Space plants 36 to 42 inches apart. Or, to save space, plant melons 12 inches apart at the base of a trellis . When trellising melons, tie vines to the trellis daily, using soft plant ties that won’t crush stems. A trellis for cantaloupe should be large: up to 8 feet tall and 20 feet wide in warmest climates.
Do cantaloupe plants need to climb?
Melons like sunshine and they like to roam around the garden. The plants send out tendrils that will produce more and more leaves and will actually climb if you give them a support .
Is it better to grow cantaloupe on the ground or trellis?
Using trellises allow you to produce more crops than you otherwise would and often healthier crops too . This includes vertical melon growing. Vining plants that sprawl on the ground are also vulnerable to insect pests, fruit rot, and other diseases.
How do you keep cantaloupe off the ground?
- Use Plastic Cradles. If you’re a backyard gardener who’s just raising a few melon plants in your veggie patch, commercially made plastic melon cradles are a great way to keep melons off the ground. ...
- Build Platforms. ...
- Make Slings. ...
- Use PVC Pipe Platforms.
How do you grow cantaloupe vertically?
Growing Cantaloupe Vertically
Melons naturally produce tendrils that will coil around anything they come in contact with. Help the cantaloupe grow vertically by orienting new vines up onto the trellis and twisting these tendrils around the wire or string or loosely tying the vines to the trellis with a piece of cloth .
How do you make a cantaloupe trellis?
Will cantaloupe climb a trellis?
When trellising melons, tie vines to the trellis daily, using soft plant ties that won’t crush stems. A trellis for cantaloupe should be large: up to 8 feet tall and 20 feet wide in warmest climates . Wire fencing works well.
Can you grow cantaloupe up a trellis?
Many gardeners opt out on growing their own melons due to the space a sprawling melon patch takes up, but that’s where growing a cantaloupe vertically on a trellis comes in to play . Trellised cantaloupes utilize a much smaller portion of the garden, allowing even those with limited space to grow their own.
Can I use a tomato cage for cantaloupe?
You can use old tomato cages that you had used with tomatoes, to grow cantaloupe . Many varieties of fruits and vegetables in cucurbits family needs a large area to grow. So instead of just running them on the ground, leaving them to run on a trellis or a tomato cage is a fine thing to do.
How many cantaloupes does a plant produce?
Unlike other varieties, the vines only spread up to three feet. Each plant can produce anywhere from four to eight delicious melons.
How do you make a melon trellis?
All you need is a few T-posts and some twine. Start by installing the metal T-posts so that they lean out at an angle. Now tie the twine to each T-posts to create the watermelon trellis. Plant your watermelon seeds or seedlings inside the V-shaped structure, training them along the trellis.
Will cantaloupe grow up a fence?
What do you put under cantaloupe?
Practice companion planting.
Planting cantaloupes near members of the cabbage family like cauliflower, broccoli, and kale all make good companions for these melons, as well as onions, chives, and garlic.
Is cantaloupe easy to grow?
Cantaloupes (aka rockmelons, sweet melons, and spanspeks) are an easy growing specialty melon that can be direct sown after all danger of frost, or started indoors 3-4 weeks before setting out. Growing cantaloupe plants occupy a fair bit of space, so be sure to leave enough room for the vines to spread out.
What month do you plant cantaloupe?
When planting cantaloupe, wait until the threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed in spring . You can either sow seeds directly in the garden or in flats inside (do this well before their initial planting outdoors), or you can use transplants purchased from reputable nurseries or garden centers.
How do you plant a cantaloupe mound?
Start by tilling the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Then use a garden rake or a hoe to create mounds about 4 inches high and 4 feet across . The mounds should be spaced at least 6 feet away from any other mound or plant in your garden. Cantaloupe plants spread out and get large, so they need plenty of room.
How do you make a homemade trellis?
How do you train a melon vine?
How do I know when to pick my cantaloupes?
In fact, most cantaloupes are ready to be picked once they’re fully ripened, changing from green to a tan or yellowish-gray color between the netting . A ripe melon will also exhibit a sweet and pleasant aroma. One way to tell if a melon is overripe is by looking at the rind, which will appear quite yellow and soft.
Can I plant watermelon and cantaloupe together?
No, you shouldn’t plant watermelon and cantaloupe vines close to one another because of the space requirements and shared pest and disease concerns, but you can plant them in a larger bed in different areas with good cultural practices.
