How to Grow Melons in Your Home Garden This Summer

Inside: Melons are easy to grow if you have fertile soil, ample space, and plenty of sun, but they aren’t suitable for every garden. Direct sow melon seeds, water and fertilize them, and look for a strong fragrance and separation from the vine to know when they are ripe.

There’s nothing as delicious as a homegrown melon. (Honestly! Those store-bought orange hard chunks are nothing like the sweet and soft melons you’ll grow at home.) Growing melons is right up there with sunflowers and tomatoes and is one of my very favorites. They are also a great money-saver because once you start harvesting them, you won’t need to buy fruit all summer.  

What You’ll Need to be Able to Grow Your Own Melons

Before you start dreaming of fruit salad and watermelon slices all summer, let’s make sure they’re a good fit for your garden. Melons can be a bit high-maintenance, but if you’ve got the right conditions, they’re totally worth it. But if you don’t have a large, sunny garden space, they simply won’t work.

Melons need lots of space. First things first: melons need room to roam. They’ve got long, sprawling vines that can take over your garden if you’re not careful. I recommend giving each plant at least a 4×4 foot area to spread out. This is a lot of space! Like a small bathroom size!

Melons crave sun and heat. Melons are sun-worshippers. They need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day to thrive. Minimum. They also love heat, so if you live in a cooler climate, you might need to give them some extra TLC. Some people use black plastic to warm up their soil.

Melons require fertile soil. Melons are heavy feeders, which means they need nutrient-rich soil to grow big and strong. Before planting, I always amend my soil with plenty of compost or well-rotted manure. If you’re not sure about your soil quality, consider getting a soil test.

My Favorite Melon Varieties in Zone 7 Garden

I live in Zone 7, which means I have a relatively long growing season and plenty of heat to work with. Here are a few melons that always make me smile:

• “Little Darling” Watermelon: These little cuties are perfect for small gardens or even container growing. They’re about the size of a bowling ball and have super sweet, crisp flesh. The best part is their size. A family can finish one off in one meal without awkwardly storing the rest in your fridge. 
• “Snow Leopard” Honeydew: They have a beautiful mottled green and white rind and sweet, juicy flesh. The vines are vigorous and productive, and the melons are ready to harvest in about 75 days. I love the unique speckled skin of this variety, and the flavor is simply outstanding. Get snow leopard seeds here.
• “Ambrosia” Cantaloupe. Ambrosia cantaloupe is a popular variety that has been super, super productive in my garden. They have a high sugar content, making them very sweet and flavorful. Get ambrosia seeds here.

I grow each of these every single year, without fail. I also tend to try a new one every year. Some others I’ve liked in the past are:

• Sugar Cube (sweet classic cantaloupe): Get sugar cube seeds here.
• Honey Blond (smaller cantaloupe)
• New Orchid (orangey-yellow watermelon): Get new orchid seeds here.
• Crimson Sweet (a classic and large watermelon we like for parties): Get crimson sweet seeds here.

Of course, there are countless other melon varieties out there, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find your own favorites.

When to Plant Melons

Timing is everything when it comes to planting melons. Plant them too early, and they might get zapped by a late frost. Plant them too late, and they might not have enough time to ripen before the cool weather sets in.

Direct Sowing is Better

While you can start melon seeds indoors, I’ve found that direct sowing works best. Melons have sensitive roots that don’t like to be disturbed, so transplanting bothers them Plus, direct sowing is way easier and less time-consuming. Just wait until the soil has warmed up to at least 70°F (21°C) and you’re good to go.

They’ll Die in Frost and Love Heat

Melons are not frost-tolerant, so make sure all danger of frost has passed before you plant them. In my Zone 7 garden, I usually plant melons in late April or early May, depending on the weather. Melons also love heat, so if you live in a cooler climate, you might want to wait until even later in the season to plant them. But remember, they need a long time to mature!  (This is why they won’t work for short growing seasons)

Melon Growing Basics

They all plenty of sun, water, and nutrients to thrive. I like to water my melons deeply but infrequently, giving them about 1-2 inches of water per week. I also fertilize them every 3-4 weeks with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to keep them well-fed.

