When to Pick Cantaloupe From the Vine
- Although there are actually two distinct types of cantaloupe, we usually think of only one type in America. The type usually seen in the United States is the muskmelon with a netted skin and orange flesh. The other type, the true cantaloupe -- named for town of Cantalupo near Rome, Italy -- is a European cantaloupe not often grown in the United States, with a rough and warty skin. Muskmelon originated in India. Settlers in America grew the American cantaloupe as early as the 1600s. There are numerous varieties of muskmelon now including both open-pollinated and hybrid varieties.
- Figuring out when to harvest cantaloupe is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure. The color of the surface netting on the cantaloupe usually changes from greenish to beige as the melon ripens and the blossom end softens and smells sweet like the flavor of muskmelon. Then you check the ripeness of a cantaloupe by placing your thumb beside the stem and applying gentle pressure to the side of the fruit. If the stem separates easily from the cantaloupe, it is ripe and ready to pick from the vine. Make sure to harvest cantaloupes before they become too ripe because they will then fall from the vine on their own.
- Cantaloupes grow on a vine like other vining crops, such as squash, cucumber, watermelon and pumpkin. They produce two types of flowers, male flowers and flowers with both male and female parts. Although the complete flowers can self-pollinate, cantaloupe require bees for pollination to ensure a crop. Cantaloupes are a warm-weather fruit best suited for growing in areas with a long summer. Depending on the temperature, they begin maturing about 35 to 45 days after flowering. But since cantaloupe do not all mature at once, you can pick each one at its peak ripeness then store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Cantaloupe is usually grown from seeds in warm weather areas and from transplants in areas with short summers. Cantaloupe needs a sunny, well-drained location. The plants need 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. Cantaloupes are sweeter if the plant is not stressed, so be careful not to water too little or too much. The leaves need to dry out by nightfall to prevent fungal disease. Water infrequently and deeply in the morning, preferably using drip irrigation. Compost the root area of the vines monthly and feed cantaloupe plants with an all-purpose fertilizer once every two to three weeks.