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Cantaloupe in the Garden and the Kitchen

Cantaloupes are common in southern gardens but harder to grow in Pennsylvania's climate. With longer, warmer summers, growing these fruits is becoming easier for home gardeners.

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Updated:

April 24, 2025

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Melon. Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, on Bugwood.org. CC BY

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Cantaloupe in the Garden

Cantaloupe is one of the six broadly accepted types of cultivated, edible melons, all classified as Cucumis melo, and that also include varieties of honeydew, crenshaw, casaba, cucumber, and Queen Anne's pocket melons. Also called muskmelons, they have netted skin, which refers to the rough, random texture covering the fruit that has a lace or net-like appearance. The skin may be ribbed or smooth, and the amount of netting and size and depth of ribs varies depending on the variety.

These heat-loving melons thrive in the hot days and warm nights of summer. They grow as a trailing or climbing vine. Unbranched tendrils help the vines climb so that they may be grown either on the ground or vertically on a trellis or other type of support. They can grow from 6 to 9 feet in length, so growing them vertically can help save space in the garden. If you grow them on the ground, gently moving vines so that they grow in one direction can also help save space in your garden.

Getting Started

Cantaloupe should be planted in a sunny location where they receive a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight, but eight to ten hours is better. They prefer well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. A soil test prior to the gardening season will help you determine your soil’s nutrient needs and ensure plants are fertilized properly. When deciding on a variety, consider the days to harvest and the length of your growing season. Choosing one with a shorter maturity time can help ensure adequate time for the fruit to ripen.

Cantaloupe plants in the field. — Cantaloupe in the field. Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, on Bugwood.org. CC BY-NC

Planting

Cantaloupe seeds can be directly sown in the garden once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed. Generally, the soil should be 65°F or warmer, but check the seed packet for the optimal germination temperature for the variety. Seeds may be sown 3 inches apart in groups of four to six and with the groups spaced 4 to 6 feet apart. Once plants have several true leaves, thin to two to three plants, selecting the strongest seedlings. For an earlier harvest and in areas with a shorter growing season, seeds may be started indoors to ensure the plants have time to ripen well before the first frost. Sow seeds four to six weeks prior to your last average frost date in a loose starting mix. Plant two to three seeds per pot and then thin them to the single healthiest plant. When doing so, clip the unwanted plants out with scissors or shears so as not to disturb the roots of the remaining plant. Plant them outdoors when the nighttime low temperatures are above 50°F, and they have two to three mature true leaves and an established root system. To acclimate them to the outdoor conditions, begin to harden them off a week before transplanting them into your garden. Place them in a sheltered location during the day, gradually exposing them to sun and wind, and bring them in at night if there is a threat of frost. If you are growing the plants vertically, place your supports at the time you plant. When growing vertically, to prevent ripening fruit from falling to the ground and splitting, you will need to support them by creating a sling or hammock. This can easily and inexpensively be done using nylon stockings, or you may purchase specifically designed fruit hammocks. Attach the hammock to the support structure before the fruit is large, periodically checking that it supports the fruit as it grows.

Watering

When starting seeds, keep the soil slightly moist. Overwatering may cause the seeds to rot. As the plants grow, water when the soil is dry. Always water at the base of the plants, keeping the leaves dry to minimize disease. Water to a depth of 6 inches to promote good root growth. As the fruit approaches maturity, reduce watering to improve the flavor and keep the fruit from splitting.

Harvesting

Depending on the variety and the summer temperature, cantaloupes are typically ready to harvest 35 to 45 days after the flower has been pollinated. Look for the outside surface of the fruit to be netted and to turn from green to yellow. They are at peak flavor when they reach what is called full slip. At this stage, the melon slips or comes away easily from the stem. As melons approach full ripeness, they should be checked and harvested daily, as they can go from ripe to overripe very quickly. Cantaloupe does not continue to ripen once harvested. It will not get any sweeter, just softer.

Pests

The most common insect pests that affect cantaloupe are spotted and striped cucumber beetles and aphids. Cucumber beetles are around ¼ inch in length and yellow. The striped beetle has three black stripes down its back, and the spotted beetle has twelve black spots on its wing covers. These beetles can infect plants with the bacteria (Erwinia tracheiphila) responsible for bacterial wilt, a disease fatal for cantaloupe. Once infected, there is no treatment, so careful monitoring of your garden is important. Row covers or similar barriers can keep beetles from accessing your plants, but they must be removed when the plants begin to bloom to allow for pollination. Aphids are tiny green or black, soft-bodied insects that feed on the underside of leaves and leave behind a shiny, sticky substance known as honeydew. They can be controlled by spraying plants with insecticidal soap.