While they are demanding about their conditions, when they’re happy, they’re happy. Your plants will grow and grow, taking over your garden space, until they set fruit. At this point they won’t really need much from you at all.

How to Tell When Melons Are Ripe

Different types of melons have different days to maturity, which means they’ll be ready to harvest at different times. Watermelons typically take the longest, with most varieties needing 80-100 days to mature. Cantaloupes and honeydews are a bit faster, with most varieties maturing in 65-90 days.

Cantaloupe and Honeydew

Fragrance (for cantaloupes). One of the first signs that a melon is getting close to ripeness is the fragrance. This is more noticeable in the heat of the afternoon. If you smell nothing, your melons probably need a bit more time.

Melons detach from the vine (for cantaloupes). As melons ripen, they start to separate from the vine. For cantaloupes and honeydews, this means that the stem will start to crack and pull away from the fruit.

Color shift. (for cantaloupes and honeydew). Both of these melons will lose the green in their rind when they become ripe and it will turn tan or white.

How to Tell Watermelons Are Ripe

Watermelons are harder! Check the spot where the melon itself rested on the ground. If it’s a creamy yellow color, that’s a good sign that the melon is ripe. You can also try the thump test – give the watermelon a gentle knock with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow and deep, it’s probably ready to pick. (This will make zero sense to you until you’ve grown them a year or two!)

And, don’t be ashamed if you mess up. Judging a watermelon’s ripeness is hard and we all get it wrong from time to time.

Common Melon-Growing Problems and Solutions

Here are some common melon-growing problems and what you can do to solve them.  Please don’t focus on the negatives and all the things that can possibly go wrong.  Just refer back to this if you do have a problem.

Problem	Cause	Solution	Note
Poor Germination	Cold soil Old or damaged seeds Planting seeds too deep	Warm the soil to at least 70°F (21°C) before planting. Use fresh, high-quality seeds. Plant seeds no more than 1 inch deep.	Melons will germinate MUCH faster when it’s warm.  Don’t plant too early, or they’ll rot,
Wilting Leaves	Lack of water Fungal diseases Insect damage	Water the melons deeply but infrequently, providing about 1-2 inches per week. Apply a fungicide to prevent and treat fungal diseases. Inspect melons regularly for insect damage and treat them as necessary.	On super hot days, they will wilt, even if they’re adequately watered. They’ll bounce back after sundown. If they don’t bounce back, water them in the morning!
Blossom End Rot	Calcium deficiency Irregular watering	Add calcium to the soil before planting. Water the melons consistently and provide about 1-2 inches of water per week.	I struggle with this with my tomatoes all the time, but rarely with melons! (But it does happen.)
Powdery Mildew	Fungal disease Poor air circulation	Apply a fungicide to prevent and treat powdery mildew. Space melon plants to allow for good air circulation.	This becomes more of a problem as nights get cooler, around mid-September.  I typically pull my plants at this point.
Aphids	Quick growth from over-fertilized plants Everyone has some aphids!	Use insecticidal soap or neem oil to control aphids.	The best cure for this is prevention.  Plants lots of flowers to attract beneficial insects and you might notice your aphid problem takes care of itself.
Cucumber Beetles	Attracted to melon plants	Use row covers to protect melons from cucumber beetles. Handpick and destroy cucumber beetles.	N/A
Vine Borers	Insect pests	Use beneficial nematodes to control vine borers. Remove and destroy any infested vines.	N/A

By following these tips, you can overcome common melon-growing problems and enjoy a bountiful harvest of delicious melons.

FAQs

Before we wrap things up, let’s tackle a few common questions that I get asked about growing melons:

Good Luck!

Like anything, there will be good years and bad years in your garden.  But melons are sweet, fun, and easy to grow if you have the space, the heat, and the sun.