Take the “Can’t” out of Cantaloupe!
by Barb Henny
Cantaloupe is as easy to grow as its close relatives, cucumber and zucchini. Think positive and invest in this delicious summer melon. You CAN do it!
I can’t get started. Start by choosing a good location. Cantaloupes need full sun for 6 to 8 hours a day. The soil needs to drain well; melons cannot thrive in wet conditions. In late February or early March, start the seeds indoors. Transplants will be ready for the garden during March.
Florida is a great place to grow cantaloupe. Photo by Barb Henny
I can’t get the seeds to germinate. California may be the big producer, but Florida grows 4% of the U.S. cantaloupe crop. Choose varieties bred and selected for our hot weather and sandy soils. University of Florida Extension Service recommends ‘Athena’ or ‘Odyssey.’ ‘Ambrosia’ is also a favorite.
Plant 3 or 4 seeds in a 4-inch pot containing pre-moistened, peat-type potting soil. Lightly cover the seeds and keep in a warm place. Germination should take about 7 days. Move seedlings into high light quickly so they don’t get leggy; transplants can be installed outdoors when the plantlets show 4 to 6 leaves.
I can’t find enough room in the garden. Allow 24 to 36 inches between plants. If space is really at a premium, cantaloupe can be trellised just like cucumber. Train young vines up the framework. Once cantaloupes develop, put each melon inside a cut off knee-high panty hose and hang it for support as the melon enlarges.
Cantaloupes can be grown on a trellis to save space. Photo by Barb Henny
Commercial melon growers farm cantaloupe on mounds covered with black plastic to keep the fruit off the soil. Home growers can decide to do this or not. My sister does — to maintain even moisture on her clay soil; I do not — because by season’s end it is a tattered mess. We both get successful crops.
I can’t fight these diseases. The first commercial cantaloupe, ‘Netted Gem,’ was brought from France to Colorado by Atlee Burpee in the 1880s, and breeders immediately started trying to improve the crop. First, they tackled uniform size for packing efficiency. They improved shipping survival and extended the shelf life, since it was a long, slow train trip to markets in New York in those days. Improvements were also made in taste, color and size of the interior cavity.
Disease resistance and tolerance to high and low temperature fluctuations are the focus of breeding now. Read the descriptions in seed catalogs to select a variety that best matches your conditions.
March, April and May are prime vegetable-growing months in central Florida. The warm days and cool nights are perfect for melons. But when the rainy season starts at the end of May, mildew and other leaf spots can become a problem for cantaloupe still in the field. Take samples to your Extension Service for disease identification and treatment recommendations.
There’s nothing like chilled, sliced melon on a hot summer day. Photo by Barb Henny
I can’t fight the insects. Be vigilant. At the first sign of pickleworm, apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Watch for leaf chewing insects and leaf miners. Your Extension Service can help you ID and treat these problems, too.
I can’t tell when the cantaloupe is ripe. The skin underneath the netting of the cantaloupe will begin to turn orange and the fragrance will be intoxicating. When fully ripe, the melon will “slip” off the vine. Cantaloupes do not have very good post-harvest ripening, so don’t pick them green. They’ll soften, but they don’t really develop further flavor.
I can’t remember… is it cantaloupe or muskmelon? “Musk” is an ancient Persian word for perfume, and these melons really smell delightful when fully ripe. The muskmelon category includes cantaloupe, honeydew, Persian and casaba. All cantaloupes are muskmelons, but not all muskmelons are cantaloupes.
A tiny bit of stem indicates that this melon was harvested before full ‘slip’ maturity — to beat the raccoons to it. Photo by Barb Henny
I can’t get enough cantaloupe! Garden-ripe cantaloupe is absolutely wonderful. Take your warm, freshly harvested, fragrant melon from the garden to the kitchen sink and wash it under running water. Use a vegetable brush to remove any soil or gritty sand clinging to the rind. Pat it dry with a fresh terry towel.
At our house, we slice and peel cantaloupe, then enjoy fresh chilled chunks on a toothpick.
Barb Henny’s ripe cantaloupes sometimes attract raccoons, and then it is a race to see who gets to eat them!
© 2014 Barb Henny. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Feb / Mar 2014. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.