct soil contact with supports, or place melons on boards. Powdery mildew, fusarium wilt susceptible.
Pairing Recommendations
Corn, leafy greens, nasturtium, and radish.
Maturity, Picking and Gathering
70–100 days. Pick melons when stems have turned brown, fruits are easily detached from vine, and stem holds emit a strong, sweet aroma. Limit water for 5–7 days before harvest to concentrate sugars.
How to Store and Preserve
Fresh in refrigerator for 1 week; preserved as canned chutneys and sweet rind pickles, 1 year; processed and frozen as sorbet, 2 months.