Prevention is the best way to protect your plants from disease pests. Select disease-resistant varieties and rotate your crops by family. Practice a three-year crop rotation for any plant in the same family (Cucurbitaceae), such as other melons, cucumbers, and squash. Maintain good airflow by not overcrowding your plants and by controlling weeds. Mulching around plants when young can help to suppress weeds. Remove and dispose of any diseased plants or plant debris, as well as the mulch, if the plants show signs of disease. All of this material should be thrown away and not composted.

Cantaloupe in the Kitchen

Storing

Harvest ripe melons in the morning after the dew has dried but before the heat of the day warms the melons. While uncut cantaloupes can be stored at room temperature for several days, it is better to refrigerate cantaloupes immediately after harvest to maintain top quality, preferably in a crisper drawer with higher humidity. There, they will keep for 5 to 15 days, depending on variety and growing conditions. It is suggested that you refrain from cleaning melons until you are ready to eat them. Always store cut melons in an airtight container in a refrigerator. Once cut, eat within 5 days.

Ripe cantaloupes. Steve Bogash, Penn State

Cleaning

It is important to adhere to safety first. Before any food preparation, clean countertops and utensils. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh produce. Scrub cantaloupes with a clean produce brush under cool tap water to remove dirt and residues. Several cases of foodborne illness, such as salmonella and E. coli, have been attributed to cantaloupes. Therefore, before slicing into the melon, the rind must be scrubbed thoroughly to prevent the knife from transferring bacteria to the flesh of the melon. Remove extra moisture from the rind by patting dry with paper towels. On a clean cutting board, cut in half, remove the seeds, peel, and cut into halves, quarters, wedges, balls, or cubes.

Nutritional Value

Cantaloupes are quite nutritious. A cup of this fiber-rich fruit contains only 53 calories, is an excellent source of potassium and folate, and will have 100% of your daily recommended value for both vitamins A and C. Cantaloupes contain no cholesterol or fat.

Using

There are many ways to use cantaloupe in the kitchen. Cantaloupe is so refreshing on those hot summer days! It can simply be eaten alone or topped with yogurt, cottage cheese, or ice cream. Salads are enhanced by their color and flavor, so add them to other fruit or a mixed green salad with basil and tomatoes. Children will enjoy kebabs of cantaloupe and other summer fruit, especially if you add a sweet dipping sauce. Alternatively, grill firm chunks of cantaloupe with vegetables on kebabs – add shrimp and some herbs, too. Make a refreshing cantaloupe Pico de Gallo (see recipe below), or use this melon in another fresh relish recipe to serve over chicken, pork, or a firm white fish. Puree it to create a sweet cantaloupe soup or a delicious gazpacho to serve as a first course. Alternatively, it can also be a main ingredient in desserts, both cold and hot. Make a cantaloupe puree and create popsicles, slushies, Italian ice, sherbert, granita, or sorbet. There are also many recipes for baked goods using cantaloupe, such as crumbles, muffins, crisps, tarts, and pies.

Cantaloupe Pico de Gallo with tomatoes — Cantaloupe Pico de Gallo made with available cherry tomatoes. Susan Marquesen, Penn State Master Gardener

Preserving

Cantaloupe has a pH value of between 6.1 to 6.6, defining it as a low-acid food. There are only a few research-based recipes for canning cantaloupe—cantaloupe pickles and cantaloupe-peach conserve (see links below).

Drying the flesh of cantaloupe is not recommended as the results are less than satisfactory due to its high moisture content.

However, freezing this melon can provide good results. Use only firm-fleshed, flavorful, well-colored melons at the peak of ripeness. Nothing improves upon freezing, so start with only the best quality. Prepare and clean as described above. Cut melons into slices, cubes, or balls. If you prefer unsweetened fruit, pack it into airtight rigid containers or freezer-quality plastic bags (I double mine), seal, and freeze. If you choose to eat sweetened fruit, create a 30% sweet syrup first. Bring 4 cups water and 1 ¾ cups sugar to a boil, and then let it cool. Pack cantaloupe slices, cubes, or balls into containers. Add the cool syrup to the container, leave appropriate headspace, and freeze. Don't forget to label the container with the contents and date. Use the frozen fruit within 8 to 12 months.

Because of the high moisture content of this melon, it will be very watery when thawed. Sugar helps to firm products. Therefore, melon frozen in syrup will result in better quality than unsweetened melon. In other words, unsweetened melon will have a mushier texture when thawed. The texture will be better if you use it when it is still somewhat frozen, meaning a few ice crystals remain. For food safety, always thaw every frozen food in the refrigerator. Add the frozen cantaloupe to fruit salads or atop ice cream, yogurt, or cottage cheese. Make a delicious recipe that uses it in pureed form, such as a smoothie or a sherbert. While their texture may change, frozen foods retain their nutritional value very well, so you can be sure that whatever you make from frozen cantaloupe, the dish will be filled with color, flavor, and health.

For more information on successfully freezing fruit, see Let's Preserve: Freezing Fruits.