How to Grow Cantaloupe

Updated June 2026

A warm-season fruiting crop for the home garden.

Cantaloupe is a rewarding warm-season crop for backyard growers.

🌱 Plant profile: Cantaloupe, with sowing times for your region, companion plants and common pests.

When to plant

Plant Cantaloupe in spring once the soil has warmed and all frost has passed. In the warmest regions a second crop is possible in late summer. See your region on the cantaloupe page for exact timing.

Varieties

• Ambrosia, Very sweet, disease-tolerant (Park Seed)
• Hale's Best Jumbo, Heat-tolerant heirloom (Baker Creek)

How to grow it

• Sun & soil: full sun, rich well-drained soil with even moisture.
• Spacing: about 3.3 ft between plants.
• Sowing: sow about 0.75 in deep.
• Water: roughly 2.6 gal per plant every 3 days in hot weather.

Pests & problems

Watch for Cucumber beetle. In humid regions, Powdery mildew can appear, so space for airflow and water at the roots in the morning.

Harvest

Cantaloupe is usually ready to harvest in about 3 months. Pick regularly to keep plants productive.

When to plant in your region

Pick your region to see exactly when to plant cantaloupe where you garden.

See also: Cantaloupe in the plant library →

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