Cantaloupes are a delicious, heat-loving melon with a relatively long growing season, making them especially well-suited for southern gardeners. Here’s how to grow cantaloupes in your garden!
Cantaloupes are a type of melon with a tan-green rind. Typically, the rind is covered in a spiderweb-like pattern, though some varieties may also be striped. Inside, the flesh is bright orange and sweet. Their growing requirements are similar to that of other popular melons, such as watermelons and honeydew melons.
Cantaloupes vs. Muskmelons
Oddly enough, the melon that is commonly referred to as a “cantaloupe” in North America is not actually a true cantaloupe, which are more common in Europe. In fact, our “cantaloupes” are a type of muskmelon. (True cantaloupe has a rough, warty rind and is not widely grown or commercially available in the US and Canada.)
In North America, the names “muskmelon” and “cantaloupe” are used interchangeably, but we will refer to this fruit simply as “cantaloupe” on this page to avoid confusion!
Botanical Name | Cucumis melo |
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Plant Type | Fruit |
Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
Soil Type | Loamy, Sandy |
Soil pH | Slightly Acidic to Neutral |
Bloom Time | |
Flower Color | |
Hardiness Zones | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
Special Features |