Hello Mid-Ohio Valley farmers and gardeners! The summer heat is finally here as the weather forecast calls for several badly needed days of sunshine and no rain. Farmers are out cutting hay and finishing crop planting and home gardeners can continue with late crops of cucumbers and sweet corn. Many of our squashes and beans have 50-60 day maturity dates and can planted for a great harvest.

Cantaloupe or musk melon (Cucumis melo) and honeydew melon are a great treat when picked fresh from the summer garden. Their taste beats anything we can purchase from the store. Cantaloupes are a member of the cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, watermelons, and gourds. Melons are native to the continent of Africa and several wild melons and watermelons can still be found there today. Columbus introduced melons to the New World. In 1494 they were growing them in Haiti. Melons were grown throughout North and South America by the 16th century.

Cantaloupe has a high water content of over 90 percent but is packed with lots of important nutrients. It is a great source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium while only containing 55 calories per serving.

Actually, what we Americans refer to as cantaloupe is muskmelon. True cantaloupes are rough, warty fruit primarily grown in Europe, but in America “cantaloupe” has become the generic name of all netted, musk-scented melons. Musk melons are netted (rough skin) and usually slip from their stems when ripe. Honeydew melons usually have green or white flesh, although some newer varieties may have orange or pink flesh.

Muskmelons are a warm-season crop requiring a long growing season, about 80 to 100 days or longer. Musk melon and honeydew also love the heat. They are a warm-season crop that grows best at temperatures between 65 and 95 F. It is best to plant when the soil temperature is at least 65 F. These melons are very tender and should be planted after the last chance of frost.

Cantaloupes prefer organic, rich, well-drained, sandy soils for best growth. The soil pH should be from 6.0-6.5. Before planting, incorporate up to four inches of well-composted organic matter. Apply four to six cups of all-purpose fertilizer (10-10-10) per 100 square feet before planting.

I typically direct seed most melons in the garden but those grown from transplants can be harvested as much as two weeks earlier than melons grown directly from seed. You can also get a head start using black plastic mulch to absorb heat from the sun and warming the quickly. To plant, punch a small hole in the plastic and plant the seed or transplant. Black plastic will also reduce weeds and fruit rot.

Home gardeners have many very good cantaloupe (muskmelon) varieties to choose from. Athena is a popular commercial varieties which performs very well in the home garden. Ambrosia, Burpee Hybrid, Lilliput Hybrid, Park’s Whopper, and Scoop II are other varieties to select from. The recommended honeydew variety is Earlidew.

Melons require plenty of moisture. Water deeply at the soil level because sprinklers may lead to fungal disease issues. Drip irrigation works great as water is applied in the plant root zone but does not wet the foliage. If conditions are dry, remember water is critical during fruit set and development. Too much water during the last week of fruit development may reduce fruit sweetness.

Make sure you have plenty of room for melons. They are a vining crop and will need their space. Muskmelon plants should be spaced two to three feet apart in rows that are 6 feet apart. They can also be grown in hills. Plant seeds 1 inch deep in loose, fertile garden soil and thin to the recommended spacing after they emerge.

You can also use a trellis. This will take extra work but vines get better air circulation than on the ground, which reduces the chances of disease. Plant melons 12 inches apart at the base of a trellis. A trellis for cantaloupe can be large being six to eight feet tall and up to 20-feet wide.

Be careful with applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. Applying too much nitrogen fertilizer or planting too close will result in tremendous vine growth and very little fruit. Lack of pollination can also be an issue in melons causing poorly formed fruit or reduced numbers of fruit. Melons have a male and female flower and must be pollinated by native bees or honeybees. Blossom end rot can be a problem caused by inadequate calcium in the plant.

Insects can also cause problems in cantaloupe production. Striped or spotted cucumber beetles on young transplants can result in the plants being infected with bacterial wilt. Cucumber beetle, aphids, and squash vine borer may also cause damage.

Muskmelons are at their peak for flavor when harvested at “full slip,” that is when the stem separates easily at the point of attachment. Most musk and honeydew melons take about 30 days from fruit pollination to harvest. Honeydew varieties may take a little longer. When the stem separates completely, this is called “full slip” and the fruit has achieved its maximum sugar development. Its quality will deteriorate if not harvested. Some honeydew varieties will not slip but will look paler in color. Fruits will vary in size from three to seven pounds. Handle fruits gently.

Contact me at the Wood County WVU Extension Office 304-424-1960 or e-mail me at jj.barrett@mail.wvu.edu with questions. Good Luck and Happy Gardening!