Cantaloupes Need Steady Heat and Sun to Sweeten

Question: Can I grow cantaloupes in Southern California?

C.S., Irvine

Answer: Cantaloupes can be successfully grown in our area, as long as you keep a few guidelines in mind. First, consider that cantaloupes need three to four months of steady heat to ripen and sweeten.

They require the warmest, sunniest spot in the garden and benefit from a black plastic mulch under them. They also require a light, well-drained soil, so add pumice to clay soil, and amend all soils with compost.

Selecting the right type of cantaloupe is important. To make sure that the cantaloupes get enough steady heat, choose a short-season variety such as Ha-Ogen, which takes 85 to 90 days to mature, said Charles Ledgerwood of Ledgerwood Seeds in Carlsbad.

“Most cantaloupes are grown in the Central Valley [where they have hot nights and hot days]. Ha-Ogen is especially bred for the coastal area. It is a pale green, soft-fleshed, very sweet fruit,” he said.

To plant cantaloupe, Ledgerwood suggests creating a 1-inch furrow and filling it with water. When the water drains, scatter five or six seeds in a cluster. Space the clusters 6 to 8 feet apart in a row on flat ground. (Many gardening books suggest planting melons on a hill, but this advice is only appropriate for the East Coast, which receives so much rain that the hills help with drainage.)

When the seedlings appear, thin to three per cluster. At 2 inches, fertilize the seedlings with a water-soluble 25-10-10 fertilizer. Thereafter, fertilize every time you water with a quarter-strength solution.

In warm weather, cantaloupes should be watered uniformly three times a week. Drying out will cause the fruit to split.

Cantaloupe plants also can be started in pots and transplanted outdoors when they reach 1 to 2 inches high.

You can tell when cantaloupes are ripe by one of two ways: They separate from the vine, or the yellow-orange of the flesh shows through the fruit’s characteristic netting.

Have a problem in your yard? University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners are here to help. These trained and certified horticultural volunteers are dedicated to extending research-based, scientifically accurate information to the public about home horticulture and pest management. They are involved with a variety of outreach programs, including the UCCE Master Garden hotline, which answers specific questions. You can reach the hotline at (714) 708-1646 or send e-mail to ucmastergardeners@yahoo.com. Calls and e-mail are picked up daily and generally are returned within two or three days.