The muskmelon or cantaloupe is a tender, warm-weather plant. Muskmelons along with watermelons are sometimes called summer melons. (Winter melons--also grown during the summer but ready for harvest later than summer melons, in autumn or early winter--include casaba, charental, Crenshaw, honeydews, and Persian melons.)
Sow muskmelon seed in the garden or set out transplants 3 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date in spring. Start muskmelon seed indoors about 6 weeks before transplanting starts into the garden. Start seed indoors in biodegradable peat or paper pots that can be set directly into the garden. Muskmelons require 70 to 100 frost-free days to reach harvest; muskmelons will tolerate no frost.
Summer melons, winter melons, cantaloupes, watermelons: click here to learn more.
Description. The muskmelon or cantaloupe is a long trailing annual plant. The melon has a rough, web-patterned rind, commonly four pounds or less in weight. Muskmelons differ from true cantaloupes:
• Muskmelon:round, yellow-tan netted rind with salmon, white, or green flesh weighing about 2 to 3 pounds (.9-1.3 kg). Very sweet taste and aromatically perfumed flesh. • True Cantaloupe: oval or globe-shaped with hard, rough, scaled or warted-rinds (not a netted skin) with gray-green, yellow-tan and orange, or salmon-orange flesh weighing about 2 pounds (.9 kg). Sweet tasting and aromatic
Yield. Grow 2 winter melon plants for each household member.
Site. Plant muskmelons in full sun. Muskmelons grow best in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Add aged compost to the planting bed before planting. Melons prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
The muskmelon or cantaloupe is a tender, warm-weather plant. Muskmelons along with watermelons are sometimes called summer melons. (Winter melons--also grown during the summer but ready for harvest later than summer melons, in autumn or early winter--include casaba, charental, Crenshaw, honeydews, and Persian melons.)
Sow muskmelon seed in the garden or set out transplants 3 to 4 weeks after the last average frost date in spring. Start muskmelon seed indoors about 6 weeks before transplanting starts into the garden. Start seed indoors in biodegradable peat or paper pots that can be set directly into the garden. Muskmelons require 70 to 100 frost-free days to reach harvest; muskmelons will tolerate no frost.
Summer melons, winter melons, cantaloupes, watermelons: click here to learn more.
Description. The muskmelon or cantaloupe is a long trailing annual plant. The melon has a rough, web-patterned rind, commonly four pounds or less in weight. Muskmelons differ from true cantaloupes:
• Muskmelon:round, yellow-tan netted rind with salmon, white, or green flesh weighing about 2 to 3 pounds (.9-1.3 kg). Very sweet taste and aromatically perfumed flesh. • True Cantaloupe: oval or globe-shaped with hard, rough, scaled or warted-rinds (not a netted skin) with gray-green, yellow-tan and orange, or salmon-orange flesh weighing about 2 pounds (.9 kg). Sweet tasting and aromatic
Yield. Grow 2 winter melon plants for each household member.
Site. Plant muskmelons in full sun. Muskmelons grow best in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Add aged compost to the planting bed before planting. Melons prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8.