Muskmelon, Cantaloupe
Muskmelon, Cantaloupe
Muskmelon needs a sunny location and a fair amount of room. Most of this type of melon mature in 80 to 90 days. Provide a well-drained soil with a pH not lower than 6.0. Seed started indoors takes 4 weeks produce a suitable transplant. Set plants outside at the end of May when the danger of frost has passed. Plant the seed 1 to 2 inches deep and space plants 24 to 48 inches apart in rows 48 to 60 inches apart. If grown in hills, use 4 plants per hill. If the garden was not fertilized use 1 cup 5-10-10 per 50 feet of row. Give the same amount as a sidedress at flowering or use 1/2 to 1 cup per hill. Control weeds by hoeing until the vines run, then use a mulch. Melons need lots of water when the vines are running and fruiting. Decrease watering when the fruits are full size and ripening.
Harvest when the stem slips off the melon with little pressure. The background color of a ripe melon is golden yellow. Honey Dews, Crenshaws, Casabas, and Persian melons are usually cut from the vine. Melons are not stored.
